New book - Cannibals, Crocodiles and Cassowaries
Cannibals, Crocodiles and Cassowaries.
A New Zealand Forest Ranger in the Jungles of Papua New Guinea
This book, Cannibals, Crocodiles and Cassowaries, is about Ross’s time in pre-independence Papua New Guinea and captures a particular time in history when real adventure was still possible, and a young man’s attitude made those adventures happen. His retelling is as fresh as if it happened yesterday and there is never a dull moment.
Ross has a writing style that is relaxed and intimate, and he invites you to come along for the ride. He is passionate about people and places and the people he has encountered, and he spins a great yarn.
The book includes some 60 coloured photographs from Ross’s vast collection, which richly illustrate his writing.
Synopsis:
Cannibals, Crocodiles and Cassowaries
A New Zealand Forest Ranger in the Jungles of Papua New Guinea
It is 1967 in Papua New Guinea.
Despite never having left New Zealand before, Ross takes to living and working in the jungle like he was born there, right down to learning Pidgin and eating bush meat from some particularly suspicious sources.
From hair-raising experiments with stump-blasting to being caught in the arrow-fire of a tribal battle, Ross’s life is never dull. He has a tug-of-war with a reef shark over his dinner catch, witnesses (and photographs) a young men’s initiation ritual that few non-natives have ever seen, visits cannibals and head-hunters in their isolated villages, gets caught in storms at sea in an open boat, climbs to ancient rock-paintings and burial caves, experiences the mysterious power of native superstition, races against time to get death adder victims to hospital, witnesses more post-mortems than he cares to remember, gets arrested in PNG’s Eastern Highlands for photographing a chain gang at work (and talks his way free with photos intact), goes crocodile hunting with a barking dog for bait, seeks out the isolated tribe that suffers from the “laughing death” (kuru), encounters fascinating customs among isolated tribes, and collects the artefacts that formed the backbone of the National Museum of New Zealand’s PNG collection at that time.
When he encounters jungle bridges that have lost their decks, he drives his Holden across the stringers! When asked by the NZ National Museum’s Curator of Pacific Ethnology to procure or photograph a rare fertility figure that no-one in PNG is even prepared to talk about, Ross makes a secretive deal with a witchdoctor that results in him smuggling one out of a remote village wrapped in his spare shirt.
Poll: Is it rude to talk on the phone on a bus?
Buses can be a relaxing way to get home if you have a seat and enough space. However, it can be off-putting when someone is taking a phone call next to you.
Do you think it's inconsiderate for people to have lengthy phone calls on a bus? Vote in the poll, and add your comments below.
-
64.1% Yes
-
33.5% No
-
2.4% Other - I'll share below
Unlock the Answer: Today’s Riddle is Trickier Than You Think!
What English word retains the same pronunciation, even after you take away four of its five letters?
Do you think you know the answer to our daily riddle? Don't spoil it for your neighbours! Simply 'Like' this post and we'll post the answer in the comments below at 2pm.
Want to stop seeing riddles in your newsfeed?
Head here and hover on the Following button on the top right of the page (and it will show Unfollow) and then click it. If it is giving you the option to Follow, then you've successfully unfollowed the Riddles page.
Become an SPCA Foster Hero!
Kitten season has arrived, and over the next six months, over 8,000 cats and kittens will come into SPCA’s care. Please help us give these babies the best start in life and sign up to be a foster parent today! It's not just cats and kittens - we are also urgently seeking foster homes for dogs and small animals.
Fostering saves lives and helps these tiny babies grow into healthy, well-adjusted adults, ready for adoption. We cover all training and costs. All you need is time and love to spare!
Sign up today and save a life!