THE LIFE HISTORY OF A PAPUAN SAVAGE.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1521, 4 December 1886, Page 3

THE LIFE HISTORY OF A PAPUAN SAVAGE.

Tbe Rev. George Brovn, the wallknown missionary, read an interesting paper before the British Association at Birmingham in which he described the life history of a native of New Brita n, an island in the Polynesian group, aboni forty miles north-east of New Guinea. He commenced with tbe birth of the example child, and slid that when a child was boro to the Papuan people who occupied this island a warm banana leaf was wrapped around his body, and he was fed with the expressed juice of (he cocoaout, and left ever afterwards to be “ dressed in pure eanshine.” (Laughter.) He described the children’s games, and tbe initiation of the boy as he grew up into certain secret rites, and the ceremonies at tbe various feasts, especially on bis marriage, and the feast when he was taught to curse bis enemies. On the occasion of his marriage there was an Interchange of goods and a distinct payment for tbe wife. Presents were also given by the women to tbe bride, and by the men to the husband, and after a broom had been given to the former, and a spear to the latter, a stick was given to the man. The spear meant that tbe husband was to protect bis wife, and the broom that with it the wife was to do her household work, and the stick— <f here’s the stick with which to whack her if she does not.’ (Laughter). At the time of death the cries of the friends of the deceased ware very piteous and touching. The dead person whs cried to to come back, was expostulated with for having left his friends, wae entreated to say how his friends had offended him, and so on, the mourners seeming to be speaking in the very presence to the spirit of the dead man. The more they studied the life and character of these people the more would it be found that there was more poetry and common sense in their ideas than they are given credit for. They bad intuitive perceptions of good and bad, right and wrong, according to their lights. Many of tbe things which his bearers would call good they also call good, but they had no definite idea of a future state nor of punishment except for one offender, the niggardly man. When an old man came near death he was placed upon a litter and carried around to see tbe old scenes amid which he had passed his life—his canoe, the sea, and all the old familiar subjects, and then be was taken back to wait his time. After death he was placed in a chair and taken into the public square, with his aide, and before him the people placed offerings of their valuable goods and money. The idea was tnat the spirit was near, but about to go, and that he mutt be provided for his journey, and here they found something like the Greek practice of placing a coin in- the hands of tbe dead to pay tbe ferryman.