Barbaric Dance

Dr. Hogbin’s Experience at Wogeo

DR. IAN HOGBIN, of the University of Sydney, who has been carrying out a special investigation at Wogeo on behalf of the Australian National Research Council, hopes to complete his work at that remote spot by the end of the year.

He is the only European on the island, which is in the Schouten group, not far from the mouth of the Sepik River, New Guinea.

In a recent letter, he said: “I was pre sent at a most thrilling affair yesterday, and my spine is still tingling. A festival was to conclude. At 4 o’clock in the after noon, with yells of hilarity, two files of men emerged from the entrance to the men’s club-house. Each man was joined to his neighbour by a rope made of wild ginger leaves. They entered the village, and took up positions in the street facing each other —150 of them.

“Then out came half a dozen drummers, beating hour-glass shaped drums with a lizard skin tympanum. These fellows provided the rhythm for a sort of jog trot dance and song by the men, but the drummers, replaced from time to time, ran around gyrating madly.

“Soon the women joined in, and the fes tival proceeded for about two hours. Then, with unearthly yells the men again emerged from their club-house, some with spears and others with smoking flares.

Spears were hurled over the dancers, and flares swished all over the place.

“I have never been present at anything quite so barbaric,” declared Dr. Hogbin, who, unfortunately failed, owing to the

departing light, to take some photographs of the wild scene.

“Then, wilder yells yet,” he added, “and two figures with hideous wooden masks and bodies covered with coloured fringes, ran from the club to a platform specially

prepared for them. As they reached this, and climbed up, there was a long drawn moan from the people, and with one con sent the men all fell forward on their faces, and the women fled to their houses.

For a minute the figures stood with arms

outstretched, and, marvel of marvels, the setting sun chose that moment to illu minate them with its last beams! Rein hardt himself could not have done the thing better! It was really an experience worth coming to Wogeo for!”

Anthropologists

New Guinea is likely to receive addi tional anthropological attention soon, as Dr. Reo Fortune (who was there last year with his wife, Dr. Margaret Mead), is re turning from London, via Sydney, for that purpose. Dr. Mead, who is a noted author, has resumed her work at the American Museum of Natural History in New York, after lecturing in different parts of the United States.

Miss Camilla Wedgwood, who has been, lecturing at the University of Sydney since Dr. Hogbin’s departure for Wogeo, will leave for Nauru early in the new year to carry out research work among the

natives there.-

E.R.