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