The Editor's Mailbag

Leo Hannett

This is not a case of the early bird eating the early worm, as 1 refer you to your February publication. In it an article by Denis Fisk “Blood is much thicker than copper say the Shortland folk” (PIM, Feb, p 7) has been drawn to my attention.

Mr Fisk’s statement regarding Leo Hannett is patently inaccurate. Very little of Mr Hannett’s time in Honiara was spent as a genuine researcher, at least from an academic viewpoint.

Mr Hannett joined The East West Center Project to the Western Coast of Guadalcanal in 1972, but after a few weeks in his field site at Marau Sound went back to Honiara to read council minutes and attend a session of that council.

The next the members of the Project heard, Mr Hannett had found Bougainville more attractive and had left the British Solomons.

To the best of my knowledge Mr Hannett made no attempt to contact either the project leaders or other members after his departure from Honiara, despite letters sent to him including those accompanying his personal effects which had to be sent on to him from Marau and Honiara.

Let us not create any more myths concerning Melanesians. Individuals such as Mr Hannett doubtless have good reasons for their actions. But for the record, let us not try to have it both ways. Politics in Bougainville were more important than research in Marau Sound, Guadalcanal.

Mr Hannett chose the former and did not complete either his planned research for the East-West Center Project or his Master’s degree at the University of Hawaii.

A. J. Bennett.

Research School of Pacific Studies, ANU, Canberra.

Banabans V Gilbertese

Having just caught up with some recent PIMs, I’m concerned to see the fuss and hullabaloo the 2,000 Banabans have created in their de termination to gain ownership of the remaining Ocean Island phosphate estimated at $6O million.

With a public relations team and

expert legal counsel (all no doubt getting whacking great fees and mar vellous publicity) and even Aus tralia’s Dr Cairns putting his oar in on the Banabans’ behalf, no wonder the 50,000 Gilbertese on their coral atolls, whose economy, to date, has rested heavily on the income from Ocean’s phosphate, are feeling the impending chill winds of poverty and a setback to their independence aspirations.

From their new home on Rabi Island in the Fiji Group—a fertile, potentially productive island —it wasn’t homesickness for Ocean Island that got the Banabans calling for a return to “Home, Sweet Home”, but sheer envy of the other great phos phate island in the Pacific—Nauru Island—l6o miles distant from Ocean.

In the 60s the Nauruans were be coming wealthy. Cars, motorbikes and every modern mechanical, electric gadget could be found in any fibro-cement Nauruan home. If you had enough money or you could get it from someone who had, you didn’t work.

The Banabans, although receiving royalty from Ocean’s phosphate, had to share this with the Gilbert Islands into which group it had always been accepted they belonged. Since their move to Rabi they still received these royalties, but after the Nauruan suc cesses at the United Nations forum the Banabans decided to make their play.

Backed by powerful friends and with Nauru’s President Hammer Deßoburt, himself a Banaban by birth with a personal stake in Ocean’s phosphate and who initially offered to fight the Banaban’s cause after the Nauruan successes, the Gilbertese could well feel that the odds were stacked against them.

Ocean Island has two years to go before being thoroughly worked of all its phosphate. Great areas of this tiny island will have been denuded of topsoil, and deep crevices between the coral pinnacles, from which the phosphate was quarried, will remain.

The island has no permanent water supply, is subject to extreme drought conditions, has no fertile soil for growing things (all food being im ported), no employment opportunities once the Phosphate Commission

moves out, and yet the Banabans with a marked disinclination to make a go of it on Rabi, are telling the world that it is to these bones ol an island that they wish to return.

If it hadn’t been for the cheap (by Western standards) and ready avail ability of Gilbertese labour, neithei of the huge sums accruing from phos phate on Nauru or Ocean Island would have been possible.

And it might be remembered at this stage that it was the Gilbertese workers who were massacred or Ocean Island by the Japanese at the end of the last war. They’ve giver their blood as well as their sweat ir the cause of phosphate.

The Gilbertese need all the advo cates they can get if they are noi to be driven into real hardship through loss of phosphate revenue.

Anon

• Name and address supplied.

Niue's Burial Caves

I was rather amused to see Fetau laku Siale’s letter (PIM, June, p 29) While the writer’s plea for the pro tection of burial places on Niue is commendable and one with which I heartily concur, I fear he is both ignorant and ill-informed in regard to the actual situation.

For both Mr Siale’s informatior and for the sake of other readers who may have been misled by the published statements, I would like to point out firstly that the photo graph in the March PIM was posed by the photographer to provide a “human interest” illustration. The archaeological survey was carried out at the invitation of the Govern ment of Niue and with funds pro vided by them.

Because no previous study had been made of ancient Niuean burial customs, this aspect comprised a major part of the survey; yet nc cave was entered without the owner’s permission, and usually only in his presence. Contrary to your corres pondent’s assertion, a vast amount remains to be learnt about the pre historic people of Niue; virtually no study has yet been made of their skeletal remains, and this is the first time that the burial caves and other prehistoric sites have been scientific ally recorded, let alone studied.

About 60 per cent of my work was on the burial caves and this is re flected in my report to the Govern ment.

One of the main outcomes of the survey is the recommendation that, where possible, sites be afforded greater protection against any form of “interference”. Incidently, the survey was carried out by Niueans

under my direction; the two USP students were there to gain experience in field archaeology. My work was greatly facilitated by the friendliness, hospitality and co-operation of the people of Niue, and there was never any suggestion that the study was in any way disrespectful to the re mains of the dead.

