Papuan Raid

"Massacre!”

Newspaper Shrieks Over Papuan Raid

The Sukis Again

IT was announced from Canberra, early in the month, that a radiogram had been received from Sir Hubert Murray, Administrator of Papua, to the effect that raiding parties of Sukis had come down from the upper regions of the Fly River and attacked villages on the lower part of the river, had killed some 17 natives and had thereafter returned up the river with their loot.

It was stated, also, that Mr. Woodward, the Resident Magistrate at Daru, had gone out with a party to investigate the position; and it is assumed that he will send a punitive expedition up the river after the Sukis with a view to administering some sort of punishment.

This is a common occurrence in Papua. It must be remembered that only the eastern portion of the Territory and the coastal districts of the remainder are definitely under Government control. The whole of the huge area represented by the north western portion of the Western

Suki Look-Out Man On Upper Fly

River

Division is not under control and is absolutely untamed and primitive.

Within this region are scores of savage and treacherous natives who have supplemented their means of livelihood, when occasion demanded, since time immemorial, by raiding their more peaceful and better-supplied neighbours. The Sukis, on the Upper Fly River, are notorious raiders.

White influence has succeeded in discouraging these raids; but that there has been so few of them in recent years is a matter for wonder.

It is probably due to the fact that, whenever possible, the Administration

A Suki Dried Head

sends an expedition

against the marauders and prompt punishment is applied. Sometimes, however, this takes months to accomplish.

Islands people, therefore, viewed with considerable amusement the shrieking headlines with which the

latest Suki raid was announced in Australia’s sensational papers. It was called a “massacre,” and an “uprising,” and a “rebellion”; and generally presented in an atmosphere of typographical excitement which suggested that the whole of the natives of New SUKIS IN THEIR PECULIAR TYPE OF CANOES

Guinea were up in arms and that half of the Administration officials had been scalped. ... ===