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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 27, 1949)
In the Land... Natives Pay High Price On Wives By Marjory Bush Two hundred dollars may sound like a lot of money, but that is just the average price that a Palaun na tive pays for a wife. If he wants a woman from the upper class, the price may go over the ceiling and up to $500, besides the usual native money required in such a transac tion. So reports Dr. H. G. Barnett, as sociate professor of anthropology, who returned last May from a nine month research trip in the Palaun Islands. Dr. Barnett and Allen Mur phy, a graduate student, made up one of forty teams of researchers sent out by the Navy through the Pacific Science Board to study the Micronesia area in the South Pa cific. Women are still subordinate to the men there, Dr. Barnett reports. They do the hard work in the fields besides raising a large family, while the men fish and order their wives around. “I had pictured the islands as something quite different,” tie said. ‘‘I had expected a worse climate and more severe diseases. Instead we found the 6000 natives, on the whole •healthy, and rain ‘only’ from June to December. The average tempera ture was about 87 to 90 degrees. The people were friendly, but we found the chief difficulty in contact with them is learning their language.” The main puropse of the trip was to study the customs and beliefs of the people and the effect of 50 years of rule by outsiders. The islands are now mandated to the United States by the United Nations. Previously they were ruled by Japan, and be fore that by Germany. Dr. Barnett and his assistant liv ed in the native village, Ulimang, which had a population of about 100 people. The typical house is made of salvaged steel and is quite sub stantial. The old type wood house with thatched roof was largely de stroyed by bombing during the war. Some of the ancient men’s club houses still stand in the villages. They are large and elaborately car ved and are strictly for men only. Chiefs still rule the people, Dr. Barnett said, but all are under U. S. jurisdiction. Natives teach the schools in all the 14 districts. The natives make their living by farm ing, fishing, and selling coconut oil and copra to the Americans. They also sell butons made from the tro chus shell. j.ranspoi Lauun is sun pmiuuve. There are no horses or vehicles, but ■ the scattered villages are connected by beautiful, shaded stone paths, according to Dr. Barnett. The peo ple used to have seaworthy canoes, but the Japanese destroyed all of • them during the war. The natives, with a typical progressive attitude, . he reports, now wants nothing but gasoline boats. The natives are supposedly Christian, says Dr. Barnett, but still retain many of their old supersti - tions. Theyhave no musical instru ments whatever, not even drums. . However, he pointed out, they can sing difficult songs and some very . interesting dances, resembling the hula. In summing up the results of the trip, Dr. Barnett concluded, “We learned a lot and got much valuable . information. It was a pretty pleas ant year in all respects.” However, he doesn’t advise pleas - ure-seeking Americans to head for the Palaun Islands. The islands are closed to all but those on official government business, they are 6, 000 miles away, and there are no * luxuries. Dr. Barnett has completed his j Phi Sig's Dream Girls l MOONLIGHT GIRL FINALISTS: top row, left t0 right—Mary Handelin, Alpha Phi; Molly Munt zel, Kappa Alpha Theta; Martha Cleveland, Gamma Phi Beta. Bottom row left to right—Jeanette Houf, Alpha Chi Omega; Jeanne Merrion, Gamma Hall; Leona Andersen, Alpha Delta Pi. Oregon Band To Play Tonight The University of Oregon banc will perform in the Cottage Grove high school auditorium tonight at 8 p.m. under the direction of John H. Stehn, conductor. Sponsoring the program will be the Cottage Grove Business and Professional Women's club. Among numbers to be present ed are the “Oberon Overture” by Weber and “Andante” from the “Symphonie Espagnole” by Lalo, Agent Will Help Befuddled Public To assist taxpayers in preparing their state income tax returns, a state income tax agent will be at the Eugene Court house from 8 a. m. tc 5 ,p. m. on the following dates March 14 to 18, March 21 to 25, March 28 to April 1, and April 4 tc 8. Former Student Transferred William Belton, a former student at the University, now a Foreign Service Officer, has been transfer red to Ciudad Trujillo, Peru, as sec - ond Secretary and Consul. Mr. Bel ton, a resident of Portland, has been, in the foreign service since July, 1938. Steve Loy City Editor Copyeditors: Tom Frears, Bob Funk, Marjory Bush. Night staff: Bob Downs, editor, Wally Benson, Joan Skordahl, Frances Healey, Marilyn Thomp. son, Jo Anne Hewitt. Solicitors: Shirley Dalton, Kathy Newman, Shirley Hillard, Barbara Williams. Layout staff: Jim Crissman, Campus Calendar {Notices for Campus Calendar should be turned in, in typewritten form, to the Emerald News Edi tor’s office by 3 p.m. of the day preceding publica tion. Notices will not be accepted on Saturdays or Sundays.) Emerald Feature Staff All Sophomores petitioning for Sophomore Class Vice-President and Secretary are reminded to turn in their petitions today by the five o’clock deadline. They should be given to either Herb Nill of Theta Chi or Don Smith of Campbell Club. Tennis Correction Applicants for general chairman of the tennis intramurals need not be members of WAA as announced in yesterday’s Emerald. The position also does not neces sarily entail knowledge of the game, but stresses executive ability. Girls interested may get petitions at Emerald hall and turn them in to Bep McCourrey, president of WAA, by Thursday, February 3. ISA Meeting Today The Independent Students Asso ciation will hold a regular meeting today at 6:30 p. m. in Room 105 Commerce. John Chaney, newly elected Freshman Class President, will be introduced to the Senate. All Inde pendent students are welcome to at tend the meeting. Westminster Dinner Westminster will have a pot luck dinner Thursday evening at 6 p.m. Admission is either food or 40 cents. Everyone is welcome. 200-page report on the culture of the islands and will send it to the Pacific Science Board, which will forward it to the U. S. Navy De partment in Washington. For School! For College! For Career! ROYAL PORTABLE A Get one while you go to school! Use it for years and years afterwards! 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