New Governor
p. 54 · Read in the full issue
Native Welcome To
WHEN the new Administrator of Papua (Hon. H. L. Murray) was in Eastern Papua recently, he received a formal welcome in Samarai, by the half-castes and the natives. The addresses were made by Mazeppa Bacca, for the half-castes, and by a native of Wamira (near Dosmra) named Roy Namuri, for the natives.
Mazeppa’s address was brief, and in
English. Roy Namuri spoke in Wedauan,
which was translated by Yen. Arch deacon Thompson, of the Anglican Mission.
The picturesque phraseology of the native address, as translated by Arch deacon Thompson, is published in full:— In this meeting of natives we represent, not onlv ourselves, but also all the natives in this district. We offer our warmest greeting to you and we are very glad to gather here to meet vou; we are very glad indeed that you have been appointed to be our Administrator; we offer to you our respect and our confidence.
Sir William MacGregor, and other G n, '"’ , nors. whom we did not know personally, built up Panua and ruled it well, but now their work is finished and they are at rest. The late Sir Hubert Murray was our Governor, and in his hands Papua was well cared for for manv years: so that all the natives living on the coast, as also those in the hills, in every part of Papua, were instructed in the wavs of the Government, and the natives gave un all their old, bad customs. And now also Sir Hubert Murray is at rest.
The Papuans have full confidence in you, likewise in your work and in your authority.
Our children who ar° here to-dav. and others who are now growing no. and still others who are as yet unborn, will follow you and will be loyal to you in all the good work you may do.
Formerly we listened to the instruction of our grandfathers and our grandmothers, and we followed in their ways, but now we have nut all these things away and have planted our feet in your footprints, and we shall follow you closely. The name Papua is the name we honour and uphold.
We ask you to water the good seed, so that it may not wither. The name of this seed is Papua. All the natives join with us in this greeting and in this welcome.
The practice of wearing a bone in the septum of the nose is fairly common throughout the whole of Melanesia; but, according to anthro pologists, it is gradually disappearing. The younger generations of to-day do not regard it with very much favour—particularly as the insertion of the bone is rather painful.