SEAS OF MYSTERY

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 58, Issue 4188, 24 May 1939, Page 3

SEAS OF MYSTERY

A TOUR OF TORRES STRAIT, NATIVE CRAFTS AND CUSTOMS. (By J. B. in Melbourne Age.) S The islands between Cape York and New Guinea are veritable isles of fascination. Perhaps most interesting of all are the Murray Islands, situated about 100 miles north of Lizard. Of the three, all of which are of volcanic origin, only Met- is inhabited. The whole island, which in places attains an elevation of several hundred feet, is covered with dense, luxuriant tropical vegetation. The surrounding waters abound with fish, and at many places close to the coast coral gardens may be seen. It is worthy of note that the natives of Mer use the identical method of casting nets employed by the Biblical fishermen of Galilee. Around the outer edge of an expanse of net weights are attached. The whole is bunched up and carried in the hand until a shoal of fish is sighted, and then, with the native’s unerring cast it is thrown into the midst of the swarm. Thereupon the diverging of the weights form a prison around the fish as large as the outer circumference of the net to which the weights are attached.

Visitors to Mei- are always intrigued by the giant fish traps that run out from the shore on the eastern and south eastern sides of the island. It is surprising that no serious attempt has been made to ascertain their age, although folk lore holds that they were originally built by god-men or men-gods, which explains why they are guarded (and re built after trade wind ravages) with a sort of veneration by the natives. The traps are constructed of lava blocks nearly three feet high. These were probably brought over from Wyer Island, which is the shell of an extinct volcano.

Another island noted for giant fish traps is Darnley, situated at the northern end of the Great Barrier Reef. They consist of great stone walls running out from the shore to the edge of the shore reef, where they are all connected up by a transverse wall. At half tide the top of these walls is awash so that at full tide there is plenty of depth to allow fish to enter the enclosures. A CHURCH OF CORAL. On Darnley there is a striking monument to the ability and industry of the natives. Under the direction of missionaries they have constructed a magnificent, church of Moorish design at their own cost and by voluntary labour. Coral was hewn from the reefs and burnt on the beach for its construction, and the entire building with the exception of the galvanised iron roofing, was made from materials obtained on the island. The interior of the church is decorated with shells, and a huge clam shell forms a baptismal font. On. November 1 of each year a festival is held, with great rejoicing and dancing, attracting a large, number of visitors from adjacent islands. On Yam Island, close to the village, is a carved stone figure of a woman holding a basket in her outstretched hands. Its origin is unknown, but in native legend it represents an episode in the history of the hero Soida, who came from New Guinea in the distant past, travelling through the air, bringing new plants and fruits to the islands. I When Soida arrived at Yam, by way of Two Brothers Island, he decided to stay there for a time before going on to Murray, and the people, with their customary hospitality, provided him with a wife. Soida found to his disgust, however, that they had given him an old woman. So when the time came for him to proceed on his journey, without leaving much in the way of choice plants, he transformed the Yam Island wife into a figure of stone, to remind the people of what they might have gained in choice food supplies had they been more generous. Thus it is, say the Yam- Islanders, that Murray (Mer) possesses a great variety of plant foods, while on Yam there are comparatively few. A GOD IN HIDING. The island of Moa has been, and still is, of interest because of the famous Sacred Dog. According to the stories of the natives, the god was a huge figure standing over 12 feet in deight, and was made entirely of tortoise shell. The god was kept in a cave, and with the coming of the missionaries the natives, fearing for the safety of their diety, sealed up the cave and kept its whereabouts a close secret. Though many have searched for the hiding place, it has never been found.

An Interesting theory has been advanced concerning the origin of the god. A tale is still whispered in the native lints of a shipwreck and the “proper big dog with horns” which was aboard the wrecked vessel. This story has given rise to the belief that the “god” was a cow, destined for some missionary settlement, but there is no actual proof to give any su'bstantial credence to the tale.

Badu, or Mulgrave Island, situated about half way between Thursday Island and Daru, is perhaps the most interesting in Torres Strait from the point of view of the natives’ progression. The natives are taught boat building, wood work, saddlery and blacksmithing. Nor have the native women, been neglected; they are taught sewing, mat making and other crafts.

Badu possesses the only native factory in Australia. In this factory a number of native women, specially trained in needlework and sewing, are engaged in making ready made clothing for the whole of the Torres Strait and for the aborigines at some of the Government settlements on the mainland pt the Cape York Peninsula.

On the island of Boigu, a few miles south of the Papuan border, the natives are of a curiously light hue, but their chief claim to note is the peculiar timbre of their voices. To a man, woman or child their vocal notes are recorded in a hoarse whisper, as though they were all suffering ffom heavy colds,

But Boigu is an island of mystery. On the island is a huge tree still known among the natives as “Sibu Pul" (Tree of Skulls). On this tree were hung the human heads collected by the island’s warriors. On Aureed Island the natives used to hang the heads of their victims on a large turtle shell image, shaped roughly to resemble a human head. When nearly 100 years ago the H.M.S. Isabelle was searching Torres Strait for shipwrecked seamen the skulls of 45 white people were found hanging to the image. They were taken to Sydney and buried, but the identities of the victims was never established. Maiguiag Island, only a mile from Badu, is another gem of the Strait. Densely covered with cocoanut palms and luxuriant tropical vegetation, it has splendid beaches. Off its shores dugong abount in unusual numbers, making the life of the natives one of plenty. PIONEER TRAINING COLLEGE. The island lifts its own native church and school, and also the only training college for native teachers in the world. About three years ago this institution was established by the Queensland Government, and a white school teacher trains selected natives of both sexes. When thA natives’ training is complete, they are sent to the various other islands to instruct their own people. Over 60 teachers have so far graduated from this college. An unusual sight is to be seen occasionally at Cocoanut Island. Here

every few months the islanders hold a model cutter and lugger regatta. Adept craftsmen, each native is Willing to back his fancy, and on the day of the race there is a large scale wagering in flour, pigs, tobacco and other commodities. This practice is not new. Long before the white men came the natives held their regattas, and before the arrival of the missionaries the stakes were usually marriageable maidens. But if the missionaries have! curtailed some of the pleasures in which the natives indulged years ago, they have, with the aid of a sympathetic Government, more than compensated the natives by leading them to a happy existence. At one time they indulged in cannibalism, head hunting and murder, but to-day their chief occupations are pearl, trochus shell and beche-dc-met- fishing. The earnings of the native fleet, which consists of about 25 up-to-date vessels, valued at more than £20,000, amount to nearly £25,000 year.