LA Times article (Friday): Use of Styrofoam Statues Offends Easter Islanders - General Tiki

K kahukini Member Joined: Mar 28, 2002 Posts: 555	K kahukini Posted posted on Mon, Apr 15, 2002 8:40 AM What luck, I just happened to visit Caber-Net's homepage and found a scanned in article from an old Harper's. It didn't have the date on it but was probably 40's. Maybe caber can fill us in. But the article, like so many, betrays the true nature of the understanding americans had of polynesia: Discussing the varied islands of polynesia: "In some the women are perfect nymphs, with soft brown complexions,wavy black tresses, and as delicate forms as sculptor ever imitated in marble. They have musical voices, amiable manners, and sharp minds; while the men are muscular fellows, of friendly and courageous disposition. In others the men and women alike are black, dwarfed, ignorant, and ferocious, with beastly customs and manners." "Most have submitted to the emollient influence of the missionary, and of those who have not it is only fair to say that they are less inherently cruel than resentful for the wrongs they have suffered for a century at the hands of the white traders." The article continues to treat the polynesians as objects, and compares the problems white people have encountered with them as akin to "our own Indian question." (If the polynesians were thought of as "indians" in the American mind that brings with it an immense amount of prejudiced understanding and objectification of them, that is plain.) discussion a visit to see a missionary's work the author writes: "they are stalwart, strongly knit, and handsome, still superior to trowsers, and wear no other dress than an abbreviated skirt made of bark. The women have exquisite teeth, and small soft hands with fine taper fingers. For South Sea Islanders they are exceptionally moral, faithfully complying with stringent marriage laws, and limiting their offenses to occasional violations of the eigth commandment." I haven't read the entire article and am certain there would be tons more passages worth quoting just as there are in lots of other articles in lots of other magazines, all of which support my point that the common american's idea of polynesians were children living in ignorance of their own sin who needed to be guided to the truth, the truth that western society embodied. Polynesian culture held "wonder" and "enchantment" for americans, sure, but that does not mean they valued it for anything more than entertainment. [ Edited by: kahukini on 2002-04-15 10:09 ] [ Edited by: kahukini on 2002-04-15 10:11 ]

What luck, I just happened to visit Caber-Net's homepage and found a scanned in article from an old Harper's. It didn't have the date on it but was probably 40's. Maybe caber can fill us in. But the article, like so many, betrays the true nature of the understanding americans had of polynesia:

Discussing the varied islands of polynesia:
"In some the women are perfect nymphs, with soft brown complexions,wavy black tresses, and as delicate forms as sculptor ever imitated in marble. They have musical voices, amiable manners, and sharp minds; while the men are muscular fellows, of friendly and courageous disposition. In others the men and women alike are black, dwarfed, ignorant, and ferocious, with beastly customs and manners."
"Most have submitted to the emollient influence of the missionary, and of those who have not it is only fair to say that they are less inherently cruel than resentful for the wrongs they have suffered for a century at the hands of the white traders."

The article continues to treat the polynesians as objects, and compares the problems white people have encountered with them as akin to "our own Indian question." (If the polynesians were thought of as "indians" in the American mind that brings with it an immense amount of prejudiced understanding and objectification of them, that is plain.)

discussion a visit to see a missionary's work the author writes:
"they are stalwart, strongly knit, and handsome, still superior to trowsers, and wear no other dress than an abbreviated skirt made of bark. The women have exquisite teeth, and small soft hands with fine taper fingers. For South Sea Islanders they are exceptionally moral, faithfully complying with stringent marriage laws, and limiting their offenses to occasional violations of the eigth commandment."

I haven't read the entire article and am certain there would be tons more passages worth quoting just as there are in lots of other articles in lots of other magazines, all of which support my point that the common american's idea of polynesians were children living in ignorance of their own sin who needed to be guided to the truth, the truth that western society embodied. Polynesian culture held "wonder" and "enchantment" for americans, sure, but that does not mean they valued it for anything more than entertainment.

[ Edited by: kahukini on 2002-04-15 10:09 ]

[ Edited by: kahukini on 2002-04-15 10:11 ]

Post #707 by kahukini on Mon, Apr 15, 2002 8:40 AM