NATIVE RESEARCH WORKER

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIV, 26 March 1930, Page 7

NATIVE RESEARCH WORKER

DR. PETER BUCK j STUDY OF POLYNESIAN PEOPLES A prominent visitor to Christchurch this week was Dr. P. H. Buck, a native of New Zealand, who, after an absence of three years, during which linio he has been carrying out research work among the. native races of tins Pacific islands, is now enjoying a. holiday. Jlo is accompanied by his wife. Dr. Buck, whose_ tribal name is To Rangi Hiroa, is tho descendant of a lino of Maori aristocracy, which has been prominent in the history of Now Zealand. He is a cultured gentleman who speaks fluently on subjects that aro beyond tho powers of the average pakeha. A scholar of line accomplishments, Dr. Buck is at present under engagement by the Bishop Museum, which operates in conjunction with tho Yalo University and the New York Museum of Natural Science. Dr. Buck is carrying out investigations regarding culture and the early conditions of life among tho Polynesian peoples, which spread from Asia over the Pacific, and from which stock he himself is directly descended. He has his headquarters at Honolulu, and from there makes periodical expeditions to the various Pacific islands.

"I have just completed a study of the Cook Islands," said Dr. Buck, in an interview with a "Times" reporter, "and I am returning to Honolulu to write up the dala I have collected. I took the opportunity of coming to New Zealand, because it is three years since I have been here, and it has been pleasant to meet so many friends again. Tho Cook Islands aro mostly inhabited although the population on the smaller islands is only a handful. Nine islands comprise this group, which affords interesting material in the study of the form of culture which existed among the early Polynesian races. At the island of Penrhyn I found a great deal. When the Polynesian inhabitants of the Cook Islands accepted Christianity they destroyed many of their places of worship, making it difficult to investigate their customs and practices. However, at Penrhyn I found a number of religious structures in a good state of preservation. These structures aro called marae. They are usually rectangular in shape, having four walls of stone with high pillars placed at regular intervals. Within the walls there is a stone or slab corresponding to an r.ltar. Theso structures are most useful in ascertaining the spread of certain elements of culture, and I have gathered some valuable information.

"I have also been studying in Ravotonga, which is the main island and .seat of government of the group," said Dr. Buck. "With the exception of a few white planters, the population is native. They have made much progress, being hard working and industrious. Fruit plantations, more especially orange and banana, have been cultivated, and there is a good export trade, much of which is with New Zealand. The natives have introduced a grading system for their produce, and the value of this is reflected in an improvement in the quality of the exports. Rarotonga has one great difficulty. Surrounded by reefs of rock and coral it has no opening and no lagoon deep, enough to accommodate steamers. The loading and discharging of cargo therefore has to be done by open boats. When the weather is rough the steamers simply have to go along without picking up the cargo. But in spite of this handicap the islanders are progressing. "I have been to Samoa. There I had only time, because the islands are so big, to study material culture and techniqrw, that is the building of houses, canoes, Equipment and things of that sort. The Samoans, move than any other section of the Polynesians, have preserved their old arts and crafts. Their homes and canoes are fashioned just after the manner of the early Samoans. There is no use among them for the nail that has been introduced by the whites, the natives preferring to use sennit, a cord made from the husk of the cocoanut, to lash and sew with. They still retain their ceremonial dress. Their chieftains still have the same power, and are ranked as of old. A whole lot of the customs, centuries old, are still observed so that the Samoan has a full life, and derives his greatest pleasure from the observance of the old order. From the point of view of the natives it is doubtful Whether civilisation has anything to offer them.

( "Many things.' Dr. Buck continued, "show a wide divergency, between the western and eastern Polynesian peoples. As they spread eastwards and southwards they .encountered different climatic conditions. The Maori came to a cold climate, and built his homes and made his clothing to meet the requirements. A different flora and fauna also helped to separate Ins customs from those of natives in other parts of the Pacific. The Maori had to strive hard for his existence and that is why he is probably a better felloiv than some of us think."