"Papuan Masquerade"

Significance of Orokolo Ceremonies

MR. F. E. WILLIAMS, M.A., B.Sc., Dip.

Anth., the indefatigable Govern ment Anthropologist of Papua, author of half a dozen large tomes on Papuan culture, as well as numerous offi cial reports on the practical application of anthropological principles to native administration and development, has re cently completed, for publication by the Oxford University Press, a work which should be of absorbing interest in its field.

Under the engaging title of “Papuan Masquerade”, the work deals with the elaborate and protracted series or cycles of ceremonies known as Heveke, of the Orokolo Bay people of Papua. The name, Heveke, is that given to the elaborate masks and head-dresses prepared and worn by the Elema natives of the Gulf Division.

Starting in 1922, Mr. Williams has had these ceremonies under intermittent ob servation for the past 15 years—surely an anthropological field-work marathon. It took him some time to appreciate what he now refers to as “the sheer dimensions of an undertaking of vmich a primitive Papuan people were capable”. Coming to that realisation, he went back to the Gulf a number of times to fill in the gaps in his understanding of the Heveke implica tions.

Without wishing to detract from the interest of the book itself when it is available, one may gather from an article by Mr. Williams in the May issue of “Mankind” (journal of the Anthropologi cal Societies of Australia) something of the social background, the legendary origin, and the artistic setting of the various phases of a Heveke cycle, which may last from 10 to 25 years. One of the ceremonies in the cycle represents, for instance, the arrival of a sea-monster on the beach (“the part of the monster is played by a horde of men who gather secretly on the beach . . . armed with drums, shell trumpets, rattles and wea pons”) to which a number of youths are presented to be initiated. The fearsome monster leaps upon the youths with “the most indescribable concert of noises”, after which the monster “sweeps along the beach towards the village, turns in, and comes to a halt before tne eravo” (meet ing house).

Then follow ceremony after ceremony, phase after picturesque phase of the cycle. It is evident from the note of eager enthusiasm that characterises Williams’ treatment of the subject, in the article referred to. that he has himself become caught up in the spirit of the thing— his admiration for it is explicit in the concluding paragraph:— “The Heveke cycle, in its extent and complexity and the degree of effort and organisation which it implies, is a thing which I personally view with consider able admiration; and the more I have learned about it. the greater my admira tion has become. It will be a sad thing if the rising generation of Orokolons have lost the spirit which their fathers had, and are unable to face this great under taking again.”

Surely this is a challenge not to the natives aIone!—“ANTHROPOS”.

Mr. R. E. Hendrik sen, of the Lands and Survey Department, Apia, arrived in New Zealand from Western Samoa by the September “Maui Pomare”.