In Defence Of Tabiteuea

Letter to the Editor I HAVE been a constant reader of your very interesting PIM and I never came across more insulting words about the people of Tabiteuea than those used by Mr. Brett Hilder, in your Mav, 1949, issue.

I am a native of Tabiteuea, now living in the Caroline Islands. I know my people better than any white man who may visit the atoll of Tabiteuea, and then goes home and writes long stories to the world that he had visited a most un pleasant island with unlovable people, who are dirty, precocious, faithless and opportunist to Europeans, etc. These statements really hurt the more because they are untrue. They need early correc tion; if they are left alone, they would bring disgrace and shame to the future generations of Tabiteuea.

Mr. Hilder said in one paragraph that “the women of Tabiteuea were averse to cleanliness, and that if they were care fully scraped down there would be enough black soil to fill all the babai-pits on Tabiteuea.”

Does the writer think that the women of Tabiteuea are dirtier than pigs? Be cause, if 3,000 pigs are carefully scraped down (hairs and dirt), I don’t think their dirt would fill all the babai-pits on Tabi teuea. It is fortunate that the women folk of Tabiteuea may not be to read the PIM. If they should know about these statements, I believe, on sight of the writer, apply his statement on him self, and “scrape him down to the bones.”

The white man’s idea is that the atoll’s lack of fresh water and soap would cause the natives to be dirty. But Nature has supplied them with the open sea-water, ground-dug wells and fresh-water ponds.

Tne natives use, instead of soap, fibres from coconut husks, to scrub the dirt off their bodies. I believe the natives have long learned how to be clean. Otherwise, the missionaries and especially the Medical Department of the Gilbert and Ellice Colony, are not doing any good in educating them.

Western civilisation’s shower-baths and toilet soaps, face-powders and perfum eries, with starched and well-ironed clothes and dresses, are not known to the women of Tabiteuea. They still wear grass skirts and very little clothing, which is about the best thing they could do — but that does not mean they are averse to cleanliness.

What does the writer mean by the word “precocious”? I understand that nearly all the races in the Pacific are pre cocious. Does the writer have any special point in calling the natives of Tabiteuea precocious? Or was he merely trying to make his story more interesting and amusing to other white people, who have never visited the islands?

THE writer also used the word “faith less.” Did he not know or hear of a former Native Magistrate, Noa, a native of Tabiteuea, who was decorated with a medal from His Majesty the King George V for faithfulness to his duty?

The natives of Tabiteuea all believe in Christian faith, as in any other atolls in the Gilberts and elsewhere.

Another remark was “opportunist to Europenas.” The natives are opportunists not only to Europeans but to all strangers.

That “opportunist” means kindness, and to give aid. I don’t think they ever harm Europeans, except that they are willing to help carry your luggage or even carry a visitor ashore from a stranded boat or canoe. Those little actions that you call being opportunist are their kind-hearted ness and hospitality, but in a primitive way according to your European stand ards.

Another remark was; “No man can

truthfully call them a lovable people.”

Only egoists say such things. Did the writer stay and live long with the natives of Tabiteuea, to understand the truth about them and their wavs of treating their visitors? Among themselves they are very happy, and Jive an easy-going life. Throughout the Gilbert and Ellice Islands the people of Tabiteuea are known as the kindest people to strangers, and would give them anything to help strangers, without payment.

Tabtieuea natives are quite satisfied with their present mode of living. In the writer’s pictures, accompanying his story, we saw the roads were kept clean, the meeting house “maneapa” was also clean and tidy. Pictures of children showed that they were perfectly healthy and clean-looking even though a few were naked, while some wore loin-cloths only around their waists.

It is known that foodstuffs are quite scarce in the Gilbert Islands, as on Tabi teuea, and that is why a native has to work hard on his plantation and babai pits to satisfy his requirements—other wise, he is contented with what Nature has given him.

The writer closed his article with “Farewell without regrets to the natives of Tabiteuea.” We, the natives of Tabi teuea, warn him to keep away from Tabi teuea in future, otherwise he will depart with even fewer regrets.

I am, etc.,

A. Kicking.

Kusaie, Caroline Islands, 18 1 1950.

At the conclusion of the annual general meeting of the NSW Branch of the Royal Empire Society on March 24, Mr. E. J.

Hallstrom will deliver a lecture “A Journey through Unexplored New Guinea,” illustrated by a film.

Visitors to Tahiti in January were Mr. and Mrs. George N. Whiting of Los Angeles. Mr. Whiting had been here before World War I, but it was Mrs Whiting’s first visit; they had. however, many friends on the island who enter tained them royally.

Mr. M. B. Knowles, one of the Prim cipal Actuaries in the United Kingdom Government Actuaries Department, spent several days in Fiji in February,

on his way to New Zealand to take part in an International Conference of Social Security Experts. He was accompanied by Mr. C. G. Dennys. Under Secretary of the United Kingdom Ministry of National Insurance, and Mr. P. J. keady of the Ministry of Social Welfare of the Repub lic of Ireland. Mr. Knowles will discuss arrangements for a proposed actuarial ex amination of the Widows and Orphans Scheme for civil servants in Fiji.