Ate at Cannibals’ Banquet White Man Who Rules Savage Tribe in New Hebrides

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 654, 4 May 1929, Page 18

Ate at Cannibals’ Banquet White Man Who Rules Savage Tribe in New Hebrides

fZ~~'TW m Z% XDRE xa TTREL. white chief of the fiercest cannibal tribe in the New Hebrides, reached *be other day ■» by the French steamer St. Vincent de Paul, to take charge of his new trading schooner. Lerlita. lying in a shipbuilder's yards at Berry's Bay. Throughout the New Hebrides, the natives know Naturel as the great white chief of the Bignambas tribe, whose headquarters are siiuated in the island of Malicolo. Among the white population he is regarded as a romantic figure, having been planter, recruiter of native labour, and trader in the New Hebrides for 28 years. The story of how he became chief of the Bignambas, the most warlike cannibals in the islands, is well known to the older inhabitants of the New Hebrides. As a young man Naturel gained a reputation for fearlessness among the natives, and about 11 years ago the chiefs of the Bignambas, wishing to

strengthen themselves bouring tribes, with whom ' constantly at war, even to this invited this daring French trad r come to their island, which nip J# time had seldom been visited W whites. Feast—or Death Naturel accepted the sailed in his schooner to the which he crossed alone, and wa* coined by the Bignambas- w However, he got, more than bargained for. He was told *** had been chosen as chief, . was then forced to be cannibal orgy, after seeing the victims for the feast cooked. It was either feast » and Naturel chose the Naturel was then allowed to trade on the island of where he now lives. . The crew, which will ney shortly to take the k er ßll| i to Malicolo, consists of Nature is own cannibal tribe. c