Two Related Tragedies Of Papua

Murder of Chalmers; and Persecution and Suicide of Governor Robinson

By M. R. Hunter

THE brutal murders of Roman Catholic missionaries in the Solomons and in the Aroe Islands by the Japanese reminds us that, for more than 50 years, there has been little molestation of mis sionaries in the Pacific by the Pacific Islanders themselves. But, before that, there were some fearful tragedies.

The bravery of the missionary clergy, their wives and other workers —drawn especially from Australia, England, Ire land, and France—is not, or ever will be, fully appreciated by the ordinary lay man, who never has been resident in the islands. The dangers, hardships, and crude living conditions make of it a life that can be endured only by devotion to the cause to which they have consecrated themselves.

IT is 42 years since the missionary world was shocked by the massacre, in Papua, of the Rev. James Chalmers, Rev. Oliver Fellowes Tomkin, Hiro (a Rarotongan teacher), the Chief of Ipisia, and a party of ten mission boys, after their arrival at Goaribari Island, Gulf of Papua. The authorities, at that time, considered that, as the Aird River settle ments did not come into the “controlled” area, it was a risk even for a man with Mr. Chalmers’ marvellous personality and control of savage natives, for an unarmed party to go there until the Government had some better knowledge of the people.

Mr. Chalmers knew no fear. His experience and coolness had enabled him to extricate his party, or himself, from many a dangerous situation, where a man of less character might have failed.

He went from Scotland to Rarotonga; and it was not until 1880 that he explored actively along the eastern coast of the Gulf of Papua, and through the Astrolabe Ranges towards the dominant ridge of the Mount Owen Stanley Range.

Important political steps followed, with all of which the missionary was identi fied. In 1884, the Imperial Government formally declared its protectorate over the south-eastern quarter of the great island, with the islands to the east and south

ward. During the voyage of HM Flag ship. “Nelson” (Commodore J. E. Ers kine), Mr. Chalmers lent special personal assistance in assembling and explaining matters to the natives.

For 16 years after that. Chalmers car ried on his missionary work successfully.

The tragedy occurred on Easter Mon day, April 8, 1901. Mr. Chalmers and his party arrived at Goaribari Island, from Daru, on Easter Sunday afternoon, on the mission steamer “Niue.” It was at once surrounded by canoes, filled with armed natives, who could not be induced to be quiet until Mr. Chalmers had pro mised to land at Dopima village the fol lowing morning. The locality was one with a very bad reputation, the popula tion large and savage. It was first visited by Captain Blackwood (after whom the cape to the east of it was named) in 1845.

The party landed early next morning at the village, intending to return for breakfast. They were never seen again.

The captain of the vessel concluded that something untoward had occurred, and, being afraid that the vessel might be seized, with a fresh breeze springing up, he got under way and went further out to sea. How wise he was is proved by the statement of one. Kemere, who was taken prisoner by the authorities later,

at Dopima, and who described in detail the whole gruesome affair.

Translated, his statement was: “I belong to Dudumuba, a village on Baiba Bari Island. I was not present at the massacre—only the big men of the vil lage went. I have heard all about it.

When the boat arrived, word was sent to ten villages during the night; and, in the morning, all the canoes went out and per suaded the missionaries to come ashore in a whaleboat. Some of the natives remained behind to loot the steamer, at a given signal. After landing, some of the party entered the long-house, two of the boys remaining with the whaleboat; these were also enticed to enter the long house. on pretence of something to eat.

“The signal for a general massacre was given by knocking both the missioners on- the head with stone clubs. Two Turo tere natives did this; then a Dopina native stabbed Mr. Chalmers in the right side with a cassowary dagger, and then cut off his head. Another cut off Mr.

Tomkin’s head. The other mission boys were similarly treated. One, Naragai, Chief of Ipisia, put up a fight by seizing a club from an attacker and killing him, before he was overwhelmed.

“Directly the heads had been cut off the bodies, some men cut the latter up and handed the pieces over to the women to cook, which they did, mixing the flesh with sago. They were eaten the same day.

“Mr. Chalmers’ head is at Dipoma, and Mr. Tomkin’s at Turotere; the rest of the heads were divided among the vari

ous villages.”