NATIVES’ SCORN

Shannon News, 20 November 1928, Page 4

NATIVES’ SCORN

OF 'WHITE’S “TAME” WEDDING.

Intense enthusiasm on the part of the natives was shown at the first wedding which was celebrated at Ivila, Salamaua, New Guinea. The ceremony took place at the home of Mr and Mrs. Tom Bayless, whose roomy bungalow, “Narella,” was beautifully decorated with masses of glorious white and coloured orchids and flowers which were brought in by wildly excited natives from' the nearby mountain ranges. The bride was Miss Nell Rea, of Coogee, Sydney, and the bridegroom was Mr Walker Flynn, manager of Carpenter and Co., Salamaua. Arches of gully ferns, glowdng crimson wild passion flowers, interwoven with softer hued and sweet smelling wild flowers, formed arches enclosing a temporary chapel, where the' local Lutheran pastor, Rev. Bayer, performed the ceremony. Some of the rarely seen 'White Bell’ orchids were gathered especially by Mr Tom Bayless and a band of adventurous natives for the bouquet carried by the bride, who wore a white Ikce gown mounted over satin, and a Venetian point lace veil, which was simply arranged on her head with a cluster of orange blossom at one side. Little Mary Innes, as bridesmaid, also carried a posy of exquisite pale toned orchids, grouped with pale pink ferns.

The wedding breakfast was set under a giant floral bell. Many of the natives who came uninvited, to the wedding, wore trails of exquisite flowers with careless grace adorning their fuzzy upstanding hair. They eyed the locally-made wedding cake with scorn, but heartily appreciated the generous supply of pig, etc., forming their feast. Many amusing comments as to the wedding party’s lack of war-like spirit in the wedding-dancing ’’ were overheard, and later gave rise to various inspired exhibition dances between the house staff and the visiting savages of their respective village dances. Launches conveying European gueetfi' “pit-pitted” over the calm waters of the bay as they sped back to Salamaua, under a bright bold moon, ending one of the prettiest weddings sene in New Guinea.