Sydney

Kata Rangoso Visits Sydney Former Cannibal’s Son is Now Able S.D.A. Missionary

A TALL, happy-faced Solomon Islander of magnificent physique, with a great crop of black bushy hair and neatly attired in tailored coat, vest and sulu, has been creating considerable interest in Sydney. He is Kata Rangoso, son of a former head-hunter of Marovo Lagoon, who is now a leading S.D.A. mission teacher in the Solomons and who has been in Australia attending conferences of the Seventh Day Adventist Mission.

Though understanding English thor oughly. Rangoso is not yet adept in speaking the language. His visit to Australia was made in order to improve his knowledge of English, and on his return to S.I. he will completely translate the Bible into the Ulesaghi tongue, with the assistance of Mr. A. R. Barrett, S.D.A. missionary at Batuna. The translation ultimately will be printed and circulated throughout the Group by the British and Foreign Bible Society.

On Saturday, April 6, Rangoso ad dressed a crowded meeting at the Pres byterian Assembly Hall, Sydney, in his native language. Pastor N. A. Ferris, S.D.A, missionary, of Guadalcanal, S.I., acted as interpreter. The native made a fine figure as he stood on the dias speak ing in a clear, sharp voice. As he warmed to his subject and spoke of the work of the missions his wide eyes shone with the fire of devotion, and he accom panied his words with characteristic gestures.

In the musical Ulesaghi tongue he told of the bloodshed, massacre, and can nibalism practised by the S.I. people before the advent of Christianity. Dis playing a grotesquely carved idol, he explained that raids were often carried out at the command of the tribal sorcerer, who claimed to communicate with spirits of the dead. He exhibited a long-handled battle axe and painted shield used by his uncle, Jorovo, who killed five natives in the last cannibal raid to take place at Marovo Lagoon.

Some 20 years ago, he said, his father, Tetangu, shortly before he died, placed his brothers and himself under the care of Captain G. F. Jones, of the schooner Advent Herald, one of the pioneer S.D.A. missionaries in the Solomons. His family ever since had been ardent Chris tians and active supporters of the mis sion. One of his brothers visited Sydney with a party of mission boys in 1918.

Two others, Peo and Jimiru, are mission teachers and his youngest brother, Joseph, is now receiving training prior to being appointed a teacher.

Rangoso said that in the Solomons there were 4,000 native adherents to the S.D.A. faith, and that 100 native mis sionaries were working among the heathen tribes in remote areas. Their work has met with great success, he concluded, and a state of comparative peace has replaced the tribal warfare which formerly prevailed among the people.

With Mr. N. A. Ferris, Rangoso will sail by the Malaita on April 18, and return to his home and family at Batuna, Solomon Islands.

Dr. W. Hellenthal, Consul for Germany in New South Wales, left Sydney on an official visit to New Caledonia and New Hebrides' by the Laperouse on April 5.