Cannibalism In New Hebrides
p. 53 · Read in the full issue
New Hebrides
AS a result of fierce inter-tribal war fare and gross immorality the natives of Malekula, New Hebrides, are a rap idly disappearing race, was the opinion expressed by Pastor W. G. Turner, chair man of the S.D.A. missions, on his return to Sydney from a tour of the Group.
“Only recently,” said Mr. Turner, “seven Malekula natives were killed and eaten by the rival Tinambet tribesmen.”
He said that shortly after the mission party had visited Malekula in a ketch, the Tinambet tribesmen came out of the bush and threatened the life of the S.D.A. mission teacher and his family. The teacher, with some natives from the sta tion, put to sea in a dinghy and remained absent from the station all night. Un able to find him when they surrounded the mission house, the Tinambet men went to Malua Bay and there burnt and des troyed a native village.
On Santo, the largest island of the Group, natives from an adjoining village recently raided a tribe living near Big Bay and after a wild fight were driven off, but not before three Big Bay natives had been killed. This district was wrecked by a tidal wave in March last, which did incalculable damage. The mis sion was destroyed and the plantation of a white man was completely wiped out. So great was the force of the tidal wave that it swept away part of the coastline.