DR BUCK’S BOOK

Hokitika Guardian, 6 January 1931, Page 6

DR BUCK’S BOOK

AN INTERESTING RECORD

WELLINGTON, January 3

l)r P. H. Ruck (Te R-angi Huron)j who has accepted the position of lecturere on anthropology at Yale University, has just published a work on the material culture of the natives- of Samoa. The book is issued as a bulletin of the Bishop Museum, Honolulu Dr Buck has been under engagement, to this institution for about five years For a considerable period he occupied the position of' Health Officer of the Maoris, and rendered excellent service during the war. receiving the decoration of D.S.O.

During his term of service lor the Bishop Museum, Dr Buck travelled widely throughout Polynesia collecting data for works on material culture of the people of the different islands and groups. M.r Elsdon Best, the wellknown authority on the Maori, has received an advance copy of the work hearing the inscription: “A small t*'ibute to the Kaumntua (elder) from his Tamaiti (child).” As the result of the six months lie lias spent in Samoa. Dr Buck has produced a really authoritative work on the material culture of the people. The hook follows up his admirable work on the material culture of the. people of Aitutaki, of the Cook Group, published by the Maori Ethnological Research Board. The illustrations of the new book are excellent, especially the many diagrams representing processes of manufacture, all these diagrams being from drawings made bv the author.

LIFE 01-’ THE PEOPLE. In the introductory chapter, Dr Buck states that the Samoans are the largest branch of the Polynesians next to the Maoris in New Zealand. Though admixture has taken place there is a very high per centage of full-bloocled Samoans. The speech of the Samoans is a dialect of the Polynesian language. During the six months spent in Samoa,” says the writer , “investigation was concentrated on material culture, with such customs as shed light on tiie degree of importance played by the various complexes in the life of the people. The technique may he useful to the Samoans in days to come when the broadening of their horizon will inevitably lead to the decay of their native arts and crafts. Throughout each technical process, difficulties occurred that had to be surmounted, and human thought is expressed by the manner in which skilful fingers sought to achieve the desired end.” The work treats with much detail o ,f the following amongst other subjects: Houses, food, textile products, implements, canoes, fishing, woodcraft agriculture, games, musical instruments, personal adornments decorations, etc Mr Elsdon Best states that the Samoan, Group is in the same position that New Zealand was some time age. of having some very good general works on the natives; but not works giving details of processes, manufactures, etc. The work of Kramer, although an excellent production has not yet been translated into English from the German. “It is quite clear,” says Mr Best, “that Dr Buck has a power and insight into matters Polynesian not- possessed by any European, and this gives an added value to his hook.” ,