Little Islander’s Corner

SEVERAL little Islanders are welcomed in this issue. Will you all please send me your birthday dates and your photograph or a snapshot?

Loving Christmas and New Year greetings go to you all, and the wish that the coming year will bring to you and yours prosperity and happiness.

Dear Dorothea, —We are now at Misima for twelve months, and although the work is interest ing here, we miss our folks. Misima is off the mainland and, in its tropical way, is very like other parts of Papua. Since writing you last my sister broke her leg and the knowledge I gained in Sydney, coupled with my boy scouts’ training has been of great assistance. The scout movement in Papua is growing. I came across some curious native handicraft recently, and will send some on when opportunity arises.

In our recent cricket match at Moresby, I made 64, not out, but don’t think that is good because the bowlers were “crook.” The P.I.M. is a great boon to us and is as good as a letter from friends.

Misima. Nov. 13. “PAPUA.”

Dear Dorothea, —I will tell you about the ways and customs of the natives on the island on which I live.

Although, the natives of to-day are very primi tive, there still remain lots of instances that show that their forefathers were far superior. Their canoes, weapons, intricately woven baskets and mats, sundry household utensils, and fishing tackle, all tell of the brains that invented them. It is only by seeing them that one can realize how clever some of their ideas are, for fishing and other things.

To-day, although the articles invented long ago are still made, I do not think the present day native is capable of inventing any more convenient ones. If ever I ask them why such a thing is done thus, they answer by saying that that was how it used to be done, and other than that they did not know. Or if j asked some of them do they make canoes and if they did not, they would say that they did not, simply because their father did not, and so it is that all arts are handed down from father to son.

In most of their work, the natives of a village will combine and help, as in house-making, and garden-making. The food obtained by a village is, to a certain extent, shared. Should anyone catch a lot of fish, or kill a pig, or gather a lot of wild fruits, it is all shared amongst the village inhabitants. The garden produce, however, is not always shared like this, unless someone should have but a poor return from his garden, then all will club in and give him some food.

Tulagi, S.I. G. GASKELL.

Dear Dorothea, —Have you ever been to Wau?

It is nearly 3J4 thousand feet above sea-level and in the last two years has gone ahead marvellously.

We have talkies twice a week, a splendid library, new golf links and two splendid hotels. A few months ago the new road to Edie Creek was opened and we can go up now and back in a couple of hours. It is marvellous up “on top” as the creek is called. It is very cold up there at night, so cold we have log fires, and every night it pours rain as well. But down here at Wau, it is a milder climate. The natives are very faithful if you are kind to them.

We have the best aeroplane service in the world and the very best pilots, too, and no one is afraid of flying. Every two years we go South for holidays and many of the children stay South at school. But as there is to be a High School up here soon, it will make a difference.

Best wishes from

“Maaski”

Wau, New Guinea.