Tropicalities

rE interesting article “Life on Mys terious Easter Island,” in the “PIM” of June, conjures from the deep recesses of our sub-conscious mind, visions of lady scientists (writes A. C.

Rowland).

As the years have passed, we, in the islands, have acquired feeble gleams of comprehension of the masculine scientific mind and have learned to avoid the crashing avalanches of ponderous theories which have threatened to grind our intel lects into impalpable dust.

But to-day, as always, the lady scientist stirs the marrow of our bones to appre hension and alarm. Whenever she has regarded us with an appraising eye, we have understood the terror of the moth or beetle when the glittering needle is poised to transfix it, or it is about to be flung into the cyanide jar.

We have seen, in the islands, many lady scientists. All have been fearsome; but the most terrible was she whom we affectionately named “Aunt Agatha.”

In Polynesian tradition and authentic history there are tales of masterful high chiefesses who, by the power of their glance, could destroy any of their subjects who had provoked their anger. The object, of the royal displeasure was brought before his sovereign. She would stare at him and say: “Go away. I wish never to see you again.” Whereupon the victim would retire to his house and obediently fade away into the world of spirits.

Aunt Agatha was reputed to possess that power. We usually laugh at super stitions; but we are certain that, had Aunt Agatha so bade us, we should have (under the stare of her steely Nordic eye) affirmed that the original Polynesians were Nereids and Tritons, or that the moon was made of green cheese.

We were not astonished when we learned that Polynesian sages had told Aunt Agatha things about their ancestors which would have amazed those worthies * rERE are numerous trucks and jeeps on Betio (Tarawa) which is now a busy American base, but there is only one private car. It is owned by Captain Edwards, a British officer who commands the local detachment of Gil bert and Ellice Islands Labour Corps. It is not much of a car—one door is miss ing and the body fabric is percolated with bullet-holes—but Edwards is proud of it It belonged originally to the Jap adimra! m command of Tarawa, and was still m running order when captured by the Marines. It was presented to Edwards m recognition of the work done by his Labour Force in unloading stores for the Marshalls campaign. Edwards finds ownership of the car embarrassing in one respect only: newcomers to the island seeing it approach for the first time, are apt to plant themselves in its path in good American fashion, and attempt to bring h to a standstill with shouts of i. axi. ♦ A BRITISH officer who went ashore in the wake of US Marines on Tarawa, last November, tells how he was met by a Gilbertese who had been emnloved as a houseboy by another officer, formerly stationed on the atoll. The boy inquired anxiously whether his master was well and therf went on: “Will you nleasp ipf him know that when the Japs P came we managed to get all his belongings across to another island, under cover of dark and. they are all safe—that is, all the canoe 1 ” n °~ WO couldn,t get that onto

ANEW? GUINEA resident, who recently passed through New Caledonia after rendering service to the American forces in the region to the northward, pays a tribute to a well-known resident of Edie Creek, New Guinea; “There is no doubt that Mrs. l-Jowring, in charge of certain American Red Cross activities in Noumea, suits the job admir ably. She is doing a wonderful work among the Yank Servicemen, and the boys just love her. She is known uni versally as ‘Mum’; and ‘Mum’ has con verted about two-thirds of the American Army—formerly confirmed coffee addicts —to tea-drinking. Not many Australians get along that way now, and only an occasional Territorian; but there is a very special welcome for them in her pleasant establishment in Noumea. I should not be surprised if ‘Mum’ Bowring became a sort of American institution.” * PROFESSOR ELKIN, of the Depart ment of Anthropology, University of Sydney, recently visited Brisbane; and the whole Fuzzy-Wuzzy-European- Exploiter controversy, which has broken out in Sydney newspapers like a bi monthly rash during the past couple of years, went with him. Brisbane papers immediately provided an exchange of broadsides between the Professor and Terntorians living temporarily in Bris bane.

