CIVILISING PAPUANS

Hokitika Guardian, 22 November 1930, Page 6

CIVILISING PAPUANS

PROGRESS AND SETBACKS. A story that illustrates the diflieul ties which white administrators anti missionaries have to content) with in Papua was told by the Rev. J. B. Clark, a member of the Legislative Council of Papua, who arrived by the Ulimaroa at Auckland. Mr Clark said the natives had taken easily to peaceful pursuits. Some oj them were hank clerks, some medical assistants, and some were quite proficient in the use of the typewriter. This progress was due to the influence of Christianity, lie considered, hut the veneer of civilisation was thin,, and some had sunk figain to heathenism. “There was one man,” said Mr Clark, “who used to earn £25 a month besides a house allowed, an as engineer’s assistant. He used to drive a motor lorry; lie adopted Western ways. Then he went again to the customs of his. fathers; and one day the same man appeared in broad daylight, with nothing but a belt on llis body, hidiously bedaubed with, paint, and with the elaborate headdress of the old time on his head.

Even the natives who attended the mission school in the day would go home in the evening to their clusters of beehive huts, and the night would resound to their heathen dances, said Mr Clark. Loyal and Trustworthy. When he first went to the island he and his wife spent 10 years up in the humid, moisture-dripping forests in the hills. There were cannibals in those days, he said, and even at the present time he had heard of sporadic cases in the regions where Government control had not yet penetrated. In the early days there were only the merest of tracks from village to village, with the chance of ambush all the way. When it was necessary for him to go and try to win the confidence of a nearby warlike village he had at first felt afraid for his wife alone among the savages. “But whatever the Papuan may be Ixp is loyal and to he trusted.” Mr Clark said. “I soon found that I could leave Airs Clark in safety. The village would camp around her hut, while I was away, to ensure that she met with no harm.”

He spoke of the customs of the people and of their “temples.” He hail been inside one of these long templehuts, “They are for men and for hoys only. A lad who is to he initiated goes into them for 12 months, and in that time he does not see a woman. Tf ever lie comes out in the day time, which is not often, he wears a grass mat affair over his head. ' That is part of their tradition. Tn the far end of the temple there is the inevitable pile of skulls, human skulls,, of victims taken, in war and killed and eaten.” Villages Built for Defence. . The very fact that villages were being built in the. valleys spoke for the progress. of .civilisation,..- -In. the old days these huts were either built away from the shore on piles above the water, if they ’were near the,. sea, or, if they were in the hills, right at the summit of the: most ■■ fnaCfcessible point possible. A precipice-scarred peak was a favourite building site. The village architect and engineer would front the huts with one ravine and flank it with another, and if there/were any more, lie would have one at the rear. Then he would build “castles” in the trees, which would he inside the outer palisade. Tn the case of attack up into those “castles” would go the women, children and other valuables. The three houses were always stocked with a good supply of stones, and of short heavy, flat-bladed throwing spears. The idea was to cast them down on the heads of the attackers, as women had done from the high places of beleagured towns from time immemorial. “Still, that is almost past, as I have said.” added Mi; Clark. “They are building down in the valleys now.” Native Gallantry. One lovable feature of the Papuan was his loyalty. The trait was in evidence even when lie was uncivilised. He mentioned the devotion to duty of two natives who- were in a launch which foundered, and in which accident a number of people were drowned. A report appeared in . the Auckland Press. The accident happened' not far away from where Mr Clark was stationed. “The chain of tlies rudder broke, when the vessel was Encountering heavy weather,” explained Air Clark. “She turned broadside to it, and foun-

dered. On hoard were the magistrate, his wife and a number of natives. The magistrate was drowned, as were some four of the native crew. "When the native captain of the craft and one of tile crew came to the surface, they noticed the hat of the wife of the magistrate. Then they saw her dress. Instead of leaving her and saving their own lives, they lifted her on to a small hatchway which had floated clear, and from 6 o’clock in the morning to 5 o’clock at night, they battled to get to shore. They got near to the mouth of one river. hut the current of the outgoing tide—it was a tidal river—carried them out again. Tt was the same at- the next river they came to; and the next. When t.lxov came to the fourth river, the tide had turned, and they were able to get ashore.” For sheer courage and ehivairv. Air Clark said these natives were well up to AYestern standards.

\ few rlrop» of “Nnzol” on your handkerchief pverv morning will protect von From colds nh dnv. Take this scientific precaution right throughout the winder Foonomleci double size contains 'Wdoses for 2s fid. —Advt.