Missionary

Effect Of War Upon Papuan Natives

Valuable Observations by Veteran Anglican Missionary

Letter to the Editor

IN the introduction to Mr. N. M. Bird’s contribution (“PIM” of November, 1945), entitled, “Is there a Danger of a Post-war Flare-up Among New Guinea Natives?,” one of the outstanding prob lems, it is stated, was provided by the missions, in that “they taught that all men were equal in the sight of God.”

Is the conclusion to be drawn that, of course, they are not?

The article by Mr. Bird, I take it, refers chiefly to conditions among the natives of the Territory of New Guinea; he may have solid grounds for his argu ment relative to native unrest and law lessness. But readers of the “PIM” should not necessarily include Papuan natives in all the strictures mentioned by him.

About the predisposing causes of the “Vailala Madness” I am largely in agree ment. I think it is certainly correct, up to a point, to say that this dementia has its roots in “ill-digested religious teach ing.” But it should be recognised that the impact of our sort of civilisation as a whole has contributed to these mental upheavals: Governmental and commercial, as well as religious. Besides the “hymn singing,” we see the mimic courts, wire less masts, transmitters, etc.

Here in Papua we have also seen out breaks of the “Vailala Madness” in parts other than those mentioned by Mr. Bird.

There was one just prior to the Japanese

landings at Gona and Buna, in the Isivita district; and it undoubtedly had a prejudicial effect during those early months of reverse.

BUT it should be noted, in so far as Papua is concerned, that all these sporadic outbursts have occurred in parts largely outside direct mission in fluence. Also, in the case of Papua, the un-Christian clashes between" differing religious denominations do not exist, except, perhaps, in one or two restricted areas. So 1 do not think bewilderment created in the way suggested by Mr. Bird is an important contributory cause.

And then there is the point raised by Mr. Bird concerning “ill-digested military training.” Again, I take it, he is think ing, perhaps entirely, of what has been happening in the Territory of New Guinea. He may be right in what he says about the native forces there; but there may be some among your readers, less well-informed, who will leap to the con clusion that the Papuan police and PIB are also included.

Such a sweeping conclusion would be unfortunate. It has been widely acknow ledged by all with first-hand knowledge that the Royal Papuan Constabulary has been, and is, a highly disciplined body; and, speaking generally, has exercised a very steadying influence upon the people as a whole. And as for the Papuan In

fantry Battalion, at any rate since 1943, their work and contribution to their country’s salvation has been beyond praise.

The battalion now in Bougainville has lately been receiving the highest com mendation from all who have seen their efficiency and discipline. The commander of the battalion has recently placed this on official record. Moreover, he most courteously went out of his way to ensure that it should be known “that the boys were a credit to the missions concerned.”

The remark about the “tens of thou sands of careless white soldiers” with whom our people have been in contact appears to- me to need some Qualification also. My own personal experience makes me feel that, as regards the Papuan natives who saw active service, they have not been harmed to the extent suggested or expected; but that on the contrary large numbers of our young men have had their eyes opened to the real heroism, fmtitude, and, in many cases, the up rightness of character of very many of the white soldiers. They have found themselves treated as men, and as com rades; and mutual respect has resulted.

Those whom I have so far seen have mostly come back better and stronger in character and self-discipline.

IDO not feel quite like that, though, about some who have returned from the “Labour Lines”; nor about many of those natives who remained in their villages, who have been so continuously impressed for service of one sort or an other.

They, as compared with the Police and FIB boys, who voluntarily enrolled, were conscripts. In fact, I fee! that they may indeed create a psychological problem, as suggested by Mr. Bird. And their im mediate reaction to the sudden rescinding of all labour contracts seems to bear this out.

It seems that they have so got into the habit of working only at the Adminis tration’s command, that a kind of slave mentality has been developed—the men tality which only reacts to coercion. In this respect, labour boys, and occasionally impressed village boys, differ greatly from those other two classes: perhaps it is be cause these latter have been under white leaders, and with white comrades in arms, who shared with them, in actual war fare, all that came in the way of hard ship, toil, and suffering.

From contact with those who have re turned to their villages, and from letters from many still in the Service, I must bear testimony that their respect for our white fighting men is very high.

Also, since the war came -into this Mamba (Mambare) River district, I and my people have come in contact with many white soldiers —Australian and American and, in ways that it is not necessary to dilate upon here, many of them have brought a new conception of the white man to these people—a con ception almost entirely to the good. It seems to me that those now initiating the New Order for Papua will have their work cut out if they want this new out look to last.

We sometimes hear people generously acknowledging that personal experience of mission work, and the lives of many Christian natives, have caused them “to change their views” about the value of missions to the heathen. Well, it is such men as many of these soldiers, who en able the Papuans to change some of their misconceptions concerning white men.

I am, etc.,

Anglican Mission, Mambare, via Samarai, December 27, 1945.

S. H. M. Gill.