WOMEN AND HEAD HUNTING.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 23 December 1933, Page 5

WOMEN AND HEAD HUNTING.

ADMIRATION FOR BRAVE MEN. Who were most to blame for the head-hunting and -cannibalism that are just dying out in the Pacific Island—women or the men? Perhaps the women were mainly to blame, for Miss E. Bramell, assistant ethnologist at the Museum, pointed out during a lunch-hour address to-day that their ideal in life was a man who would not shirk lopping off a fellownative's head and keeping it for reference. It was juslt a Pacific custom, she explained, and the native '3 .attitude towards the taking of life was entirely different to that of the white man. Sometimes, in fact, they showed their affection for a departed friend or relative by consuming some of his flesh, while they illustrated their abhorrence of an enemy by doing likewise. Some tribes would not grant full initiation unless the native had taken human life, and the women would not admire a man unless in this way he had reached full manhood. “So,” she said, “the women have been blamed, but there (is much to be said for both sides of the question.” Id Papua the Government had advised natives of the evils of taking human life and collecting skulls, and had substituted wild animals.. So it was now customary in many parts to present the head of a pip as an illustration of manhood instead of, as in the past a human skull.