Item 02: Fred Hamilton-Kenny letter diary, 5 December 1914-26 February 1915 - Page 57
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[Page 57]
to the best looking Marys – They smoked them very nicely – How the men danced – not the women – I only saw one woman dance. Some of them - seated on their crouching with bent knees – They had coconut shell strung on bamboo & this they rattled & chanted a monotonous sing song – Yes – I also saw a body of girls, with some elder women, with flowers in their hands – form a circle & chant weirdly – Some men – had wax masks tight fitting – military – scarlet – tunics & then bunches of green fern all round their waists hanging down – They were armed with old rifles & gave a military dance – rocking – swaying, crouching, jumping up & hurling forward – then sinking & swaying & all the while the tom toms beat the time. This went on all morning & all the aftn – In the aftn rice & biscuit was served out & roast pig & finally the Administrator distributed trade tobacco & then finale – Thorold is the administrator –