AUSTRALASIAN ABORIGINAL

Hokitika Guardian, 26 October 1929, Page 7

AUSTRALASIAN ABORIGINAL

STANDARD OF MENTALITY. t. That the Australian aboriginal is not the lowest mental type among mankind is. the confirmed opinion of Prolessur 1). Porteus, an Australian professor of psychology, now at the University of Hawaii, after leading two expeditions on behalf of the Australian National Research Council. Tho leader is returning by the Niagara to Eonolulu, and from there he will make his report to the research council. Professor Porteus informed an interviewer that ope of, the expeditions was to the far North-West Coast, in the Kimberly district, and the other to. Central Australia, in Alice Springs region. The purpose was to study at close quarters and compare the tos of the aboriginal with those of. other, native races with a view to determining jiis mental status. “Wo: had an 1800-mile trip from Broome to Wnydham,” said the professor, “ examining natives encountered on the way, after which we returned to Perth and visiting stations in the south-west of the continent. From Adelaide we travelled to Alice Springs and then \yent about 120 miles west towards the western end of the Macdonald Ranges. From Broome, the remainder qf the party travelled 500 miles along the uncharted coast, and procured a pictorial record of life in wild country which has seldom been visited by white people. This party included Dr Withington, physician and surgeon, of Honolulu, and two movingpicture photographers, Messrs King and Wilson. After successfully completing their mission they came overland by motor truck through Queensland to Sydney.”

SPEARED BY ABORIGINALS? While the overland party was on its way to Queensland, a scare was raised by a report that Dr Withington had been spe&red by aboriginals. Wlien. tjiey . renched ;Camooweal, on the Queenslami border, the party was ad, vised’that.-the doctor had developed a poisoned, hand, wbicji it was thought might, have to be amputated. The poison, was caused, by infection ... from wire netting in which he had been carrying birds. On. reaching civilisation the hand was successfully treated, and the doctors now tfunk it can be saved. Dr 'Withington is jitijl in Sydney, and he will probably return to Honolulu before the middle of November.

“As regards my own trip,” Professor Porteus said, “1 examined three groups elf natives;. from throe different areas in order thAt I might get a fair sample of the aboriginal population. It WAS my good fortune to encounter a wild desert tribe, the” Loritcha, from the west of the Arunta, the members of which were extensively 1 studied by the late Sir Baldwin Spencer, of Melbourne. The which has prevailed for five years in Central Australia has driven the wild tribes to the country in which we made our base:”

Discussing the mentality of the aboriginals, Professor Porteus said their intelligence is not to be compared in terms of civilised intelligence, but in relation to the environment in which they live. Regarded in this light he considers the aboriginals to be well developed. The expedition was entirely successful and data never before obtained was gathered. In fact, this was a pioneer investigation of this particular field.

LESSONS IN COMMUNISM. Not only did the expedition disprove the prevailing idea that the aboriginal has the lowest type of mentality in the world, the professor said, but it also revealed a remarkable social organisation. “Theirs is the only race on earth,” he declared, “ which is.governed by the most educated of its members. Theirs is probably the only race also, in which there is absolute communism of goods and entire absence of individual selfishness.. Under their system personal selfishness is not possible.”

An interesting ‘ description was given by the professor of a meeting of a typical tribal council. He attended some' of those meetings and found them both illuminating and engrossing. A council consists of the oldest and wisest men- of "the tribe, and by . common consent the man of greatest age is looked to as the spokesman, ' most especially to reciting the magical rites and ceremonies which f are supposed to increase the numbers of their animals. Nothing is done except by the common consent of the council, and in the opinion of the professor there are valuable lessons to be learnt from this highly developed form of communal government.

“SAVAGE NATURE” EXAGGERATED. The blacks encountered- by the expedition were most co-operative and ever ready to show kindness. “Reoorts of their savage nature,” said

Professor Porteus, “are grossly 'Vox-', nggerated. , There has been occasion-, al spearings of white men, but these are frequently' the result of . unfortunate incidents resulting from the at-: tjtnde of white men towards black wojpen. In the parts usually visited,whjfe .people may ‘travel•'with safety. From one of the tribes visited, I ascertained that as recently as a year ago ,members! of the tribe speared two wj}i'tek men, and that in consequence 3F bfack s were shot by the police. On tjie whole,\ however, such incidents are rare. ' ."V;.

“Wlien. you study., the Australian abqpjg.nal,” said the professor, “you mpst remember the hard conditions which he ,has had ,to ■ fight against,. Befpre the development of* agriculture or of the arts he\ came to a country that is naturally * inhospitable, where there is not a great quantity of indigenous plants that can be used for food, where drought is frequent, and where little progress was to be expected, In face of these natural hardships he has' survived and developed to a' greater*, extent than has 'been generally supposed.*’ . ' As one example of mentality.' .the professor said that although the aboriginal was supposed not to be able’ to count further than, three, if you sent him away with TOO cattle he would very soon know if any .were missing. He seemed to have developed in a high degree, the ■ power of visualising. .. / 1 "• As to whence the, aboriginals came to Australia, Professor Porteus says Pq one knows, except that of all native races they are in many respects, host closely allied to the white peoples. These respects relate to Allpod tests, the texture of hair and other points of similarity “But*” as the professor remarked, “that is another story.’’