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3/17/1967 - Papua and New Guinea: An Introduction by Edward P. Wolfers

NOT FOR PUBLICATION INSTITUTE OF CURRENT WORLD AFFAIRS Box P Papua New Guinea Kainantu An Introduction Eastern Highlands District New Guinea Territory Papua New Guinea March Richard H Nolte Institute Current World Affairs Madison Avenue New York 10017 N Y U S A Dear Mr Nolte One noticeable features about rather literature dealing island New Guinea smaller outliers extent which certain clichgs thought expression essed themselves nerant writers students Most hundreds books mention reference pteradactyl outline while escape fascinating influence readily observable differences countries Of Western Eurpean culture The Pacific islands enerally testing ground anthropological theory treasure curiba unknown customs plants animals languages suffered sadly their reputation store houses things wonderful Papua New Guinea Long reputed largest natural history museum World Australian New Guinea mainland surrounding islands largest knownof which New Britain New Ireland Bougainville Admiralty Islands groups islands Southern Eastern Papua described countless writers Stone Age Islands Land Time Forgot Last Unknown indeed concerned outline analyse changes swept since Europeans first arrivec settled latter nineteenth century Although knowledge about sketchy quite often almost existent Territory reputation preserve natural scientists anthropologists scarcely aided dissemination information about views concerning rapid emergence modern world It example glich endless discussions about Territory future which majority European population indulgethat Territory existence In sense usually meant crude assertion majority indigenous inhabit coastal beaches swamps river deltas mouhtainous retreats kunai covered High valleys mainland surrounding islands dimly aware outside world beyond their small isolated communities existence beyond their small scale societies They identify themselves members large grouping language group Papuans New Guineans But changes occurring amaze observer changes physical intellectual nvironment ofylife material physical welfare people their ideas beliefs their forms their daily although quite often perhaps probably greater importance people Territory outside world books descrere contact Territory would imply The Territory Papua New Guinea consists Eastern island which confusingly known simply New Guinea those outlying islands which between borders Queensland South American Trust Territory Pacific Islands North British Solomon Islands East West Irian formerly Dutch New Guinea West The Territories Papua New Guinea legally separate entities amalgamated allegedly primarily administrative reasons since Second World War although administrative union technically rmanent since proclamation PaPu New GuineaAcLtL Papua first proclaimed Protectorate British Crown later formally annexed Great Britain during tithe German ambitions become apparent although Australian colonies pressing annexation before feared French German Russian Japanese interest Pacific islands close Australia The Territory first known British New Guinea formally became known Papua handed Australian Commonwealth The Australian colonies contributed fairly substantially costs British administration Territory Australia defence fears quietened interest became slight Australian Government years Territory formally Australian New Guinea first annexed Germans during 1880s Dutch annexed Western mainland ruled under several different legal systems control until Australian Army captured Rabaul andunertook Territory administration until From oWrds until New Guinea controlled Australia G clasm mandated terrftory League Nati while attckS Japanese Australian installations New Guinea Australian Government place New Guinea Territories under legal control Army Australian New Guinea Administrative Unit A N G A U early Until Territorial Administrations existed virtual isolation other legal administrative terms terms their respective attitudes towards their indigenous charges anything War Papuan Administration under Lieutenant Governor Sir Hubert Murray protective indigenous interests welfare War New Guinea Administrations although Administrations lacked funds advance indigenous welfare development policies seriouS manner The nature War progress reasons administrative economy efficiency Australian Government continue administrative union Territories under civilian Provisional Administration which gradually A N G A U Territories cleared Japanese With placing New Guinea under United Nations Trusteeship System while Papua remained direct possession Australia Australian Government sought continue joint administration Territories formalised under terms Papua Gine_a Act _9_4_9 principal constitutional document setting system under which Territory Papua New Guinea governed Port Moresby former capital Papua became capital combined Territory It almost clich anthropology generalisations about Territory inhabitants impossible there least rather broad statements which worth making outset discussion about Territorys traditional terms which extent change Territory since first contact evaluated The quarter million people Territory approximately twelve thousand separate villages although these villages administrative significance census taking purposes rather natural social living units people themselves The settlement patterns indigenes villages several hundred thousand people usual Highlands pattern separate homesteads scattered country containing twenty people although trading ceremonial relationships Margaret Mead estimated between people Territory speak approximately fifth quarter world known languages dialects Although linguists continually discovering language variants Territory seems relatively estimate indigenous people Territory speak something order seven hundred mutually indistinguishable languages dialects which extent EPW their employment Kuman which possibly people understand probably dozen languages which number populations twenty thousand people among their speakers language groups whibh number small settlement group pmople communicate another their primary language outside therefore forced least bilingual order trade marry other groups Bleak traditional picture Territory language situation appear contact brought Territory three systems communication which wrought virtual revolution lives thinking Territory people Pidgin English creole language which finds roots primarily English German Kuanua language Tolai people Gazelle Peninsula New Britain syntax which bsically Melanesian spoken throughout New Guinea Papua where War Administration resiste favour Police Motu Pidgin extensively British Solomon Islands New Hebrides although vocabulary syntax rather widely between territory Despite United Nations criticism continued Pidgin Nee Melanesian called mother probably New Guineans normal language inter racial inter language group communication throughout New Guinea being increasingly Papua where creolised version Motu trading language which developed along Papuan coast language originally spoken