Page 31 - Malaysia by John Russel Denyes

digenous types, the Pygmy and the Papuan. In
addition we have to deal with relatively recent
Melanesian immigrants who have, generally
speaking, ousted the Papuans from the islands
and coastal districts. Both the Papuans and the
Melanesians are essentially frizzly-haired, but
among the Melanesians curly and even wavy hair
is not uncommon. The stature of the Papuans
varies considerably in different regions. The
average is about five feet six inches."
'*Two entirely distinct groups of languages exist
in Papua, the Melanesian and the Papuan. The
Melanesian group are related to one another and
to those spoken in Melanesia. Those designated
as Papuan differ so widely as to be not merely
mutually unintelligible, but to present radically
distinct morphological traits."
"Culturally the natives of Papua differ almost
as much as in point of speech. Until the coming
of the whites all lived in the stone age, but were
able to execute extraordinary carvings with the
aid of their crude implements. They are pri-
marily agriculturists. Hunting is relatively un-
important. The form of dwelling varies, but pile
dwellings are exceedingly common. Their wea-
pons are the spear, bow and arrows, and club."

The India and China are overcrowded
Immigrants and the people live on a very low
economic plane. But they are be-
ginning to realize that distant only a few days'
journey by ship lies a land of boundless resources
where they are welcome and where they can earn
wages greatly in excess of those in their home
land. Already upwards of a hundred thousand
Indians and three hundred thousand Chinese are
pouring into Malaysia every year. Many of these
return to their old homes after laying by sufficient
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