River, N.G.

Pygmies Of Ramu

Lord Moyne’s “Discovery" Is Challenged

Letter to the Editor, the way to New Guinea from Aus tralia a few months ago, I was handed an English newspaper, wherein Lord Moyne claimed for himself the discovery of the Ramu pygmies. As this was only a newspaper item, I did not think it worth while to comment on it at the time.

But, seeing the story reprinted in the P.I.M. of August, 1936, page 57, and con sidering the P.I.M. a magazine of some standing, I now feel justified in putting this report in its right place.

What is most astounding is the an nouncement to the world at large that “of the results of the expedition by far the most interesting was the confirmation of rumours as to the existence of an un known group of pygmies who were said to live on the Ramu River.”

Any scientific expedition doing scientific research work naturally would look up the literature of the country it wants to explore. Thus, Lord Moyne might have found in Anthropos (International Review of Ethnology and Linguistics), Vol. XXII, pg. 202-215, an exact account of the actual first discovery (not of rumours!) and of my visit to these pygmies in July, 1926 that is 10 years ago.

Furthermore, the Government author ities, whom Lord Moyne met in Rabaul before proceeding on his trip to the Ramu River, also knew of this first visit to the pygmies, in fact I had sent a copy of my article to the Administration at the time.

Thus, he even had the chance to become acquainted with the facts right near the spot.

Again, recruiters, miners, and Father J.

Ziegler, of the Mission Station at Atemble, have time and again visited the same pygmies, since my first visit to them.

Finally, when Lord Moyne went up the Ramu River, and was staying on the Mis sion Station at Atemble, where he actually met and measured 15 pygmies (I had given the measurements of 22 pygmies in the said article), did he really not hear a word of the fact that the pygmies had been visited before? And did Mr. E. J.

Wauchope, who accompanied him on this trip and who knew all about the earlier visits to the pygmies, not enlighten him at all on this point?

And yet, after all this, it was reserved to Lord Moyne to take home with him “as the most interesting result of the expedi tion, the confirmation of rumours as to the existence of an unknown group of pyg mies who were said to live on the Ramu River.”

Most interesting, indeed!

I am, etc.,

(Rev.)

Franz J. Kirschbaum.

Catholic Mission, Alexishafen, N.G.

Mr. L. St. George Ryder, of Messrs Morris, Hedstrom Ltd.’s staff at Suva Fiji, arrived in Western Samoa by the Antigone on October 6 after inspecting the firm’s branches in Tonga. He will take charge of the Apia establishment of Morris, Hedstrom during the absence on furlough of the manager, Mr. G. S. Chis holm. The latter departed from Samoa for Auckland by the Matua on October 27. Mr. Chisholm will return to Apia in January.