LIFE IN POLYNESIA

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26582, 3 October 1947, Page 6

LIFE IN POLYNESIA

TWO YEARS’ WANDERINGS MR GIBBINGS’S ADDRESS For over two hours last night, the noted British author and traveller, Mr Robert Gibbings, held the attention of a large audience in the main lecture room of the Medical School on his experiences in Polynesia. The speaker’s address, which was interspersed with humorous anecdotes, was illustrated with a large number of his own drawings, which were referred to later by Dr H. D. Skinner, in moving a vote of thanks, as of exquisite artistry. “ Eyes of An Artist ” The chair was taken by the rector of the Otago Boys’ High School. Mr H. P. Kidson, who .said that Mr Gibbings .was not only an author of note, but was an artist of striking ability, as well as a scientist, traveller, antiquarian and bird-watcher. “He sees and does everything through the eyes of an artist," the speaker added. “I spent two years wandering about Polynesia as an irresponsible artist and author; I went where!;the wind blew me, going sometimes by boat, or occasionally by plane, or by schooner,” he said. A picture was shown of Mr Gibbings’s drawing of a tortoise which is reputed to have been brought to Tonga by Captain Cook. The tortoise was treated in regal fashion at the royal palace, and was carried about in a car owned by one of the princes. “ I thought a tortoise who was 200 years of age would be a fairly docile sort of animal, but it took two strong men to keep him quiet so that I could make a sketch of him,” the speaker explained. Discussing his stay in Samoa, the lecturer said that most of the people in the villages still lived a simple life, and had . very little knowedge of pres-ent-day happenings in the word. He was asked by some of them whether he was a friend of Queen Victoria, or whether he knew the Prince of Wales (King Edward VII). He was also questioned about Hitler and whether there was a war still going on. “They are a very charming people,” he continued, “and I think it would be a pity to bring to them such amenities of civilisation as good roads and wireless sets.” Cricket in Samoa Mr Gibbings gave an entertaining account of a Samoan cricket match. “It is an important game in Sarrwa,” he said, “and the rules are not quite the same as they have at Lord’s: At Lord’s, for instance, they don’t like playing with more than 11 men, but in Samoa they might have 50 or 60 a side, and even up to 70 or 80. They know nothing about cuts or glides, but each batsman goes in for a jolly good 'slog.’ When a batsman Us out, the bowler has a right to go on bowling at the Wicket, and so it happens that many batsmen are really out before they are in. In consequence of this variation of the rules there are always two or three batsmen waiting behind the wicket to make a dash for the batting crease.” The speaker said that an important cricket match in Samoa might last as long as a fortnight. There were all kinds of ceremonies associated with the game, and the players frequently interrupted play in “order to do a cartwheel, a few steps of a dance, or to break into song.” The losing side had to provide entertainment of various kinds for the winners.