Show va rite of fire walking still deep mystery despite investigations of competent observers the famous fire walking ceremony still remains a secret of a small company of natives in the island of lia latea tahiti the ceremony was given on this island recently tor for the first time in ninny many years and outsiders were not excluded from witnessing any stage of the flie preparation of the fire pit when the proper time comas comes and the celebrants pass through the fire any bystander raking asking permission may mn go through beside them without discomfort outsiders who have passed through the fire say they felt no sensation of heat except ou on the face although when standing outside the radiation made macle the he pit difficult tc approach those trying to solve the mystery have pulled out a large stone from the pit while the ceremony was lit in progress and thrown it into a pall of water the water would go up in steam some also have tried crawling to the edge of the pit and touching one of tile the white stones with the finger fl nier they were rewarded with ugly burns burng scientists who have seen the ire fire walking hive have propounded it number lumber of theories but practical tests always failed to establish such explanations the ceremony harking back to tc heathen times and the worship of old 90 gods ds la Is frowned on by the missionaries and the christians among the natives hence it la Is seldom performed even eren in lla Ra latea laten the place pi a ce of its origin |