STUDYING A SAVAGE CIVILISATION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23221, 19 June 1937, Page 4

STUDYING A SAVAGE CIVILISATION

“ Savage Civilisation.” By Tom lancz. £1 4s. The New Hebrides have at last found a voice to speak to the comrnonr man. This fascinating portion of Melanesia has for years remained unknown in literature except through the writings of a few specialists whose works are regarded almost solely as text-books, or through the reports of missionaries, necessarily undetailed and prejudiced. To the anthropologist, the New Hebrides appeal as the cradle of a people evolved from a number of remarkable impacts, including those with migrations advancing from Indonesia, or retreating from Polynesia towards a legendary origin. To the layman the islands have always been the sul# ject of an interesting story, particularly when set in the period of the “ blackbirders.” The result of the migrations mentioned has been the development of a unique culture, transcending that of the probably pygmoid autochthones, but failing to maintain the higher tenets of later introduction. The social system which emerged from these impacts is one of fascinating interest. Unfortunately, only too late has the study of it been made. The early missionaries, devout, pious men as they undoubtedly were, frowned severely on pagan rites which they did not understand, and ruthlessly stamped them out. They can hardly be blamed for this, but what is to be deplored is that they left no record of what it was that they stamped now any study of the aboriginal social structure is inexorably impeded by gaps foi which no explanation is available.

The Last Conquistadorc The New Hebrides were unknown to navigators until early in the seventeenth century, when Pedro Fernandez de Quiros sailed his three galleons into the principal harbour, thinking that at last he had discovered the long-sought Terra Australis. This first meeting was characterised, as were so many similar ones, with fatal clashes with the natives. Nevertheless, Quiros, determined to make the most of his supposed discovery, completed his grandiose plans for ■ its settlement. These included the creation of civil and governmental officers, including a Minister of Mines (the mines a-e yet to be discovered) and the forcible conversion of the natives to Christianity by shaving, punishment in the stocks, and the kidnapping of youths. Circumstances eventually drove him away, and the wondering islanders were forgotten for a century and a-half before Captain Cook arrived, Subsequent exploration by Bougainville, Markham, D’Urville, La Perouse and other .equally well-known navigators was responsible for a better knowledge of the group. Just as spars, flax and other commodities lured an unscrupulous element to our own country, so sandalwood lured the scum of the Pacific to the New Hebrides. This, the last impact, could only end in chaos. The possession of firearms prompted the natives to retaliation for previous outrages. The story of the period is a confusion which will never be disentangled. Missionaries followed, dour, implacable Presbyterian preachers who were willing to sacrifice their lives if necessary, and did, to bring some hope where there was no hope before. The sandalwood gave way to a greater menace —“ blackbirding.” Black labour was at a premium, and the Now Hebrides were ideally close to the plantations of Australia. The natives were brutally exploited. Whole villages, or even islands, were depopulated by methods which will be an eternal reproach to the civilised countries which produced the “ blackbirders.” It was the ruse of one of these men to dress himself and his crew in clerical and mission clothing. This eventually resulted in the murder of Bishop Patteson, the islanders suspecting another plot. The Haunt of Cannibals

Early in the present century the population had fallen from millions to thousands, and few of these thousands retained much of their ancient characteristics. At lonely Malekula, however, still live natives who have been little affected by civilisation, and it was amongst these that Mr Tom Harrisson lived for some time until he was accepted as one of the tribe and even went through the introductory stages of initiation into chieftainship. He was thus granted a wonderful opportunity of making a complete study of a people still unspoiled, and still bitterly opposed to white intrusion. Amongst these Big Nambas life flowed on hi much the same manner as it did a hundred years ago. They are still cannibals, although, as with the Maoris, the actual tasting or consuming of the flesh is more ritual than gastronomic. Dancing, often the finest catharthic attainment of primitive peoples, has also been developed to a high degree at Malekula, though tradition has rendered static the greater part of the art. One of the most remarkable customs that the author describes is the pig culture. Pigs are the standard of wealth and power and are accorded an almost sacramental status by the natives, their value being computed by the length of the curving tusks. It is to be hoped that a more detailed record of Mr Harrisson’s observations will some day bo made available. His knowledge of and influence with the people, and his agitations on their,behalf led to a Government appointment, but under the farcical administration his recommendations were nullified and

HISTORY IN THE NEW HEBRIDES

Harrisson. Illustrated. London: Golhe soon tired of the job. His lorn? sojourn amongst these primitive people was ended with marked contrast when a luxurious yacht owned by Douglas Fairbanks, sen., the film star, arrived to carry the author back to America and Europe. Several names familiar to Dunedin people have a prominent place in “ Savage Civilisation.” Two selected at random are the Rev. Peter Milne, father of the Rev. W. Milne, who received part of his education in Dunedin, and whose death at the hands, of a mad native was reported recently, and Dr J. T. Bowie, who until a short time ago lived in Dunedin. “ Savage Civilisation ” is one of the most enjoyable ‘ studies of a native people that has been published for some time. While it is a worthy successor to works by such men as Codrington and Rivers, its appeal is widened by the attractive and humorous style of the author, who has never dwelt on one subject sufficiently long for it to become boring. E. A. A.