Native Problems
pp. 52-54 · Read in the full issue
of Modern New Guinea An Unbiased Survey by an Expert
S. W. REED, an Instructor in Sociology of Yale University, spent about a year in Mandated New Guinea (1936-37) and, as a result of very thorough investi gations, consisting of personal observa tions, interrogations of local residents and a close study of the Territory’s literature, he has written a comprehensive survey of the Territory—sociologically, economically and culturally—in “The Making of Mod ern New Guinea” published by the Ameri can Philosophical Society (1943) and is sued in co-operation with the Interna tional Secretariat, Institute of Pacific Re lations.
The survey covers the physiography and aboriginal cultures of the Territory;dev elopment of European control; the begin nings of permanent contact (1872-1884); native administration during the German regime 0884-1914), then during the Aust ralian regime (1914-1940), divided, into military and civil admiistration. Follows then a survey of the economic prospects; and, finally, Modern New Guinea—the genesis of a new society.
Three instructive appendices deal with “The Language Adjustment: Melanesian Pidgin;” Port Breton (a tragic chapter in tropical colonisation); and Population Figures for 1921-1938. There are exten sive foot-notes, quoting the authorities for statements and opinions expressed, and illustrating the thoroughness with which Mr. Reed has carried out his work.
The outstanding feature of the book is the record of gradual influence which Eur opean contact has had upon aboriginal cultures and the sociological adjustments which have resulted. This contact be tween the invading European and the
most primitive native is traced for the period of a century—from 1840 to 1940showing the trading, planting, recruiting and missionary contacts and their result ant effects upon the natives.
REGARDING the question of the de cline of native populations, he says: “Much has been written regarding the alleged decline of populations in the South Pacific prior to European contact.
Although certain of the islands may have shown evidence of such a trend, the complete absence of census data from aboriginal New Guinea prohibits the acceptance of any final conclusions.
Nor is there evidence to show that the pioneer whites introduced new epidem ic diseases which decimated the popu lation, Certainly, however, the natives did not become ‘supine and nerveless’ when the ‘debased brutishness’ of their culture felt the impact of new values through contact with whites.”
On this subject he quotes Professor S. H.
Roberts’ “Population Problems of the Pacific”, and says: “Roberts’ otherwise commendable summary of the native problems of the Pacific Islands is marred by his too ready acceptance of antiquated opinions—such as that of W. H. R. Rivers —concerning alleged psychological deter minants of population decline.”
Concluding his chapter on “the Begin nings of Permanent Contact: 1872-1884,” he writes: The history of European colonisation has been interpreted in terms of land hunger. The story has been facetious ly summarized by saying: “When the white man came he owned the Bible and the coloured man the land. In time the white man became owner of the land and his coloured brother owner of the Bible.” Although this neat ex change seems to have taken place in many parts of the world, it does not hold true in New Guinea. For in New Guinea to-day the coloured man still
has the great preponderance of his land and, if he wants it, the Bible, too.
AFTER reviewing the system adopted by the German government in its contact with the indigenes Mr. Reed carefully examines the steps taken by the Australian military and civil administra tions. Referring to the much-discussed indenture system of native labour, he writes: “It is not our duty to decide whether or not the indenture system is the best measure for getting work from an ir responsible and unskilled labour body: it is simply the adjustment which has suited most of the needs of Europeans and natives alike. The natives them selves prefer it to be the only alterna tive, i.e., casual labour, for they arc conditioned to work for Europeans away from their native villages. .They also have become thoroughly accustom er to receiving their wages (except for monthly pin-money called “current wages") in a lump sum at the end of their contract. They fully realise that they could never save the money un assisted. Only in recent years has cas ual labour been resorted to by natives in lieu of indentured service, and this phenomenon is primarily confined to the larger European settlements. Out of this variation new problems of ad ministration are arising, for casual lab our has no traditional codes of its own.
It is, in fact, a revolutionary develop ment which may eventually supplant the indenture system.”