Finally, I would like to point out to Mr Siale that if he is ever asked by the Government of New Zealand to study burials in a Christchurch cemetery, and he obtains the neces sary permission from authorities and relatives, he will be perfectly entitled to do so. In fact, graveyards in New Zealand have on a number of occasions been dug up merely in the name of progress to make way for bousing developments and new road ways.

Michael M. Trotter.

Christchurch, NZ.

My attention has been drawn to Fetaulaku Siale’s letter (PIM, June, 3 29), I haven’t seen the photograph o which he objects, but suspect it o be one of those unfortunate illus rations with which the media like o titillate their audience, and which he serious worker in this sensitive ield has to try to avoid when his vork is being publicised. I can’t magine anyone more concerned with :ontrolled field research and further emoved from idle curiosity than dichael Trotter.

Mr Siale’s general sentiments on he protection of burial places are of ourse completely right. But he is lot correct on what is known and vhat is yet to be learned. To alter iis words slightly: there is virtually verything yet to be learned, rchaeologically, from human remains oday in the Western Pacific. It /ould be most unfortunate if con rolled field research were to be ampered by a belief to the contrary.

Ve have very few answers. We are irgely ignorant of many aspects of tature and body form, of health and isease, and even of the relationships 3 other peoples within the Pacific.

I suppose the real reason there is lore interest in burial material from le Pacific than from the Canterbury hurchyard Mr Siale mentions, is rat the latter is historic, and we do now a great deal about the people uried there, their society and their me. Yet, somewhat ironically, I ave just been asked today to xamine material from a Canterbury akeha burial ground of the 1890 s, 'hich is now to be used for other urposes. Even here we will learn )mething.

In this sensitive field it would be

unfortunate if widespread objection to controlled field research arose. I hope it will be possible to continue such work in a scientific manner, respecting the dead, and with the approval and understanding of their descendants.

Philip Houghton.

Lecturer in Anatomy,

University of Otago,

Dunedin, NZ.

Artist's Appeal

I am a Maori artist living in Australia. I wish to reach as many South Pacific artists, writers, poets, musicians, photographers, carvers and sculptors, who are interested in forming a group to promote a South Pacific Arts Festival either on an annual or biennial basis. A different South Pacific nation to play host each year—and all South Pacific governments to be asked to either foot the bill or award substantial travel and accommodation grants to

participants.

In an over-westernised environ ment, there is a growing need for creative people living in isolated and far-flung places in the South Pacific to get together every so often and exchange ideas, renew aesthetic values, come to terms with present trends and above all understand our changing conditions and why certain things are happening around us.

Creative people make a major contribution to the community and the image of their country and in the South Pacific we have our own unique quality which is changing in

the face of Westernisation and the mighty dollar—and I feel there is a great need for us to do something constructive in seeking to strengthen old relationships, forge new ones and create our own shop-window of the South Pacific for at least the duration of a cultural festival.

I would certainly like to see work of New Hebridean artists, listen to poetry by Fijian poets, drama by a Noumean dramatist and I know there are hundreds of others who feel the same way. And hundreds more who’ve never travelled far from their community and would never leave their shores unless given a push.

A cultural festival could not take place without government support and finance and such a venture, well presented, would be a boon to any tourist department. So to this end, I am seeking the views of “working” creative folk in the South Pacific and any interested parties who can lend moral and vocal support to such an eventuality.

By South Pacific participants, I mean, Polynesian, Micronesian, Mela nesian, Aborigine. There is such a great need for unity among mankind today; this small cultural gesture could be one small step in the right direction.

I am already corresponding with something like 60 people all over the Pacific and various governments who are formally disposed towards such an event.

Mrs E. P. Finney.

PO Box 813, Potts Point, NSW 2011.

Letters continued on p 21

Letters

In Praise Of Pim

Td like to shout from all house ops everywhere, how much I appre iate and anticipate each issue of ‘acific Islands Monthly. I do read lot—but this is my favourite pub cation.

Queen Emma, Day That I Have oved—and others, have become a art of me! MANA is my first read ig each month. The short tales, the oetry, the items are a delight. The (formation in New Creations From he Sepik excites me beyond descrip on. As an art teacher I visited the ?pik and Chambri Lake area two jars ago—and was heartsick to :alise the remarkable creativity was ipping away.

My every good wish to Mrs Den ?tt that she can and will hold fast this remarkable culture. The artist mon Norep is to be highly con atulated on his fine work. I sin rely hope the young folk find spiration in such fine aid—my fat’s off to Simon Norep”. I do >pe more of his work can again be ed.

And to your Editor—Mr Inder ay you publish for many, many, any years! Congrats.

Ellyn A. Greywitt.

iio, USA.

Range's 'Quiet' Threats

Re Mr Grocott’s letter (PIM, ne, p 26). I agree about condem tion of atomic tests, and, even five ars ago, led petitions of protest in Cairns area, as (1) A French rn Australian, and as (2) Husband a Melanesian woman (West New itain).

However, before opposing “French denial System” white Australians d New Zealanders should meditate out their treatment of Maoris and >origines.

Well Mr Crocott at PNG Uni rsity, what about former “colonisa n’ of Bainings by Tolais?

Finally, as a lecturer in history, r Grocott committed the error IM, Feb, p 71) in calling Gala gos Islands a “Colonial outpost”, /isited the islands in 1948 and ob ved that they are part of the public of .Ecuador, and historically d never an autochthonous popu ion (a basic condition for “coloni ion”).

J. H. Huon.

herton, Qld 4883.