MANUS WAS DISCOVERED BY THE SPANISH

 

THE SPANISH & MANUS

.... and the kidnapped and lost 3 manus islanders!

 

BY SINCLAIR SOLOMON

 

THE first recorded history of Manus Province – the Admiralty Islands – was written by the Spanish in 1528 – that is, almost 500 years ago!

They say the discoverer was their very own Alvaro de Saavedra, who set out from Tidore – the famous Spice Islands – on June 3, 1528, to sail to Mexico.

“Two hundred Spanish leagues (1140km) from Tidore, he stayed for 32 days on the island of Hamey, which Wichmann regards as Pakemi. After another 14 leagues (80km) east he reached an island, and a further 100 leagues (570km) on, “Urais la grande” at (one degree 40 minutes south), the main Admiralty Island according to Navarrete”.

“Arrows were fired at Saavedra’s ship from the native canoes. By way of punishment he kidnapped three natives, whom he intended to release on a second visit. This does not appear to have happened, for, in the sparse reports of the second, equally-unsuccessful visit, Urais la grande is no longer mentioned.”

Ownership of the islands changed hands among the European powers and 300 years later when, through the “Imperial Writ of Protection” of May 17, 1885, for the New Guinea Company, the Admiralty Islands became a German Protectorate, but not for long before Australia took over at the outbreak of World War I until PNG gained Independence in 1975.

All this we know now because of recent translation to English of German texts by the scholars at the University of Otaga in New Zealand. One of the authors of the translation Professor Glenn Summerhayes reported that the book translator John Dennison had sadly passed away weeks earlier, during the Covid-19 lockdown in New Zealand. 

The fate of the three kidnapped Manus hostage is not known. The Manus – got on with their lives and there ended the story of the these unsung heroes.

John Dennison translated many of the German work by scholars and scientists of the Hamburg Südsee Expedition, incuding Admiralitats Inseln, undertaken at the end of the first decade of the twentieth century recorded many aspects of Pacific life that are of great interest to the descendants of those peoples living today. Although the Südsee Expedition concentrated mainly on Micronesia, apart from the introductory volume to the series there were a few volumes dedicated to New Guinea. Of the Papua New Guinea volumes four are of note were: The St Matthias Islands by Hans Nevermann published in 1933; The Admiralty Islands also by Nevermann published in 1934; The Sepik River by Otto Reche published in 1913; and New Britain by Otto Reche published in 1954.          

Prof Summerhayes says that as these New Guinea volumes have never been published in English, and the German volumes that are available (both originals and facsimiles) are expensive, it is no wonder that few in New Guinea have even heard of their existence.

“In 2010 a translation of the St Matthias (New Ireland) volume was undertaken by John Dennison and published as a monograph in the Otago University Studies in Prehistoric Anthropology series. Having an English translation readily available made a significant impact on the Emirau communities, allowing details of the past to be available to all.”

Prof Summerhayes hopes that this translation of the Admiralty Islands will also make a significant impact on those from the modern province of Manus!

“Manusians are thirsty for knowledge of the past. During research trips to Manus over the last decade it has become obvious that there is a deep pride in this province’s history.”

Archaeological discoveries have demonstrated that people colonised the region more than 20,000 years ago. The region played a pivotal role in the complex exchange network that sent obsidian from Lou Island to Borneo in the west and to Fiji in the east some 3000 years ago (Summerhayes 2010). Long distance exchange networks persisted into the nineteenth century, with Manus tru - or Titan-speaking peoples sailing from islands off the south coast of Manus to the north coast of mainland New Guinea in order to exchange goods.

Such records of the past, however, are sparse and much more research is needed. Manusian academics such as Dr Bernard Minol, a leading academic from the University of Papua New Guinea, and Mr Stephen Pokawin, the ex-governor of Manus and one-time chancellor of the University of Papua New Guinea, have worked hard over the decades to bring their history to the people of Manus and Papua New Guinea. It is their dedication and enthusiasm that inspired in me a determination to get this monograph translated.

“There is a thirst for knowledge of Manus’s past! I remember the excitement of the late Father Paul Mohe when talking about Manus’s past and his invitation to spend time in Manus to conduct archaeological research. I also have vivid memories of the time spent in the Horno Islands and Rambutso with both Dr Minol and Mr Kisakiu Posman, a Manusian lawyer based in Moresby.

“In 2011 we visited old settlements and I listened to Posman’s stories of the past, in his account of the beginnings of Titan settlement on Rambutso. I was sure that Nevermann’s account of the Admiralty Islands could add something to this history. It was John Dennison who allowed us into this world of knowledge by allowing us to read the German’s accounts of these peoples.

“I am proud of John Dennison’s fine work and his persistence in getting this translation finished. I am proud that I have played a role in this and proud that again the University of Otago has helped in getting stories of the past back to the people of Manus.

“I dedicate this book to two great Manusians: Dr Bernard Minol and the late Father Paul Mohe. I met Dr Minol in the mid-1990s and his infectious enthusiasm in all things Manus has rubbed off on me. He is truly a great teacher.

“I first met the late Father Mohe in the late 1990s on the Anir Island group, New Ireland Province. I was excavating a 3,300-year-old Lapita site, Kamgot, and Paul was the local priest. He joined me on the excavations and even conducted a few after I left. He was a true intellectual, always asking questions and again inspiring in me a desire to understand Manus’ past.

“In 2006 I was lucky enough to meet up with Paul in Manus, with (late) Herman Mandui from the National Museum and Professor Lisa Matisoo-Smith from Otago. We stayed with Paul and listened to his stories of the region’s history, and he even took us to a new obsidian source in northwest Manus.

“I am sure that he would have made a great archaeologist. We are at a loss with his tragic death at such an early age.”

The late John Dennison said in July 2013 that the translation of the 399-page Admiralty Islands volume started in May 2011 and had continued, in his own time, up to this day. “As I have written previously, at the end of a long day’s teaching gross anatomy, carrying out physical anthropological research, or conducting a skeletal forensic investigation, it is quite relaxing to translate the findings from research undertaken 115 years ago, published 79 years ago, and to make this available to modern scholars.”

“Once again, I owe so much to my wife, Ann, who proof read my draft for spelling and phrasing, and then very patiently discussed my draft with me, often far into the night. I am grateful to Professor Glenn Summerhayes, Department of Anthropology and Archaeology, University of Otago who, when an earlier avenue of publication became no longer viable, opened up another avenue, provided me with a bound photocopy of Admiralitäts-Inseln and will, again, see this work through to its final published form.”