Crazy Natives

Strange Outbreak in Gulf Division of Papua

From Our Own Correspondent

Pt. Moresby, Feb. 28.

ON February 21, the Administration re ceived a report from the Assistant Resident Magistrate at Kairuku, Yule Island (Mr. W. H. H. Thompson) of an outbreak of religious hysteria in the two villages, Inawai’a and Inavabuo, in the Mekeo district. This had led to a violent and frenzied attack on the In awai’a Roman Catholic Mission Station nearby, in which the priest in charge, an Italian, Father Goitre, was nearly killed, and the Sisters were compelled to take refuge with their pupils behind the closed doors of the church.

According to Mr. Thompson, the hys teria was due to confused rumours con nected with the war, and the wild ravings of a half demented school-girl, who in a dream was shown that God would soon appear Himself to punish the wicked village of Inawai’a.

Some attempt was made by the Sisters to quieten her ravings, but she evaded them and, entering the villages, soon af fected the people. This was on February 14. They erected altars, decorated with

paradise plumes, to appease God’s wrath, and prayed wildly—first with prayers learned at the Mission, and, later, to gods of their own imagining. Collections of monies were also made, as propitiatory offerings, and the entire village popula tion danced round in wild abandon, waving ramis as flags, until they had worked themselves into an hysterical frenzy.

As their frenzy mounted, hundreds sur rounded the Mission compound, where the Sisters collected their pupils and with drew inside the church.

One native, lova Eko, becoming bolder, entered the compound and attempted to force his way through the door. Failing, he snatched up a heavy conch shell, which held Holy Water and, with it and a heavy stick, attempted to kill Father Goitre, who had heard the Sisters’ screams and came running to their aid.

The priest’s head was cut severely by the shell. Two other natives came in, and punched the priest; but eventually he got the maddened men away, and sent for help.

On his arrival from the coast, in a lorry, with a party of native police, Mr.

Thompson found the people dancing about, and generally behaving in a wild and hysterical manner. Men and women were reeling, as if drunk, while others disnlayed coloured ramis as flags, while singing.

Mr. Thompson was at first received with loud applause, but when they rea lised he was not an answer to their prayers for modern armaments, they took to the bush.

After visiting the Mission and col lecting evidence, Mr. Thompson returned to the villages, dispersed the dancers and demolished the altars, and the following day held court and committed lova Eko for trial on a charge of attempting to murder Father Goitre, and sentenced two other natives, on charges of assault. After restoring order, he detailed police to pro tect the Mission, and returned to Yule Island.

Later reports show that the outbreak died away as quickly as it came.

“Vailala Madness’’

This kind of religious frenzy has been noted on other occasions among natives of the Gulf division; it is usually called “Vailala Madness”. Quite a little thing— an unusual phenomenon, a girl’s dream, an old man’s senile imagining—will start a kind of hysteria which will overwhelm a whole community and drive it to the wildest excesses.