PAPUA NATIVES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22616, 2 January 1937, Page 6

PAPUA NATIVES

DECREASE IN MURDERS COMING OF CHRISTIANITY OLD ORDER NOW CHANGED* x AN UNFORTUNATE SUITOR [from our own correspondent] SYDNEY, Dec. 24 Natives in the hinterland of Duramn, a coastal village in Papua, have recently done much to live down their reputation as killers, according to a report by the Lieutenant-Governor, Sir Hubert Murray, to the Prime Minister, Mr. Lyons. Sir Hubert Murray reports that mission ■workers deserve some of the credit for the change, but he considers that other factors are the infliction of the death penalty in certain cases of murder and the success of the Government Antropologist in gaining the confidence of the natives. The report embraces a survey of the work of the Kwato Mission, near Durnmu. The natives there have always been regarded as dangerous and hardly a Court has been held at the near by Government station at Abau at which soino of them havo not been sentenced to long terms of imprisonment. Sir Hubert Murray reported that he was surprised to find when visiting Abau last month that there were no murder cases for trial and still more amazed to hear that there had been none at the Court about five months before. Fruitful Trip Inland The mission report, which is furnished by Mr. Russell Abel, supplies one answer. The mission entered on its work of Christianising the natives in 1934, and established a base at Duramu. A veai? later Cecil Abel and a team of Papuan helpers made a trip inland, and the most important achievement of this journey was the enlistment of the sympathies of five influential natives, whose later conversion and wholesale enthusiasm meant everything for the new work. They, in turn, have become missioners, and through them the work has spread throughout the villages. "As a spectator at Amao," said Mr. Abel, "I was impressed by the Christian life and discipline of the village. Regular meetings for prayer were organised and conducted by the natives themselves. Habits they observed at the *Kwato mission, such as bathing and time-keeping,\ have been instituted in the village. A whistle at 6 a.m. summons all the villagers and visitors to an early plunge. The whistle was promptly obeyed. A further whistle announced a spell for the village, during which many natives were observed in private prayer. , Making a Playground "An idea of sport has been brought back from Kwato, and the people are busy felling timber in preparation for a pjayground. At public meetings there was fine expression of opinion on the part of all. There was general avowal that the old fashion was finished, that there would be no more killings, and that they would show hospitality when opportunity arose to those whom they had previously regarded with malice." "Wooing to win is a strenuous business in those parts of Papua. In spite of the peaceful trend, girls in some of the native communities will not suffer the advances of suitors unless these wooers have killed their men, and as evidence that they have killed they must tiring the girls fingers cut from the dead men. Ther,e fingers are worn by the girls, after being smoke-dried, round the neck. "Mr.' Abel told us of one suitor who was particularly unfortunate," relates Sir Hubert Murray. "He was pressing his attentions on a village maiden, but she would have none of t them—he must go out and kill his man and bring back the finger. So the youth sallied forth, but he got lost in the bush and nearly starved- to death. Rescued with difficulty by natives from a bush village, he was" fed and restored to health, and jthen set out again. This time he was almost taken by an alligator as he was crossing a river, but at last he came to a large coastal village, which seemed to offei' the opportunity he was seeking. An Adamant Maiden "So, "carefully concealed in the long grass, he awaited a victim. And soon a victim came along singing carelessly on his way to his garden. The youth leapt upon the victim, certain now of getting 'a finger. But the victim refused 'to play the game.' Instead of submitting to the attack he turned on his assailant, gave him the father of a hiding, and left him for dead upon the path. There he was found by some Good Samaritan, who nursed him back to health. "At last he returned to his village. Bought out the maiden, and begged that she would not insist any further on this terrible prdeal. Three times lie pleaded: 'I have nearly lost my life —once by hunger, then by an alligator, and at last by that dreadful man I tried to kill. Spare me —do not insist upon the finger.' But the girl was adamant, and she drove him away from her presence."