In praise of

a little book

In 1968 the Australian National Univer sity Press published The works of Ta’unga: records of a Polynesian traveller in the South Seas 1833-1896, which was a most significant act in recording the indigenous literature of the Pacific Islands. Ronald and Marjorie Crocombe had meticulously and most sympathetically researched and assembled the writings of Ta’unga, a Rarotongan, who worked for the Lon don Missionary Society as a missionary in New Caledonia, the Loyalty Islands and Samoa. His records provide an almost un rivalled account of the scenes of everyday life and of violence he witnessed over a period of 60 years.

Ta’unga was perceptive and able to adapt his teaching of Christianity to suit local needs. For instance he said of Mare and Lifu “they simply walk about without even a loin cloth. The women are quite unworthy, they just wander about and are unashamed. They ridicule us say ing, ‘Why should the body be wrapped up?’ They tell us to discard our clothes and to just wander about. They think it good.

The women despise us in the same way.

But we do not scoff at their going about thus, and they are not ashamed.”

He also graphically described battles and massacres “They take their gods to the battlefield. They do not leave them at home lest they be killed. There is a special god for the eyes it is to see the spear as

it flies toward one. There is a separate god for the ears it is to detect the hum of the spear and the whiz of the sling-stone.”

All praise to the Australian National University Press and to theCrocombes for paying tribute to Ta’unga but to tell the tale in an academic publication does not necessarily imply that its message will reach those for whom it has the deepest significance, the peoples of the Pacific Islands - Marjorie Crocombe had found an answer to this problem, a solution which needs to be further developed. She has brought out an abridged version of the first book entitled “If I live; the life of Ta’unga,” in a form, and at a cost, which p S r ide d i strib i! tion throughout the Pacific, and perhaps, hopefully in other parts. ? r i a ‘t 0 p ru° D finn/Thl 1C n d hr y h L ° tU h PaSirika fh rod tT e P . pubb shmg bouse w,thlothe Pmpra l^n^ d nf a th° n t^ nd f^ o p im f niCa^°n f PaCIf,C Conference of St^eslmh PU pirfrlp 0 \n a - *J n l ertaken fiir the South Pacific Social Sciences uZZ°l,l rrf f°p 8a T at ;T T p ; J°faOU l th 1? k ° \4 aC,^ C Is ands nters and researchers. Mrs Crocombe has made a judicious selection of the contents of the parent work and has retained a framework which gives clarity to the record ol Ta unga s work.

It behoves those interested in Pacific Islands literature to give all possible en couragement to such grass-roots publica tion as “If I Live”. In particular, such publications have a real place to fill in Pacific Islands education. All too fre quently in the Islands schools the children are confronted with the rather doubtful deeds of stereotyped European hero figures.

The children and all Pacific Islands peoples should be able to acknowledge the feats of their own men and women, Perhaps Marjorie Crocombe may be em boldened to go on to tell the stories of other Cook Islands heroic figures, of Papeiha, of Eliakana, and of Ruatolca.

I have only one criticism to make of this , itt e book Let a „ of us who write about the Pacific be consistent in the form we give t 0 P ,ace Surely we have all come to acce P t the spelling of Pago Pago as being just that. It must be confusing for the reader to f,nd 00 P a B e 26 jt is Pan 8° Pango and on page 27 Pago Pago, and Olosega receives the same treatment. I do not want to be carping however Let’s give

Praise where ft * Kdhl£fet n££

books in the mould of “If I Live” will

follow its course.

W.G. Coppell

» IF i LIVE: THE LIFE OF TA’UNGA ”By Marjorie juainekore Crocombe. Published by Lotu Pasifika Productions, Suva. 5A0.70.