FUNERAL ORATION

Hokitika Guardian, 30 September 1933, Page 7

FUNERAL ORATION

NEW GUINEA NATIVES. ELOQUENCE AT GRAVESIDE. ‘SYDNEY, September 20. The extent to which New Guinea •natives who have become civilised adopt the white man’s customs and beliefs i s shown ip an account, of a funeral oration delivered recently by a native. The incident, which occurred during the .burial of a native in a recently-explored part of the Mandated 1 erritory, i,s mentioned in a rep or; j-e----j ceived in Canberra by the Minister-in-i’ Charge of Territories, Mr Marr, from i the (Administrator, 'Brigadier-General * Griffiths, | About two months , a go a patrol party ! was operating near -Mount Hagen, in : the interior of New Guinea, about 200 miles inland from the Edie Creek goldfields Awaiya, a. native carrier attached to the party, died, and the “boss-boy” 0 f the carriers, Bua-se, who had formerly been a police boy in the employ of the Administration, delivered an address to his fellow-carriers, who were gathered around the graveside of their former comrade. The following ! translation of the address we-s supplied | by the Administrator-. “You people, you must not worry | about Awaiya. We are doing God’s work. God has put the Governor where he is to loOk after -and protect its. He does not forget us. The Governor hafi Ibr ought us into tlm ways of peace, and he thinks of near places in the bush and i n the mountains, and fiends his officers to find the people and bring peace to them. And he eall s upon us to help in this, his work. Your Awaiya was not killed ‘by warrior, nor did ho die of hunger (our “Kiap” protects us from these things), but he died of illness. That is God’s way. “God take s us all in His time, and at any hour. It is a.s the clock. Some 'He takes in the morning, some in the night. He takes the white man as Ho takes us. God knows all. No, you must not mourn Awaiya. He sleeps here. It 'is God's will that the dead sleep in all places, on the land and beneath the sea, and when Christ oornes 'again to earth, Awaiya will arise from his grave, and we shall look upon him once again.” (Gesture towards the heavens). “Kiap” is the name given by the natives to the officers of the Administration. Avho are in -charge -of' -the several districts of the (Mandated Territory.