Alleged Anti-Exploitation

Movement in Hebrides Missionary Accuses Planters- Traders—Again!

ACCORDING to Mr. L. W. Murray, New Zealand secretary of the Presbyterian Overseas Mission, there has been a growth of nationalism and a violent re action against “exploitation” by traders and planters among the natives of the New Hebrides.

He described this to a meeting of the Presbyterian General Assembly in Wel lington, NZ, in early November, and spoke of what he called the “Jon Frum move ment” in Tanna, which manifested itself as a resurgence of native superstition and heathenism as well as reaction against exploitation. This took place in 1940 and again in 1942.

Mr. Murray said that the Resident Com missioner had told him that within 24 hours the whole native population had turned against the white people and had plotted to massacre them. The movement had not reached such a stage in other islands of the group although there was a trace of it in Santo.

These were some of the reasons why it had been decided to establish a separate church in the New Hebrides. “If there should be a surging up or the idea of nationalism in these islands, with a desire by their peoples to govern their own affairs, it might be an advantage that the church should also be under the control of its own people,” said Mr. Murray. (EDITORIAL NOTE: The old mission howl of “exploitation”—a silly Commu nist term designed to tickle the ears of the ignorant—is so well known to “PIM” readers by this time that it would be tedious to discuss it further. But what Mr, Murray calls the “Jon Frum move ment,” and describes as a new feeling of intense nationalism on the part of the New Hebrideans, seems to be nothing more or less than what is known in Papua and New Guinea as “Cargo Cult.” There is nothing new about “Cargo Cult.”

There have been outbreaks of it, from time to time, during the last 50 years.

And there have been many articles about it in the “PIM” in recent years. A section of the missionaries think as Mr. Murray does; the big bad “exploiters” (that is the traders and planters), on the other hand, will tell you that it is the fault of the missions, who break down the native’s ancient institutions and disturb his normal life. It probably is a bit of both— that is, the native reaction to the impact of European civilisation. There is, how ever, a distinct difference between “Cargo Cult” and the Solomon Islands “Marching Rule,” which is a direct result of the war.

But, as Mr. Murray describes it, it would appear that “Jon Frum” is just “Cargo Cult” under a new name.)