Editor's Note:
(Rosalie Christensen - 1975)

"These examples of old carved posts were selected in order to seek village opinions on well documented figure carving shipped to Europe during the earliest colonial period. The drawing is based on two pictures of carvings in the book "Oceanic Art" by Carl Schmidt. The book has a map of New Guinea which is not correct, and unfortunately these two islands, Ruk Island and Ragetta Island, are shown in a place near Kar Kar where no islands actually exist. The carvings have been in European Museums for at least 65 years.

"I took the book and the drawing around villages on the North coast facing the area of sea where the map shows where these islands 'are supposed to be'. Here are some of the things people said and did:

1. "People thought the book was beautiful and the drawing was nice. Women were especially interested in looking at the pictures of carvings. In some cases people refused to touch the book or the drawing after I explained the problem about the incorrect map.

2. "Some people told me that stories of certain masks were known to them, and other masks would be known to other places. The way to put the story of the carvings would be to travel all around the District. Each place would know something, but no place would know the complete story. This is the same procedure required for putting together the complete Manub-Kilibob history." (see "Mural") - cont:

"A search would have to be made for the 'As' of each mark, shape or design (the rightful owners or places of origin of their stories).

3. "A few people said they couldn't be expected to know what Madang figure carving looked like, as the men's house posts in their area had been 'raused' (removed) and shipped to Europe or burned in big piles before they were born. The only posts they remembered were meeting house posts, which fell down around the time of the second world war. No one bothered to carve anymore.

4. "Some were contemptuous of the book, map and drawing and said they could be 'giaman'. They might be just someone's 'made up' ideas. They weren't prepared to make any comments on such things.

5. "Some said the pictures were Siassi, Sepik or from the Highlands.

6. "Some people openly resented pictures being shown to them as examples of traditional art from their area which they knew nothing about. A few claimed these things had nothing to do with them, even if a book from overseas said they did.

7. "Asked if using the pictures of these carvings might be alright in the schools to get ideas for art and craft, people didn't seem to mind, but they didn't want to use them themselves. One person made a joke and said they might end up in hell or in jail."
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