Family Spirit

UNO Needn't Worry There's Peace And Family Spirit In Nakanai

The West Nakanai natives who

got themselves headlines when

the United Nations Trusteeship

Mission visited New Guinea in

March (PIM, April, p. 21), were

only half of the story, according

to Father B. Stapleman, writing

from a New Britain mission

station.

Here is Father Staple-man's version, which gives another side to the picture: — pi M’S article does not make it clear, that two different groups of West-Nakanai natives aired their views before the members of the Mission.

The first group, that got all the highlights in the Press, was led by Tomuga, nominated member of the New Britain District Advisory Council. He spent 22 years away from Nakanai in the Native Police Force, returned home after serving a six months gaol sentence and then ( post hoc ergo propter hoc ) was nominated member of the New Britain DAC.

He has no standing with the Nakanai people on account of his long absence. Tomuga and two other natives showed me their petition when they called at my house on their way to Cape Hoskins Airstrip to meet the UN Mission. I told them more or less what they heard a few hours later from the Leader of the UNO Delegation and the DC, Mr. Foldi, All three are not of my parish.

The second group, not mentioned, in your article at all and in the; local Press in very confused terms,; only, had as speaker the luluai of!

Kasia village, Rapa. He spoke oni behalf of the Nakanai Native Move ment, called the Family Kivung.

"Spoke For 4,000"

He gave a report of their activ-j -ities and their aims, the foremost]: of them, to keep peace and family' spirit in Nakanai, abolish the old i customs of sorcery and crude en-|forcement of pagan marriage laws): and procure social progress for the big Nakanai Family.

He spoke on behalf of about 4,000|( Nakanais. After he finished, nearly' all the natives present jumped up c and shouted to the chairman, Mrl.

Kiang: “That was our opinion, not" what the three others before told >

du.” This important fact has been rer-looked by the newspaper cor ;spondents. It would have spoilt ime juicy headlines.

After the hearing, the delegation id party drove in jeeps and Land ivers to my place for an hour’s rest id refreshments.

In the meantime a big group of itives gathered under the mango ees and showed signs of great ex tement. They were wild over the tper presented by Tomuga, the intents of which dawned only owly on them, as they know little ■ no English. I pointed this out Mr. Foldi and members of the elegation.

A few days later I was given the liable information, that only six itives knew of Tomuga’s petition he ones with dogs, rats, dirty Duses and missing trousers), in Idition to a Tolai schoolteacher, tio later claimed that he was essed to do the translation from dgin English into English.

It is a pity, that so much ink has sen wasted on six rebellious ikanais, though I understand that r a zealous journalist they are tter headlines than 4,000 peaceful ikanais, who pay their taxes with it any hitch.

Comment

Editors’ Comment : Father

apleman here presents some new cts which ought to be published fairness to the Nakanai people 10 do not subscribe to the opinions pressed in Tomuga’s petition, id Father Stapleman says most of em don’t.

It is a fact that NG correspond ts did not report all the additional formation mentioned by Father apleman, presumably because they ire not aware of it, any more, parently, than was Father Staple an until he made later enquiries, ms the Australian newspapers on is occasion ought not to be cused of suppressing facts.

Nevertheless, if Father Stapleman s been watching the slow develop mt of New Guinea events as long PIM, he might concede that imuga, the Nakanai who led the ssentient group, was worthy of his adline. [f any Nakanai, 25 years ago, had d the temerity to present such a tition before a visiting batch of P’s it would have caused a greater isation amongst the hard-boiled rritorians of that day than it did March, 1959. That was the in ’esting point, not what the tition said —which was mostly ivel, as PIM indicated. And the :t that Tomuga has, according to . Stapleman, spent a lot of time ay from home, and some of it time in gaol, has little to do th the point at issue, either, tere are no lack of examples in 3 ex-colonial territories, of swelled aded gentlemen, with the same id of background, now ruling the )st.