FRENCHMAN FORCED TO BE A CANNIBAL

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 370, 2 June 1928, Page 16

FRENCHMAN FORCED TO BE A CANNIBAL

GRIM ISLAND FEAST NEW HEBRIDEAN “CHIEF” A man who stated that he took part in a cannibal feast, and was made a chief of the fiercest cannibal tribe in the New Hebrides, arrived in Sydney recently in the trading ship Saint Andre. He was M. Andre Naturel, planter and recruiter of native labour. He has had a romantic career in the New Hebrides group, where he has been for 2S years. He came to Sydney to buy a schooner for his island trading business. He has such a fine reputation among the natives that he was invited to visit the Bignambas tribe, in the island of Malicolo. This tribe consists of about 5,000, and is the fiercest in the New Hebrides. It still practises cannibalism. Naturel accepted the invitation, and when he arrived a huge feast was prepared. To his astonishment a number of natives were led forward and slaughtered. Powerless to dc anything, he was compelled to watch the victims being cooked. The natives watched him closely, and when he attempted to eat roast pig instead of cooked native, they be-

came so menacing that he was compelled to take part in the cannibal feast. After the orgy the chiefs of the tribe held a council, and Naturel was accepted as a chief. Both his arms were tattoeed with native signs denoting his position. It took him weeks to recover from the painful operation. Naturel is the only white man who can live safely with the Bignambas tribe. Native fights between it and other tribes are common. The dead and prisoners, according to passengers on the Saint Andre, are eaten.