ANTHROPOLOGY

Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 24, 29 January 1935, Page 7

ANTHROPOLOGY

MELBOURNE CONGRESS

NATIVES AND THEIR CUSTOMS

During the science congress in Melbourne there was an important joint discussion by the anthropology, medical, and education sections on the results of contact ,of primitive x>ooples with Europeans.' < Mr. (i. E. Archey, director of the Auckland 'War Memorial Museum, referred 'to this and other aspects of the congress in an interview with a "Post" representative ou hi» arrival by the Ma'rama yesterday. - In the discussion between the thre* sections on the subject of primitive peoples, said Mr. Archey, a recommendation was that interference with native customs should be undertaken with great caution, because the breaking down of a custom, which might seem to Europeans,unimportant, might, have far-reaching effects upon 'the authority of the native leaders and lead to disturbances, or, at any rate, a lack of that discipline which the supervising European or controlling European interests really wished, to maintain. The carrying out of a ritual or ceremony often was the imprimatur >of authority. .If that ceremony or custom was interfered with, authority was affected, and the man with the authority was perhaps the ono who more than anyone else could hold the community together.'. ' > ' t | Mr. Archey was interested .chiefly i» the anthropology section of the congress. Of particular interest to him was the presentation of a large number of important papers and accounts of the valuable research being carried out by students, trained in the Australian .universities, on the customs, magic, and religion of tho Australian aborigine, They had shown how important were the.natives' beliefs in totemic ancestors. The students had also done much important work in the Australian mandated territory of Papua. - Their work was of double importance. It revealed tho organisation of native society and also- it was. of practical assistance in connection with their administration. ' * \ There was a discussion on the place of biology in education and of its value in inducing among children a more wholesome and natural attitude in regard to sexual matters. It was felt that it might simplify children's difficulties in regard to such matters. \ Th« cultural aspect of nature studies was also emphasised. • ' Mr. Archey found ' the ■ study -of anthropology very well organised in the Australian universities. Ho said he thought the important research work i that had been undertaken must represent already an adequate. return to .the ' community for its cost. It made all the more pointed the lack of such departments in New Zealand, where there wai only one, that at Otago University. The congress lasted a week, and Mr. Archey found it admirably organised in every respect. He was. particularly interested in the organisation side, because the next congress is 'to bo held in Auckland in 1937 and he will be on» of the secretaries.