Lavella Passes On

Wild Man Of Vella

An old man who was known as Wild Peter has died on Vella Lavella, BSIP, after living alone in the bush for 50 years.

Livai Neina, a former policeman, told Wild Peter's story to the District Com missioner, Mr. J. D. Field, recently.

He said his real name was Piripita, and he was a Malaita labourer at Joro veto Plantation in 1913, when he went mad. He ran away into the bush, and built a house in a tree as an observation post.

A sergeant and three police arrested him after a long struggle, handcuffed him and took him to Barakoma. How ever, Piripita escaped during the night, and ran away again.

Thereafter, he stayed in the bush and was very seldom seen by anyone, except in March, 1962, when he came to Simbilando and asked for fire, food and tobacco.

His body was discovered by a hunting party which got lost in the bush.