The Fayette falcon. (Somerville, Tenn.) 190?-current, 1921-09-16
New Guinea Woman and Baby.


prepared by the National Geographic So
ciety. Washington, D. CT
Perhaps II Is logical enough that
less should be known about the largest
heavily inhabited island In the world
Now Guinea7-than about the smaller
and more easily traversed lands of
the sea, especially since II lies, like
the neighboring continent of Australia.
near the antip0des 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. II is probable. too, that
1t may be one Of the subjects of dis
cussion when the problems of the Pa
cific are taken up In Washington.
Except for fringe Of a few widely
separated settlements and mission sta
tons along the coasts, New Guinea Cor
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, cannlbal
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-baired, 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. II was this
resemblance between the inhabitants
of Papua and Guinea that gave the
island Its 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 ~ 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 Ii not followed to any great
extent In other portions Of New
Guinea. the natives Of the island all
seem determined to live we'll on the
ground. The favorite habitatIons
throughout large part Of the country
ire constructed on high piles. On the
protected ground beneath these struc-
lures the culinary operations are usu-
lily carried on. Many of the build
ngs are hong. narrow communist af.
airs, housing a score or more Of na-
ives. In many cases these hablta-
Ions are merely dark tunnels. hut In
'thers they are divided into cornpart-
nents. Clothing bothers the Papuans
ut little. but they give much atten-
ion to painting and tatooing their
'odies. and to bedecking themselves
nth neck. nose and ear ornaments.
Odd Native Customs. |,
There Is very little furniture In
'apuan dwellings to be shifted about
y the "lady Of the house" on cleaning
ay. Important among the few moy-
bles are hard marrow wooden blocks,
cooped out to 1T the. neck-"plllows- I
'hlch woald hardly appeal to western
rs as substitutes for their soft down
He'd cushions
Some Of the tribes near the coast {
ave a passion for bathing. SO great I
nat they impute a love Of the water s
} the spirits n their departed tribes n
ZEN. To facilitate spirit bathing" I
lrvivinE relatives and friends care d
lily construct and keep open paths h
aiding from each grave to the sea. a
When they are not dining On choice b
ITS from some enemy trihesman. d
npuans eat 10 the main = prosslc q
rough diet Of bananas. yams. sage, @
readfruit and the meats Of various D
limals and fsh. But a. choice TIA. n
tn some Of the tribes eat certain v