VILLAGE LIFE RESUMED

Evening Post, Volume CXXXV, Issue 25, 30 January 1943, Page 7

VILLAGE LIFE RESUMED

NATIVES IN PAPUA

(By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyrtfiht.) (Special Australian Correspondent.) SYDNEY, January 29. -i The natives in northern Papua are moving out of the jungle fastnesses and back to their villages. By bush telegraph or instinct, they know that the:.:war;in their little part of the world is*, over and that the Japanese are gone out of their country. VTimprous advance parties of natives have been repairing their dilapidated huts, cutting the rank grass, and clearing up a carpet of rotting coconut husks," writes the war correspondent of the Sydney "Sun," F. C. N. Folkarcj. "The overgrown gardens are being put in order. /'Word has spread that the 'Jap man' has gone, • that the white -taubadas (masters) are back, and that the 'big fella gubmint' rules again." Natives who were formerly not friendly towards white men now make overtures and present, gifts as evidence of their good will. Their experience with the Japanese has been a salutary lesson."

In the Papuan territory which they had occupied, the Japanese appointed a "captain" for each native village, and as the puppet king of the country they appointed one Pounga. He used his authority to raid and despoil villages, and quickly became the most feared native in Papua. When the Japanese left, Pounga and a few supporters endeavoured to continue their banditry, but they were . arrested by two white patrol officers serving with the Australian Army. "Pounga's bandits were members of a ration-carrying party with which I travelled," writes Mr. Folkard. "They have been arrested on charges of murder, rape, looting, arson, mayhem, and other crimes of less importance. But they seemed a mild enough lot." Twd patrolmen are now collecting souvenirs of the Papuan campaign— large medallions which were presented by the Japanese to those natives whom they appointed village capta-ins.