The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1910-06-09

hui Iu"CSISIh pOl llOu VI IAG
island, but which spreads west
to the Island of Flores and eastward
to the Fiji islands. Since the begin
ming Of the sixteenth century, when
Europeans first discovered New
Guinea, its inhabitants have been
known by the above name, which is
said to be derived from the Malayan
papuwa or puwah-puwah, meaning
"woolly-haired." Professor Keane
says the Papuan is lone of the most
strikingly distinct types of mankind"
and though the natives in southern
and eastern New Guinea differ widely
not only from the type, but also
among themselves in many ways, the
typical individual exhibits such
marked characteristics, both mentally
and physically, that he forms an extra
ordinary contrast with the Malays on
the one hand and with the Australians
and brown Polynesians on the other.
Like all others, the natives of New
Guinea have no doubt, intermingled
with these surrounding peoples, and
Malays have settled in some parts of
the island and Australians and Poly
nesians in others.
The typical Papuan is taller than
the average European and strongly
built, with large hands and feet, but
his legs are thin and weak, and he is
usually "spur-heeled." The color of
tho shin vo rioc in flint fropo dooy oboo
olate to nearly black. The most i'm
portant characteristic of the face is
the nose, which is large and promi,
nent, and through the septum is thrust
nose-bar, usually made of shell, bone
or wood. The hair, which is frizzly
dry and stiff, is usually worn in an
enormous mop, to the training OF
which much time and attention is de.
voted. Sometimes it is arranged in
tassels round the head, and various
other fashions are occasionally adopt
ed. 1t is frequently decorated, espe
c1ally on festal occasions, with bright.
ly-colored flowers of the hibiscus and
with plumes of birds of paradise, and
NAAAOAA0 bAS PuLCl lISC OllC vi IllC 1llO0
characteristic decorations is a long
comb made of split bamboo and orna
mented with feathers of parrots, etc.
which projects above the forehead fol
foot or more. Necklaces of shells
teeth and bones, as well as bracelets
armlets and anklets, are much worn;
also arm-bands of grass, which serve
as pockets, in which small articles
can be tucked away. The breast anG
arms are often decorated with raised
scars, and the face and body are fre
quently painted with red, yellow
white and black. Unlike the Malay
the Papuan is described as impulsive
and demonstrative in speech, his ma
ture is joyous and open, his emotions
and passions finding expressions ii
cries, laughter and boisterous ges
lures. Both men and women in parts
OF the northern coast go about en-
tirely naked, but usually the former
wear small breech-cloth of bark anC
the latter a short petticoat of wover
grass. Their houses are generally
built on piles, and, as in Borneo, are
often communal and of very large
size, many families occupying ONT
building, which may vary in length
from 500 to ZOO feet. There are ais,
club-houses, where gatherings TAX
place on festal occasions. The re
markable houses built in high tree
and known as "dobbos" seem to b
peculiar to British New Guinea, an,
are, apparently. chiefly used in tim
of danger.
The natives of Papua are, as a rule
Indifferent seamen, and as a race ma,
be described as agriculturists, thei
chief crops being sweet potatoes
yams, bananas and sugar-cane. Thei
domestic animals are pigs, dogs an
fowls, all of which are eaten, as we