Primitive Peoples

Press, Volume C, Issue 29554, 1 July 1961, Page 3

Primitive Peoples

Primitive Man and his Ways. IJy Kaj BirkeySmith, Odhams. 233 pp. The author, a Danish anthropologist, endeavours to present a picture of the customs and culture of six I primitive peoples, showing jhow in the course of their * development they have | adjusted themselves to the natural conditions. The culi tures outlined, include those of the Australian aborigine.; the Lapps of northern] Scandinavia, the early Maori,] the Tauregs of North Africa! and the North American] Indians In each case the] author attempts to identify the factors which have formed and set the characteristics of the highly varied styles of life. Nature influences culture in two ways, the author asserts. First the richness of a culture largely depends- on its geographical position and its oportunities to pool ideas and techniques . with other] cultures It is not a matter. of chance that the most primitive forms of culture are to be found in the most isolated parts of the world. Second, the richness of a culture depends on the opportunities offered by the environment. Some regions are so inhospitable that it is difficult for man to live there at all. In such areas of the world cultures tend to be highly specialised, as in the case of the Australian aborigines. Such highly specialised cultures, make survival possible, but are unable to adapt to changing circumstances. "Primitive Man and his Ways" appears to be designed for the general reader. It is easily read, informative and reliable. Those who enjoy accounts of travel and strange and exotic ways of life should find this very much to their taste.

j N.Z. HISTORY i Historic Bay of Islands. Illustrated by John H. Alexander. Text by A. H. Reed. A. H. and A. VV. Reed. 48 pp. Visitors to the Bay of Islands and its vicinity cannot fail to be impressed by tbe buildings there that have survived for well over a century. Such are Pompallier ! House at Russell, built about 1842; the Treaty House at Waitangi, Selwyn vicarage at Waimate North; and at Kerikeri. the Kemp homestead and the old stone store !in which Bishop Selwyn housed his library. Con-i fronted by these buildings! ;and others like them, the tourist must feel in need of some guide book to explain their historical significance This, Mr A. H. Reed has attempted to supply in the booklet under review. He has found in John H. Alexander a sensitive artist to illustrate the text with pen and brush drawings. Mr Reed's narrative dealing with the several localities, such as Pathia. Russell and Ohaeawai. is confined to brief historical jottings. His booklet is attractively got up and contains an index and two decorative maps of the Bay of Islands.