Sex and Temperament

A Study in the Wilds of New Guinea

T\R. MARGARET MEAD, of the Ameri can Museum of Natural History, is well-known to students of Pacific affairs as the author of the provocative books “Coming of Age in Samoa” and “Growing Up in New Guinea.” The assistant curator of ethnology at that famous American institution has now published “Sex and Temperament in Three Primi tive Societies,” the material obtained by Dr. Reo Fortune and herself during their two years’ stay in New Guinea in 1931-33.

In a generous acknowledegment to her husband, Dr. Fortune, the writer says; “For assistance in the field my major thanks are due to Dr. Fortune for the partnership that made it possible for me to work with peoples more savage and more inaccessibly located than I would have been able to reach alone; for co operation in the collection of the linguistic and ethnological material upon which these studies are based: and for much concrete material concerning the men’s cults and all those aspects of the men’s lives which a woman ethnologist is prac tically debarred from studying.” In particular, the author is also indebted for her husband’s analysis “of the very diffi cult Arapesh language.”

Despite the handicaps of her sex —a difficulty that was largely overcome by her association with Dr. Fortune, who, incidentally, has since returned to the New Guinea field —Dr. Mead has compiled an extremely interesting and valuable book. The American is a racy narrator and would, indeed, have made an excellent journalist. Without in any way detract ing from the value of her work one is tempted to say that Dr. Mead has kept in view when writing this book the public demand she has already created for her writings. “Sex and Temperament” is not one of those abstruse scientific compen diums beyond the grasp of the average reader. Dr. Mead never forgets that she is dealing with human material. After all, the work of an anthropologist should interest the general public just as much as the investigator’s own learned col leagues. first section of the book is devoted to the mountain- dwelling Arapesh; in fluences of a co-operative society; growth an,d initiation of an Arapesh boy and the growth and betrothal of an Arapesh girl; birth, marriage, and the Arapesh ideal (and those who deviate from the latter).

The river-dwelling Mundugumor are dealt with in the second section. The pattern of social life among the lake-dwelling Tchambuli provides material for the third section. In the last portion of her book Dr. Mead sums up the results of her in vestigation.

Life is often complex in a native com munity. An involved and elaborate “social pattern” has it disadvantages, particularly for the women. The case of Kwenda, a woman of the Mundugumor, is not only interesting for the light Dr.

Mead has thrown upon the marital diffi culties of the strange New Guinea folk she has studied, but it is a good example of the graphic, stimulating, and breezy style of the writer; “Kwenda was plump and soft, where the ideal Mundugumor woman is tall, lithe, and slender. Kwenda loved children.

She had refused to throw away her first child, a boy, in spite of her husband’s request that she do so. While she was

suckling the child he had eloped with another women. Instead of stiffening her back in anger, she had followed him and his new wife. Outraged, he had thrown her out ... She returned to Kena katem, and went to live with Yeshimba, her father’s brother. Then Gisambut, the reserved sister of Omblean, bore twin girls, and Kwenda, with no one to help her earn a living, adopted one and soon was able to feed it from her own ample breasts. (Her own twins had died shortly before) Not only did she suckle the little twin, but often she took on other women’s infants for the day ... Kwenda, young, warm, and vigorous, would remain a grass widow: no strong man would take her for a wife, no weak one would try because Mbunda, not wanting her for himself, would nevertheless demand a high price for her. So in Mundugumor the easy-going, responsive, warmly parental woman, like the easy-going, re sponsive, warmly parental man, is at a social discount. ..”

Dr. Mead came to the conclusion that Mundugumor people yielded results similar to those obtained among the Arapesh—both men and women were moulded to the same temperamental pat tern, although the pattern itself, in “its

violence, its individualism, its lust for power and position, contrasted sharply with the Arapesh ideal personality, with its gentle, cherishing emphasis.” So she cast about for a third people to study, and decided upon the Tchambuli tribe on the Aibom Lake, a people with an in tricate art, an elaborate culture, and many points in common with the complex cul ture of the middle Sepik. The Washkuks, whom she visited en route, are described as a simple, sturdy, lovable people whose young men had not yet returned to flaunt their Pidgin-English and loin-cloths in the old men’s faces, and introduce a new element into the native life.

“Because they seemed very much like the Arapesh, because they themselves felt that their lives would be hopelessly upset by our stay,” says the author, .. we decided to try the Tchambuli instead.”

While the Arapesh made growing food and children the adventure of their lives and the Mundugumor found their satis faction in fighting and competitive acqui sition of women, the lake-dwelling Tchambuli live principally for art.”

Now that the spotlight of world interest has been focussed upon New Guinea, Dr.

Mead’s fascinating book has come at an opportune time. Apart from the diversi

tied character of its material, “Sex and Temperament” can be recommended as a. most unusual study of sociology and sex in primitive society by a discerning, courageous, and gifted writer. —E.R.

SEX AND TEMPERAMENT, by Margaret Mead, published by William Morrow and Go., New York, 1935.

Mr. M. Wenzel, a German artist, arrived in Melbourne from Europe on October 24 by the Blue Funnel line steamer Asca nius. On a world tour, he will visit the South Sea Islands to paint landscapes.

Mr. G. W. Spensley, of Rabaul, New Guinea, married Miss Thyrza Ross-Cox, of Victoria, at St. George’s Church, Rabaul, on October 14. The ceremony was a quiet affair, but afterwards the many friends of the bride and bridegroom filled the spacious lawn at the residence of the Hon. H. H. Page (Government Secretary), where the reception was held. Mr. Spens ley is manager for Messrs. Colyer, Watson, and Co., in New Guinea, and hails from Auckland, New Zealand, while the bride is a Melbourne girl, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ross-Cox, of St. Kilda.