CANNIBALISM.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 188, 11 August 1930, Page 10

CANNIBALISM.

NEW HEBRIDES HORROR.

MISSIONED EXPERIENCE.

ARRIVED WHILE OVEN WAS

BEING HEATED.

ROASTING OF- WAR CAPTIVES

Cannibalism —in the twentieth century'.' Yes, it is still in vogue amongst the BiirXambus, a-tribe of Malekula Island, in tho New Hebrides group. The fact is vouched for by two Seventh Day Advcritist missioners' who are through passengers by the Aorangi on their; way to Sydney. Tho Big "Nanilius arc located "in the. bush in the centre of the island,' where tliejV carry oii unceasing inter-tribal warfare. The bow and arrow and the spear have been relegated to the playground, and these wild men fight with modern firearms,' which, although contraband, are obtained by means of barter from unscrupulous traders.

"On one occasion when I visited the Nambus tribe," stated Pastor A. G. Stewart, vice-president- of-the Australasioii 'Union Conference of Seventh Day Adventists, in charge of South. Sea Island. Mission work, "I found the paramount chief very embarrassed. Our nussioners • are the only white people that tho natives wMI. allow, in their 'territory, as -we-have always ministered to their sick. The chief informed our guide-, on this occasion that he did-not want any missioncrs around that day. Tho reason •was that a cannibal feast was .in preparation. A body had been brought in. This had been cut up and wrapped in leaves, and tho oven was being heated for the roasting. -Our guide said that, members of the tribe were out on the search for more bodies after a fight had taken place, and the visitors stood the chance of being waylaid." Roasting the Victims. Mr. Stewart went on to describe the customs of the tribe. • -TJie bodies arc invariably wrapped in green leaves, the oven being n hole in the ground in which a firo is lighted. Stones arc put in, find when these become hot, the "joints' 3

are placed on top of the •stones' and 'the oven sealed up with earth.. In addition 4 to hundreds of natives who have been

cooked and eaten over the years, a nuinber of Europeans have had the same fate. They have either been. captuTed on "recruiting" expeditions or clubbed when exploring.

The only white- man apart from the Tiiissioners who" has visited the Big Nambus is a Frenchman, Dr. de Marfju'ett. "I took him in six weeks ago," s,£trid Captain "J. C. Eadley, who ■ has

charge of one of the mission, schooners.

"We went into the heart of the island and met the paramount chief Nisi, the head of the Narnbus people. This wild tribe has withstood' the encroachment

of the Europeans up to •:■. the- - present time. Even the Government officials are afraid to penetrate into the interior

unless they have a strong escort,, but the members of the mission station to which I am attached arc never molested. I have never been at a human feast

myself, but on the last trip I asked

soino of the Nambus about their cahnibilistic customs, .and they told me frankly that they cat their captives. ■ They are constantly fighting am&ngst themselves in the interior, just as thej r used , to do on the coast, and those who fall are roasted. A fiendish dance is held on these occasions-and the victims . are offered up as sacrifice to the spirits." ■ New Tribes Located. Pastor Stewart said that lie and his wife had spent twenty years in mission work in the South Seas. For seven years they were on Malekula working among primitive people who had no.t previously been visited by missionaries. Traders and planters up-to the present day refused to go far inland as the wild Narnbus ■ were a terror to allcomers. Gradually the coastal tribes, in the northern portion of the island had come under the refining influence of Christianity. Their children were sent to school, and in. more recent times there had been a tendency on the part of the. inland tribes to send their children in for instruction. During his term on the island .many new tribes, had been located ■which had never before been seen by • Europeans. ' The villages were large, some housing as many as 300 natives, all of a virile type. ' The .men wore nothing but a belt of bark, while the women were clad in short mat skirts. They wore a headdress hanging down ' .behind. This was used as a veil when strangers appeared, in .the same.manner as practised' by Turkish women. , \ The island was one of the most fertile iii the New Hebrides, said Mr. Stewart, but planters and natives were , very depressed at the present time owing to the low. prices obtaining for their products—copra, cocoa, coffee and cotton.

"The coastal tribes have abandoned firearms and heathen dances," he said, "and they hav.e also given up the manufacture of kava, but • the same cannot be sairf for the central tribes. They are in possession of : firearms," ancient and modern. I have known them melt all the shot in cartridges and make heavy slugs of them to use in shotguns--and when - they hit anybody you can the kind of wound that is made."

Mr. Stewart, 13' returning from, the Seventh Day Adventist Conference held, in San Francisco, which lasted from May 28 to June-16. , ' .. . .