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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 21, 1976)
Monty Python and the Holy Grail plus Magic Christian Night Caller and Bite the Bullet Rated R Nobody could dream him up. His incredible bank robbery is all the more bizarre ... because it’s true. Anthropologist says, Cargo Cult belief interprets history A belief among some New Gui neans that European goods are made by a diety or god is anything but illogical, according to An thropologist Peter Lawrence who spoke recently at the University. By VICKI POTH Of the Emerald Lawrence, a professor at the University of Sydney, Australia, observed the cultural and social systems of two groups of people, the Garians and the Ngaings, and their involvement with the Carqo Cult. The Cargo Cult, which began in 1871 and continued strongly until last year, is the belief that Euro pean goods are made by a diety or god. When Lawrence began his studies in I949, the Cargo Cult presented problems for the Au stralian government. ‘The natives were convinced that gods sent food from heaven, which was connected by a staircase above Sydney,” he explained. ‘‘In hopes that the gods 06 U a z H 06 JAN. 24 LAST DAY TO RETURN WINTER TERM TEXTBOOKS : jo the Bookstore JAN. 24 would supply more goods, the natives killed their pigs and destroyed their crops. The Australian administration had to jail some of these people." Lawrence chose to study in this area because nobody had done any work there. "In those days an thropologists studied people who were traditional. We knew so little about these people. In order to change their lives, it was logical to know something about their life styles,” he said. His field work resulted with the book “Road Belong Cargo.' “After publishing this book, the re lations between the natives and government were infinitely better. It saved the government from making drastic mistakes," he said. The anthropologist says that most Europeans find the Cargo Cult belief bizzare. It was still strong until last year when an im portant cult leader died. He argues that the Cargo Cult is logical from the natives point of view. "Their religion is largely based on gods who invented all their social and economic struc tures. All things have a diety. The Cargo Cult is the people s in terpretation of 104 years of his tory," he explained. When Lawrence began his field work in 1949, he had to persuade the natives he wasn't going to harm them. "For the first three weeks they deposited me on the top of a hill in a government rest house. Whenever I asked to see the village, they took me around the hill. They didn't know how to take me. They were suspicious indeed, he said. Eventually Lawrence learned their language. He gained popularity by approving their native dances and customs. Since I958, when his main field studies ended, Lawrence has visited New Guinea several times to do additional work. "An anthropologist never gets everyting he wants There's always one question you forgot to ask.” Twenty-seven years later, Lawrence is still a well-known friend among the villagers. The children of his old informants are grown and their children know him as "grandpa." Lawrence said he believes. "It s most important for people to have a general knowledge of what anthropology has produced because today there s such a far greater mix of peoples." This fall Lawrence was a visiting professor at the University of Victoria, British Columbia He came to Oregon via Australia to visit one of his students, Robert Tonkmson, who is a faculty member in the anthropology department. Lansing joins race for state post “I have always been interested in the political process and in gov ernment,” said Jewel Lansing, candidate for the democratic nomination for State Treasurer at a meeting of the Oregon Women's Political Caucus Monday. Lansing is the second woman to announce candidacy for a statewide office for the 1976 elec tions. The other woman. Norma Paulus, will be running for Secret ary of State. Lansing, presently the Mult nomah county auditor, feels that her expenence and background qualify her for the job. The kind of background I have is basically a jack-of-all-trades," said Lansing. She has experience as a certified ——■ public accountant and as a teacher. “I have decided that I may be Jewel Lansing to satisfy you $4.50 on Mondays guys or gals 1410 Orchard St. Above Local I^oan 686-2544 more effective in an elective of fice, she said She feels that her greatest prob lem in the race for the office is finding adequate funding for a statewide campaign She cited the new tax credit laws for dona tions to political candidates as an important source of money for her campaign, and added that with the tax credit laws, this year will be the ideal opportunity for her to attempt a statewide office "I think my personal back ground as a CPA and throughout my life has been to observe good business principles, said Lans ing, adding that she is familiar with money problems and not af raid to talk about them People want to have a qual ified person in the office,” said Lansing. Commenting on her present position, Lansing said her office is most geared toward affirmative action. I get no financial support from women just because I am a woman, said Lansing I don t re ally expect it in the women's issue.” The women's movement is re ally looking at the person, she said. = CLIP THIS COUPON THE HIIXIOEIMBU Of 97 aboard, ei^it had a motive for sabotage One had ajafot. ^ This coupon good for ONE DOLLAR DIS COUNT at OAKWAY CINEMA through Tues., Jan. 27th. iiUiHMiMP 25% DISCOUNT ■ on list price ALL Ilford film, paper and chemi-1 cals in stock. gerlach’s 500 Main, Springfield Offer good through Jan. 28 746-6511
