The herald. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1905-1953, 1921-12-01

ciety. Washington. D. c.
Perhaps 1t is logical enough that
less should be known about the largest
heavily Inhabited island in the world
Nav Guinea-than about the smaller
and more easily traversed lands Of
the sea, especially since 1t lies, like
the neighboring continent Of Australia,
near the antipodes Of the western
world, far from the beaten track.
This island has come into notice re-
Gently through the action of the
League of Nations in giving to Aus
tralia the mandate for Its northeastern
quarter, formerly a colonial possession
Of Germany. It is probable, too, that
1t may be one of the subjects of dis
cusslon when the problems Of the Pa
cific are taken up In Washington.
Except for a fringe Of few widely
separated settlements and mission sta
tons along the coasts, New Guinea Tor
Papua, to give II Its native name) is
q paradise Of savagery. Probably In
no other area Of equal extent In the
world has civilization made so light
an imprint In the interior Of the
great island heads are hunted as In
smaller regions elsewhere. cannibal
feasts are held, savage dialects are
spoken innocent Of any modification
by civilized language, primitive weap-
ons are used, and there is practically
no contact with and no knowledge Of
the outside world.
Origin OF Papuans Unknown.
The origin of the Oriental negroes"
OF Papua Is an unsolved problem to
ethnologists. On most Of the islands
to the east and north and toward
Asia, straIght-haired. relatively fair
Malays are found. But the Papuans
are black, woolly-haired negroes like
the natives Of the far-away Guinea
coast Of western Africa. 1t was this
resemblance between the inhabitants
OF Papua and Guinea that gave the
island It's more common name among
westerners. Though the Papuan race
Is distinct, and though large numbers
of the pure stock exist on the island.
the negro strain has also been mixed
with Malayan blood, resulting In nu-
merous racial gradations.
The natives of the southeastern
part Of the island may be said to
bark back to the days Of their
arboreal, pre-human ancestors, for
they live In rude leaf and straw
matched novels which they construct
In trees. Though this custom of tree
dwelling is not followed to any great
extent In other portions Of New
Guinea, the natives Of the island all
seem determined to live well Off the
ground. The favorite habitations
throughout large part Of the country
are constructed on high piles. On the
protected ground beneath these struc-
lures the culinary operations are usu-
ally carried on. Many of the build
fngs are long, narrow communal af-
fairs, housing a score or more Of ma
tives. In many cases these habita-
lions are merely dark tunnels, but In
others they are divided into compart-
ments. Clothing bothers the Papuans
but little, but they give much atten-
ton to painting and tatooing their
bodies, and to bedecking themselves
with neck, nose and ear ornaments.
Odd Native Customs.
There Is very little furniture In
Papuan dwellings to be shifted about
by the '1ady Of the house" on cleaning
day. Important among the few NOV
ables are hard narrow wooden blocks,
scooped out to At the neck-"pillows"
which would hardly appeal to western
ers as substitutes fer their soft down
filed cushions.
Some Of the tribes near the coast
have a passion for bathing, so great
that they impute a love Of the water
to the spirits Of their departed tribes
men. To facilitate spirit bathing"
surviving relatives and friends care
fully construct and keep open paths
leading from each grave to the sea.
When they are not dining on choice
cuts from some enemy tribesman,
Papuans eat In the main a prosaic
enough diet Of bananas. yams, sage,
breadfruit and the meats of various
animals and fish. But as choice It'd.
bits, some Of the tribes eat certain