SOLOMONS’ MEN

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLII, Issue 20611, 28 December 1936, Page 14

SOLOMONS’ MEN

HEAD-HUNTERS STILL A RECENT MESSAGE We sailed from Gavutu a little after one o'clock in the morning for Sulu, Malaita Island, in the Solomons, writes Mason Warner in the “Chicago Tribune.” There was a new moon in the sky—a thin, graceful crescent that lighted the swaying coconut palms along the beaches with a mellow glow of calm and peaceful yellow-white. There was no temptation to sleep. Resting in a deck chair, with a cool and refreshing night breeze after the heat of the day, did more in a way of physical restoration and recreation than could slumber in a hot stateroom. . . .

There was disorderly movement and a smashing disarray of colour in the clouds in the eastern horizon as the sun burst up from out of the sea into a sky mottled brown and grey that was quickly turned to red. orange, and green—a riot of lively hues. Just as the sun shot up the Malaita cast anchor in Manaba Harbour, the first stop on huge Malaita Island. We were scheduled to leave Manaba at 9 o’clock, but here was so much copra to load we did not get away until 9.40, so arrived at Su’u, twelve miles up the Malaita coast, an hour later. The pier at Su’u was destroyed by a great earthquake in 1933; so our ship was anchored off shore. Die earthquake caused a 40ft tidal wave that swept the surrounding islands and drowned hundreds of natives. Source of Labour Malaita Island has 40,000 of the 90,000 native population of the British Solomon Islands, and from this island is recruited most of the native labour for the plantations throughout the Solomons. The “Malaita boy” is exceptionally virile. He is a cheerful worker and a willing warrior. He is conservative, conventional, slow to change. Head-hunting is reported to continue a favourite sport in the interior. Cannibalisim lingers up in the mountains. Widow-strangling has not gone out completely. Infanticide and abortion persist in spite of the efforts to abolish the practices. Malaita is one of the world’s few areas remaining to be explored. At Su’u I met Fakani, a native who proudly wears the medal of the Order of the British Empire, awarded to him for the part he played in the latest big massacre on Malaita. It took place in October, 1927, when District Officer W. R. Bell, Cadet K. C. Lillies, and thirteen native employees of the Government were murdered at Kwai-ambe. Sinarango, on the far side of the mountains. The natives pay a head tax of five shillings annually to the Government —usually under protest. The head chief of the Sinarango district and his tribe refused to pay. Bell and his staff went out to se about it. Bell was a giant physically, bluff and hearty in manner, full of courage, well liked by the natives for his fair and Just administration.

The Government men went out in an island schooner, with Fakani running the motor and steering. AU landed except Fakani. A pow-wow was held while the payment of the tax was debated. The arguments lasted for hours. The members of BeU’s party fearlessly stacked their arms. The natives and the Government men mingled in friendly groups. As time passed BeU’s men were separated from each other and each man became the centre of a cluster of natives. Chief’s Treachery The chief finaUy agreed that the natives would pay the tax. BeU sat on a camp stool and opened his books for its coUection. The native chief presented a tax receipt for the previous year for inspection. It had not been issued to him. BeU took it; bent forward to scan his book of stubs to trace its ownership. As he leaned forward the chief crashed out his brains with the sawed-off end of a rifle barrel, and the gangs of natives simultaneously speared, stabbed and clubbed other Government men. LUlies’ body was shockingly mutilated.

Some ten or twelve of the survivors of the treacherous attack succeeded in escaping to the beach. Fakani did not flee. He kept the Government boat plying back and forth along shore untU the last living Government man was taken on board. With one hand on the throttle and the other on the tiller, he succeeded in dodging the volleys of spears and arrows aimed at him.

One of the survivors, a native, had his skull laid open from forehead to crown, a spear thrust into his back, and a forearm almost severed when warding off a knife thrust. It was all he could do to swim a hundred yards to the schooner, but Fakani waited for him, and he is ahve to-day. More than 200 natives participated in the massacre, and the Government immediately started to run them down. All were captured within three months. Some were freed, but eighty-three natives were indicted before the Court. Seven were convicted and six of them were hanged; one was reprieved. Seventeen served various terms of imprisonment and Fakani was given the medal.