THE ETHICS OF MAN-EATING.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3315, 6 September 1911, Page 7

THE ETHICS OF MAN-EATING.

ETIQUETTE OF THE PAPUAN

TABLE.

TPIE “DEGREE ABSOLUTE.”

(By “The Sun’s” Special Representative.) Port Mores'bv, August 5. The latest ease of cannibalism, has just come to light at Iwi, on the east coast cf the -notorious Fly River. The natives ciomioerned have been secured by the magistrate of the district, assisted by a -strong force f armed native police, and are now serving, sentence at Port Moresby. It comme-noed with one of tike Iwi wanting the- wife of a native of Uiio village, in the neighbourhood, ami ended with t-lie murder of the unlucky husband at night and the carrying off of his wife. The husband’s carcase- was oarriedi off also, and a wild cannibal gorge- succeeded. It is a native custom of the Fly River in regard to these- little affairs. The man who- kills must- never eat his victim himself ; his comrades do that. He, however, may be permitted to partake of a small portion of Ins victim’s heart from the- hands of his wife if boiled in a pot in. the form of a stei\v : ; hut he must not be touching the- earth whilst he eat—lie must sit on a eoeoanut, with his feet resting on two other cccoanuts, to escape the evil influence of till© soul of hi-s victim.

Another case- thaat lias just been dealt with by the Government is as follows:—A -native in the Western Division (Binaturi River- district) died of old ae. After the burial, by ami ancient custom, it was not considered good that the wife should live, seeiing that the husband had died of old age. She- was- .accordingly killed by the villagers and buried likewise. This came to the- ears -of the- magistrate, who promptly set out with liis police for the scene. The culprits fled, and for we-e'ks could not be brought in, despite instructions to all villages in the district, that the men were to- be secured. Eventually, commandeering the village food gardens, until sucih time as the culprits were, -brought in, the magistrate succeeded in having the “wanted” men brought up for trial. They were -sent in- to Port- Moresby for trial, and, evenuaily, in view cf there being no malice in the affair, only the execution of a- native custom, also in view of the fact that the men had already spent six weeks in gaol awaiting trial, the judge sentenced them- to the rising of the court, -after, of course, carefully explaining through the interpreter, that- such"a custom was “no good fashion along New Guinea,” and must cease. . The difficulty of recruiting native labour for plantation, mining, and general development in Papua is becoming more and more acute, and the Government now prohibit the recruiting or Papuans for the pearling industries of Thursday Island and Torres Straits generally. This so- far has made no difference, as the Papuans are incensed at being unable to- engage on the pearling boats, where the-- earned £1 to 30s a month, and refuse to work at all now. The ruling wages for native labourers in Papua is only 10s a mic-ntb, and -recruiters cannot induce the large section- of Papuans m the Western Division who were pearling boatmen to sign on for work ashore. It is expected that it will be a very long time before- they will be driven (■by o want •of food and money) to sign on- for plantation and other work.