TOLERANT PAPUANS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 164, 14 July 1938, Page 10

TOLERANT PAPUANS.

KIWAIS AND THEIR CHURCH. (By J.C.) Amongst the many excellent storiee of life atid adventure in British Xew Guinea narrated by Mr. Jack Hides—whose untimely death was recently announced by cablegram—in his last book, "Savages in Serge," (Angus and Robertson), is this tale of the Kiwai tribe and their community church. The Kiwai folk appear to be a very independent and broadminded people, bound by no petty sectarian prejudices. The villages of the Kiwai tribe are on the islands and sandy beaches, at the mouth of the Fly River. The people are an intelligent lot, Hides wrote, who quickly learn to speak good English and adapt themselves to European ways. Many work on pearling lu*rgere. They are always" in demand by good "boeeboye for the plantations and mines. Many are N.C.O.'e in the Constabulary. In fact the Kiwais think they are the cream of Papua. They are an artistic people and dance and sing beautifully. Their singing is not unlike that of the Maoris. St. Paul's Would Do. A few years ago the Kiwais got religion, and got it properly. There was a mission station at Darn Island, just off the mouth of the Fly. But the monthly visits of the missionary and his religious comforts were not enough, it seemed. The Kiwais wanted a church of their own, a European church to be built in Mabaduan, and one day a deputation waited on the iteeident Magistrate of the Division. "We want a whiteman churety" the loader said, in English. '|We want a church of eemenee." he emphasised. To make all clear, he handed the magistrate two picture postcards, probably obtained at Thursday Island. The magistrate looked at them; one was of St. Paul's Cathedral, the other of Notre Dame! The magistrate laughed. "What do vou want a church for?" "We have talked about it," the leader said. "All the people want it." "But you can't get a church like this. A white man's church costs a lot of money." "How much money?" they all eagerly asked. "Too much money; all the Kiwais have not enough money." . They conferred in serious whispers, while the official smilingly watched them. But thev wore determined; they would have a church of "cemence," they told him. If they had not enough money they would get niore from their future labours on the pearling luggers. "We Will Talk Ourselves." So the magistrate helped them. He invited tenders for a church, a building of timber and concrete, complete with spire, seats and pulpit. And one day a European contractor arrived with materials to do the job. The building was completed, a rather imposing place in comparison with the thatched houses that surrounded it. The villagers held a meeting to decide upon the moon for,, the opening dance. Great was their pride as they walked through the church, tried the pulpit, or stood gazing on the structure from the outside. Then came the missionary. He enumerated their virtues; dwelt upon the wonderful work they had done, ami promised that the church would be dedicated to one of the old missionaries. "Xo fear," they told him. "Thie is our church. If we want you to come and talk to ue sometimes, then we will ask you. If we want the Roman Catholic priest from Thursday Island, we will ask him. If we want to talk ourselves, then we will talk. But all the time, I think, we will talk ourselves." And so the church stands to-day. "I can picture the Sundays," Jack Hides wrote. "All the Mabaduans flocking to a service, lasting all the morning. There would be hymns and native songs, and sermons from five or six eloquent Kiwais on various subjects from taxation to the Bible. Many Papuans are gifted speakers and love talking to a crowd. The Kiwais are no exception."