At a meeting of the League of Nations Union, the Professor made the following astonishing statements: There was a move) among certain Islands whites to re introduce flogging as a punishment for blacks. The same whites wanted self government for themselves, although they only number a Tew thousands, but they did not want it for the million-odd blacks.

It was therefore a scheme to gain per manent control of the blacks. Fortun ately, the Government would not agree to any of these things. There was a type of employer in the Islands who did hot

play the game—hut missionaries and planters should be warned that there was a new spirit abroad in New Guinea now h 2 u me£ P ANGAU!) and they would no* be able to go back and treat the native as they did before. , Territorian Brisbane-ites might bite: but Sydney-siders don’t care any more.

The Professor is an expert on the Aus tralian aborigine, but he has had no practical experience with the New Guinea native and it is possible that he has got his wires crossed somewhere. For instance he refers to “whites” and “blacks.” In New Guinea, one hears only of “Euro peans” and “natives.” * * A WOMAN reader in Brisbane is doubt ful if the picture we published of . Carol Landis and the Fuzzy-Wuzzy h^ Sep l em ? er “ PIM ” is genuine. “Is the ooy a Yank or an Aussie done up for the occasion?” she asks. “I have been in New Guinea and the boys were as full breasted as the women. In the photo the Fuzzy seems too square-shouldered and too flat-chested to be real.”

The answer is that in spite of lack of curves, we have no reason to doubt that th^ b ?h 13 >? * NG n S tive ' 11 uis a f ake, then the photographer was fooled, too.

APPARENTLY it takes a major calamity like a war to win real appreciation from one’s brothers. From a letter from an RAAF brother, now in Dutch New Guinea: ‘T can feel in some small measure just what it is that had that effect on you people. Perhaps it is the semi-mysterious atmosphere about the place—but the first sight of land, with its towering moun tains and the small islands and reefs off the coast, gave us a great kick. Even the musty, steamy smell of the bush has—as you used to say—got something that is not experienced elsewhere.

“And the mountains . . . more and more I take off my hat to you. for the efforts you made up here and the dis comforts you must have suffered.

“It has been comparatively easy for us —we are Cook’s tourists. There are good

roads most places, and when we can’t go by road we go by plane. That’s how we got up here. The country looked beau tiful and interesting, unfolding beneath the wings of our transport—but it would be hell to do on foot. For the rest the food is excellent; there is electric light in all the tents which, contrary to all pre conceived ideas of security, are on full blast till 11 o’clock. There are good con crete shower-rooms and we get free smokes and supplies.”—JUDY T. * IN the mid-thirties, when a scientific expedition from Oxford stayed some time on Santo, New Hebrides, some residents made the acquaintance of a young member, Tom Harrisson, with vary ing results. Later, Harrisson wrote a rather extraordinary book called “Savage

Civilisation” concerning the past and present of the Malakulan natives; and containing a few remarks about the pre sent of other and non-native residents, of the New Hebrides. He returned to Eng land, where it is reported that he turned his study of native peoples to good account, and in 1938 applied his “methods” to the study of the people at home. He founded a concern called “Mass Obser vation”—an organisation which is said to have “carried out valuable inquiries into the manners and customs of the British.”

If these observations are anything ap proaching those made by the indomitable Tom in the Hebrides amongst Europeans and natives, they should indeed make good reading.

The fifth “Observation” is reviewed in “John O’ London’s Weekly” of June 2.

Capt. Viggoi Rasmussen, Resident Agent of Penrhyn, has returned home after several months’ stay in Rarotonga for health reasons. He was accompanied by Philip Woonton, the genial “pearl king” of Penrhyn, who has been relieving Capt.

Andy Thomson, of the “Tiare Taporo” while the latter was on furlough in New Zealand.

A daughter was bom to Mr. and Mrs.

H. A. Crowley, of Rarotonga, Cook Islands, on August 18.

The Rev. A. P. Jennings, of the Angli can Mission, has recovered his health and hopes to return to Papua in November.