number villages vicinity Port Moresby Police Motu being increasingly displaced English Pidgin other indigenous languages haveibeen particular missionary organisations Territori S further range possible communicationbke Yabim Kottec example languages New Guinea coast spread further inland along coast Lutheran missionaries although rapidly giving before rapid spread Pidgin throughout New Guinea The traditional economies Territory subsistence which there division Of widespread specialisation function except between fought conducted ceremonies andprotected women Who Carried agricultural In societies there further rather narrow division labour which allowed Some spend their arrying Out ritual ceremony rather devoting themselves fulltlme usual pursuits warfare hunting agricultural The staple crops sweet potato banam coconuts vegetables inland supplemented coast The technological level ofthe Territory societies stopped short Sto Age while major subsistence activities dancing singing warfare religious EPW I ritual ceremonies while artworks primarily religious significance often great beauty complexity design produced parts Territory Most trading Was conducted through barter often hundreds miles continual exchanges weapons shell money Birds Paradise feathers earthenware often traded great distances between islands coast mountainous interior Of Highlands Thus Highland people found received steel which traded along traditional trade routes before their first white source these goods Although there certain similarities between various societies Territory nature their economies residential community would foolish assume wider uniformities outlined above Anthropologists argued nature Territory contact political systems although there 4does basic agreement In traditional societies power rarely exercised limited indeed usually hundred often fewer people outside Leadershi tnded relatively unstable acquired either through superior prowess magic Or through possession large numbers wives wealth rather inherited It seems likely however there certain number leadership positions which inherited either through female particular societies islands South Eastern Papua while certain ceremonial magical positions subject inheritance different parts Territory Not leadership acquired unstable character depending quite often fortunes battle wealth derivable skill agricultural production tended acephalous power tended single residential group number msmally older shared power politic decision making group among themselves defer individual leader great continuous period Whatever limited uniformities between various traditional social groupings outlined above there generalisations nature tenur systems Territory It simplistic conclude merely traditional societies Territory oriented early provide other worthwhile generalisations The traditional religions systems belief Territory barely outlined although anthropologists tentatively concluded Highlands societies probably secularly oriented societies Papuan New G coasts One critic theory wondered aloud almost exactly opposite conclusions would reached simply changed areas study pective anthropologists around At least there still research Territory study forty Christiam missions people Territory Perhaps major impression derives brief observation Territory differential nature development The coastal island areas first contacted lasting results middle latter nineteenth century although first permanent settlements after Germans British staked their claims Apart number mission Administration stations coast settlement Territory remained relatively small scale except Gazelle Peninsula New Britain where Germans probably alienated advisableif likely future needsl indigenes account while alienation strictly controlled indigenous interest Papua The fascinating Territory develop simple failure Europeans penetrate ighlands until early 1930S number patrols principally concerned search discovered homelands later revealed people whose existence previously suspected outside world Before 193Os always assumed Europeans Territory Highlands barren rugged human habitation Territorial Administrations lacked money curiosity probe further inland immediate surrounds valleys leading coast What found despite their expectations valleys hidden mists Highlands above often higher containing populations known Chimbu Goroka Wahgi other Valleys As early I00 people whose exist previously remained unexpected sighted first living precariously ridges Strickland Gorge Southern Highlands Papua Even today small groups people still being discovered first contact being Western Highlands Sepik Districts New Guinea Southern Highlands Western District Papua After Second World War first contact often result Territory advanced process termed development isolated airstrips patrol posts established benefits contact extended outwards these spots rather through progress throughout Territory The Territory contains population Which varies degree relative sophistication perhaps widely world In Port Moresby found Universi Papua New Guinea which established whose students obvious historical reasons drawn coastal island areas Territory In Southern Western Highlands Sepik people still found emerging Stone Age while areas Europeans visit Administration Patrol Officers visit village bring government people twice The Members Open Electorates House Assembly whose education varies teacher trained Australian teachers college Member speaks Territory linguae franae traditional fight leader Sout Highlands Nonetheless selfgovernment longer strange distant concept people Territory still frightens concept discussed In large Territory lfgovern fundamental constitutional still Australian Parliament House Assembly still subject Australian Administrator power disallow Bills Australian Governer General power withhold assent Te tremendous variations relative development different parts Territory simply matter result failure imagination Of first European settlers explorers Territory Some parts Territory neglected simply because their indigenous populations resisted European influence vigour while major Territory opened Australia unsound policy metropolitan power money administration erritories Thus War Administration New Guinea development Mandated Territory income derived copra exports while rather poorer Papuan Administration never received exorbitant Z50 O00 entire After War course Australian Government introduced first large scale development welfare policies Territory their effect development Territory I number future Newsletters concerned Now Territory represents rather different picture still painted anthropologists journalists search tribes exotic practices influences remain sometimes particular modifiers otherwise modern practices customs sometimes problems belief habit overcome It simply seems visitors Territory museum rather newly emerging country struggling somewhat belatedly world I trust theref foregoing serves something background problems Of Territory apology justification policies simply background changes which I shall concerned analyse future Newsletters Yours sincerely Received New York