Native Education

Discussion at N.Z. Science Conference

THE Australian and New Zealand * Association for the Advancement of Science met in conference at Auckland, l\ew Zeaiand, in January when a wide variety of subjects were discussed.

The Anthropological Section, in which a number of well-known Islands men and women took part in the proceedings, dealt mainly with the question of edu cating native races.

Professor A. P. Elkin, of Sydney, said that the problems of the racial clash were not understood, and not a little damage had been done sometimes through cal lousness. The failure of primitive peoples to adjust themselves to the impact of another culture had been due to the un due speed with which the new culture had advanced on them. An effort should be made to enable the native to evaluate the worth of the new culture, and thus prevent a feeling of inferiority.

In another paper on the return of some native peoples to their old faith, especi ally in magic and regarding health, sick ness, life and death after a period of con tact with the white man, Professor Elkin stated that the aborigines in Eastern Australia tended to return to their old secret beliefs, because they sought a re treat from hard facts. They were con vinced that they had nothing to gain from Christianity, because the Euro peans had failed to impart an adequate understanding of it. What they needed was a Christian faith into which the best elements of their old faith were in cluded.

Mr. F. E. Williams, Government An thropologist in Papua, urged that the in terest of native races should be revived in their own arts.

Mr. W. C. Groves, speaking on the “concept of nativisation in education.” pointed out that an education which aimed to secure permanent and stable adjustment of native social life under the new conditions arising from the intro duction of European civilisation must be based upon the natives’ own institutions and practices.