And then he gives a very comprehensive summary of the NLO of 1935 and the NLR of 1935. “Despite the fact.” he writes, “that the labour laws are never perfectly observed, there is, in my opinion, a re markably high degree of conformity to them. This in attributable in no small measure to the devotion to duty exhibited by the District Officers and their subord inates.”
He then goes on to deal with health and
education measures adopted by the Gov ernment officials. Referring to the in jections of novarsenobillon he quotes the late E. D. Eve as telling him of villages entered by him for the first time being anxious for the “needle”. “Eve said that knowledge of these inoculations has dif fused among countless tribes in the Sepik district who have never seen a white man... He said he would have perfect confidence in his safety among the most remote tribes if he were armed simply with a hypodermic syringe.”
IN summing up the economic prospects of the Territory, he writes; It mast not be assumed that the creation of new demands and needs is accomplished simply by showing nat ives all the wonders of Western manu facture. They must be given visible proof of their benefits and an opportun ity to acquire them.
The essentially unchanged list of things the native purchases—tobacco, matches, calico, cheap iron utensils, and ornaments of several kinds—must be co-related with the static character of the wages which he now receives and has received for decades. Furthermore the laudable aim of the Administration to keep native societies alive and funct ioning with their former vigor serves as an additional check on their rapid assimilation of European wants.
These are fundamental realities which critics of the “unprogressive nat ure” and “backward character” of nat ives would do well always to bear in mind.
Obviously no simple solution, such as doubling native wages by legislative fiat, can hope to raise native production and consumption to the point where natives themselves and European man agers and entreprenteurs will be fully satisfied. And the system of paternali stic peonage under which they are now employed will, in the ordinary course of events, continue for some time to come.
But if the full implications of the “sacred trust” are fearlessly accepted, not only by those in positions of autho rity but by all who hope to profit from the development of the Territory, New Guinea still holds high promise of becoming a uniquely successful experi ment in civilisation.
SPEAKING of the importance of indi vidual contact between white and native he points out that “natives are quick to distinguish in Europeans those personality traits which they respect or admire, as well as those which they dislike or do not trust.” Continuing he writes; On the Sepik River, where the native cultures set a high value on aggressive and truculent behaviour, one Govern ment official, known by the natives to be in .constant fear of attack, received little or no co-operation, either from his native police-boys or from the villagers in his district.
The other kiap on the river, known as a stern disciplinarian, was much more successful with his dealings with these people. They preferred to take their court cases to him, even though his post was several days’ journey farther away from that of his less ad mired colleague.
IN summing up his sociological observa tions Mr. Reed is of opinion that “if no unforeseen occurrences eventuate, however, we may expect to witness a steady progression of the following already established trends: (1) Rapid extension of the government’s influence over, and European con tacts with, peoples still living under purely aboriginal conditions, (2> Increasing demand on the part of
European employers for native labour. (3) Increasing dependence of the native on the European economic system. (4) Further elaboration and standardisatlon of the codes of lower caste behaviour. (5) Development of social classes within the lower caste. (6) Increasing participation of native women in the new social order.
In conclusion, he writes.
“Many well-meaning commentators on the contact of high and low civilisations bemoan the passing of aboriginial cul tures. Fastening their mournful gaze exclusively upon the destructive aspects of the acculturation process, they sympathise strongly with the older generation of natives, whose lives have been shattered —even if their health has been improved.
These writers are wont to contrast what they conceive to be the glamour and excitement of life in the old days with what seems the controlled monotony of * h “Balan°ed Observation of the history of contact in New Guinea allows no such one-sided conclusion.
“Admittedly, much of the old culture is rapidly disappearing, but this is a condition to which the younger generation is becoming accustomed from birth.
Intelligent control of the acculturation
process in this country has made the transition from the old to the new im measurably less violent than in many another region of the world. The New Guinea native has profited from it in a variety of ways—in a greater sense of security, in better health, in a steadier diet. Whether or not he is a happier individual than his father or grandfather we cannot know.”
“The Making of Modern New Guinea” is a book well worth reading for all those interested in the effects of our daily con tact with the natives of Australia’s vast dependencies up north.—G.T.