A Return to Their

Ancestors’ Diet Wherein Lies the Salvation of the Polynesians

From Our Own Correspondent.

Papeete, Apr. 19.

THE recent period of low copra prices, while imposing hardships in many ways, has brought about one condition which may conduce a better state of general health: the return of our native people to their normal diet and way of living.

This diet —consisting of the many species of fish, crustaceans and molluscs which abound in the waters; the in digenous vegetables and fruits; and, on especial occasions, the venison of Poly nesia (formerly reserved for kings and high chiefs but now available for the many): the flesh of pigs prepared in the native oven, the manner of its cook ing preserving the mineral salts, vita mines, and other nutritive elements, and flavoured with sauces derived mainly from the coconut —was the nourishment of that sturdy and handsome race of men and women who were the progeni tors of the present day Polynesians.

European influence and enterprise have introduced tinned beef, tinned sal mon, coffee, polished rice, tinned sar dines, and tinned mysteries called “pate,” together with that lethal weapon the frying pan.

In times of affluence, like everyone else in the world, the Polynesian chooses the easier way.

To construct, heat, and provision a native oven requires time and patience.

It is less trouble to wield a frying pan charged with viands extracted from a can and bubbling with beef drippings— also from a tin can. While this cooking was going on some members of the family

had been despatched with a kettle to the nearest Chinese store for coffee—a black brew which had been stewing in a

brass samovar since dawn and probably contained the dregs of coffee left over from the day before, and the day before that. Into this—after it had been de canted into bowls—was ladled brown sugar until it emerged like a volcanic cone in the centre of a crater lake.

The ultimate consequence of prolonged indulgence of such a diet has been that about 99.44 per cent, of the population of the Georgean Islands (i.e., Tahiti and Moorea) possess troublesome livers and a resistance to disease so diminished that they fall easy victims to the epidemic maladies (chiefly respiratory) which fre quently descend on the Islands.

Of the survivors 99.99 per cent, are afflicted with coughs, more or less chronic, and it is not an exaggeration to say that to discover a native in abso lutely sound health would require some exploration.

The natives of the outer islands offer a very different picture. It appears that the further they are removed from European influences and European foods the more they retain the physique and good health which characterised their ancestors.

When one sees the fine types who in habit islands where tinned meats and frying pans do not corrupt, and the rum bottle is excluded by law, it seems evident enough that the physical salvation of the Polynesian lies in a return to the diet and healthy out-of-doors life which the experience of countless generations has proved to be the most suitable for the well being of the race.

Mr. J. Morling, who recently was ap pointed Chief Judge of Western Samoa, arrived at Apia during April and has now taken up his duties.

Mr. R. A. Vivian, Resident Magistrate at Port Moresby, Papua, sailed from Sydney by the Macdhui on April 28, after spending furlough in Australia.