The Confusion That We Bring

A Story in Rhyme by "Tolala"

I met a South Sea Island chief upon my way; one of the Old School— hed and grey—he had none of the adont th??p ng T yS ’ Which many chiefs adopt these modern days.

' 1 j S *J? ard for me> ” said he, “to under fanri 1 ? fh e manners of the people of your land, they say one thing, then do an that^hpv 11 !? ’• trouble and confusion that they bring to us, a simple, wild and lived-in U i h ° have these many years lived in this place; have had our gods and tilled the land and fought; have^lost and won; have feasted and have bought and buflt a nT? rd v! ng t 0 our ancient and built our houses open without doors: For wives and goods were in the past, secure. No thieving then the pen- T Wi ? h lnstant death Ito S h - lowly crimes as stealing wives and goods in olden times.

And then you people come with all 5“ not steal and n - 8ht ’ anc l not to interfere with £ e ,rf es : m fact, you tell us how to riJpm 11 - V S accordi ng to what vou may And then ; ‘These heathen folk must have the Light,’ vou sav and Tn en th?c U take ° ur gods awa y- One ’saysy ° U - must Dra y-’ Another says. That way is wholly wrong Our way is right; our God is verv strong th^flplb 1 a f no - her sa y s: ‘You may not eat ° r any other meat -’ And oo S ba t the oroper dav of rest is not as others say; that theirs is best Now wh!ch is right? What are we to belif ™ Do one and all of them trv to deceive us creed’ c*n ? n Wit V their whi teman’s they iead? n d ° OSe but follow where P*] e . ves us bread and wine to eat and drink - and calls it Flesh and Blood- V JLf an we thmk or do when the laws lay down we must not kill or eat our foes yet One upon a hill died for us everyone so we are told— we’re bid to eat of Him Wb °-c»^ aid: ® e hold this is my Bodv and Zv ?fip 6at ’ dri £ k! ’ This was so long ago , T have no link with memory. Now what are we to do? Which is the fakp one? Which one is the True?”

The chieftain paused and filled his nine to smoke. Sadly he smiled and then r g am he spoke; “y ou tell us’not to kilh to practice peace; now tell me Friend SSL 1 ?? th€ L fighting cease among your people throughout all the world? hurTe°d U nn ro lUH e p r ting ’ and bombs ar€ ton n?,? 1 ttle chlldren a nd on women too. But wnen we fight, we fight as strong men do with bow and ar?ow. axl a P. d s P ear and knife nor do we ta’kp a child’s or woman’s life. One law for us the na t iv es of the isles: another for the Whiteman with his wiles! We fight be cause a chief’s blood has been spilled- J f £ ur ™°™ en raped, or pig s P been nn nppJ°S fight s ? often when th cre is no need. For greater lands; for money avpno-p greed - We fi ght as warriors to roAsf the tZng.”° U M machines to ter th? e fir n p aU T 0d I°’ Ugb i t hiS Plpe from OUt the fire. I sat in silence, and could but

admire the faithful logic of his argument hnrn mpatbisl . n £ with the discontent,’ b °™ of . c 9 n f p f 1 10 n with the Whiteman’s maze! And httle wonder at the madcap VJ n ° doubt a t all,” the chieftain sa a. but that your race is very wise well-read. You have control of wealth! of big machines, of gaint boats which fur msh you the means of travelling far and wide to isles like these; and yet, v/ithal your morals do not please an old grev haired and ignorant island chief, who cannot read; whose simple crude belief is only gleaned from what his fathers taught; The simple justice or the village fnnri t; prote 9 tlon of their women aud their JrnHo c ° nsiste . nt > although primitive and crude. Your laws are almost similar. I know, and yet in many ways the white man s slow to have the law enforced in some respects; more so, I think in ac f s regarding sex. For i have heard that women of your race do things for which oui women-folk would nide their face S°J? t . 1 ? USb ? n t db ivould so out and kilJ, not so tne whiteman, who can think no ill when, so it seems, his wife becomes immodest in her talk or in the way she’s not S dn d ‘hut°f I h any t things you say we must not do, but then tiie same does not applv w hos playing fin 9 s nati ves for gambling you Produce strong drink, leave it about, and then you all complain Quire ° Ut . natives quire a taste for drink too. .There was a time when we owned all this land and lived by laws that we could understand. And then you came and brought us what? Disease, tobacco gin axes to cut down trees, new gods to ’ wor hWhCallC ° ear > h y dr °B' e n-peroxide to bleach our hair. So many things that could be done without; with better things that grew all round about. And, worst all, y °r brou Sht Confusion here’. How can we live when orders are not clear W / J lom we cannot well respect’ or take a god of ever-varying sect? P 1 "J ell u me ’ friend, for I have waited wrcmgT” 6re ’ m my ha ve I been T PONDERED long on what the chief had A £ aid; for he was right. I sat with Wn head ’ and then re " “ Yop are not wrong, but right. Despite our wisdom and our ships and might worth br ?3 g £ t , ri 1 nothi yet of Sing a 9 t ; t 0 me - the one thing on this earth that has a value worthy of your race, to bring you happiness in every place console you for the damage that’s th| n sun ne ’it 6^V 0U t0 Vn y0 f Ur ? lace within the sun, it is the richest gift of all— it s peace; for with that worthy treasure troubles cease, bitter misunderstandings fade away; Confusion becomes order— stay‘ Peace without and mental Peace within there should not then be anv will to sin. That is the gift I wish W f / lend ’ be P atien t yet awhile; work for that end.”