Cl~apter One<br > All through the long afternoon the ceremonial<br > drums had been throbbing like the pulse beat<br > of a giant heart and Liliha， in the semidarkness<br > of the thatched hut， felt her own blood surging<br > to the drumbeat.<br > Her hair and body had been sleeked by<br > scented oils in preparation for the honor that<br > was soon to be hers. Nothing remained save for<br > the donning of the new kapa cloth， which her<br > mother， Akaki， had made specially for the oc-<br > casion.<br > After the ministrations of her mother and<br > the other women， Liliha felt beautiful and<br > more alive than she had ever felt. She moved<br > her head gently from side to side， enjoying the<br > feel of her hip-length， silken black hair as it<br > moved across her bare， golden skin.<br > Her nostrils widened as the tempting odors<br > of roasting pig seeped into the hut. Since she<br > was a woman， Liliha would not be partaking of<br > the succulent meat-as she would not be able<br > to eat of the white shark meat or the<br >i| bananas--for these foods were kapit， forbidden，<br > to women.<br >