The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1900-11-13
NATIVES WERE CANN|BALS
MARQUESANS SAID TO HAVE
BEEN ANTHROPOPHAGI
Lord Albert Edward Osborne and Mr.
Hall Reiterate Their Statements and
Produce Corroboratve Evidence.

Produce CorrobOrative Evidence.
Lord Albert Edward Osborne and d.
b. Hall, English tourists arrived in Ho-
nolulu last Friday from an extended
tour of the South Sea Islands. During
the course of an interview they stated
that the natives of the Marquesas ISL
ands who had formerly praticed cann-
balls were almost Cannibals to this day.
An editorial in The Star yesterday
questioned the accuracy of this state
ment but both of the gentlemen reter-
ated their former statement this morn
ling and proceeded to support their as
sertions concerning the Marquesans
with very strong corroboratiOn
There is not the SLIGHTEST doubt
said Mr.. Hall but the Marquesans
were cannibals and before the French
annexed the islands in 1910 practiced
it quite generally. That they were can
nibals is borne out by the statements
in StanfOrd's Compendium of Geogra-
ply work which is compiled from the
reports of the admiralty and reports
of various sea captains who have visit
ed that group. In addition we found
ample evidence that such practices had
been followed by the natives.
How the custom originally started
would of course be difficult to state
| The theory has been advanced by
scientists that cannibalism is not due
so much to any innate savageness in
the person committing it but from an
| insane craving for flesh. Down in the
South Sea Islands where the people
! have practically no meat to eat 70,
years and live upon nothing but fruit
and cocoanuts and food of that charac-
ter there comes a time, so it is argued,
when the human palate demands more
solid food and in sheer desperation tn,
NATIVE not finding any other food, turns
to his fellow beings.
Il do not think however that can
nibalism was practiced by the Mar
quesans for the pure delight of the
feast but more in a spirit of revenge
against the tribe of which the victims
were members. Those tribes are con-
| tinually fighting anon themselves and
the former custom was whenever any
| side was victorious to take captives
and eat them. Comparatively little
damage would be done by either side
in one of these battles however. All
over the islands the natives have built
stone IMAGES to their cannibal gods and
these figures which are located on high
Iplateaus were wOrshipped.
I'VE met a Portuguese who had lived
for years in the islands and he told us
that on one occasion, this was some
years ago of course, he went with one
native fishing. They called to the ma.
tive and asked him to come over ant
take a smoke. Suspecting no danger
the man accepted the invitation where
upon he was killed and eaten right be-
fore the eyes of our informant.
''phere is still living in the islands
at NkuhiVa on the island of Tai-o-haI
an old woman who was the last queer
of the Marquesans. Her name is Val.
kehu. The common report down there
and there seems to be no question
about it, is that firing of her husband
one day she had him killed and eaten
participating herself in the feast.
Another witness to the cannibalisn
of the Marquesans was a white MAJ
, whom we met in the islands. His eX
perience was very amusing. He wen
there years ago and fell in love will
one of the native queens and asked he
to marry him. She refused saying tina
: she could not marry any man unles
| he was tattooed. The white man i'm
mediately went and following the Gus
} tom of the people there submitted t
being tattooed which is a very painful
operation. Not only did he have hi
2 body covered but his face as well
When he presented himself before tn
f young woman she received him wit
shrieks of laughter and declared tina
V a white man did not look well tat
t tooed and would not marry him. Th
d result was that poor fellow could no
= return to Europe and live with an
t satisfaction on account of the notoriet
y which he knew would follow his quee
appearance. so he decided to pass tn
II balance of his days on the islands. II
f told us that he had witnessed cam
balism practiced among the natives q
a regular custom.
"In addition to this we saw anklet
# and collarettes and girdles used in II
II dancing costume, made of human ha
t which had been taken from cannibi
ii victims. While Stanford's Compendiu
e says that there were no human sacr
fees offered to the stone gods l al
inclined to think that this statemel
was a mistake for I am satisfied thi
human sacrifices were offered. The M
=, tives certainly used to sacrifice the
u captives on the occasion of the launcl
;. ing of any big war canoes.
- Moreover we were told by the gen
darmes down there whose business 1t
to preserve the peace of the islanC
T. that If the French government were
- withdraw the natives would within
few months return to their form
practices of cannibalism."
Mr.. Hall and Lord Albert Edwa
- Orborne who is god son of the Prin
- OF Wales for whom he is named, cha
le tered a schooner and went from t
- !. hiti to the Marquesas group and sta
y ed there for a month or two studyil
= the customs of the natives. The ira
elers return from their ten month
trip with an exceptional knowledge
D the South Sea Islands which is made
y" the more valuable by the large qua
~ tlty of splendid Photographic vie'
u which they secured during their tr
y, NOT A SURPRISE.
- - It will not be a surprise to any W
"A are at all familiar with the good qua
" Couch