402 SECTIONAL TRANSACTIONS— H. 



from Indonesia into Oceania, the majority of which spread eastward, 

 skirting, or in some instances settling upon, the north coast of New Guinea. 

 Some of these migrants remained in Melanesia, including the Masim 

 district of New Guinea, while others extended into various parts of Polynesia ; 

 the Fiji islands show a mixture of Melanesian and Polynesian cultures. 

 A northern migration from Indonesia passed through Micronesia to Hawaii. 

 The culture of south-eastern Polynesia belongs essentially to the southern 

 spread, but was for a time influenced by the northern Hawaiian culture. 

 There was also a late spread of culture from Micronesia into parts of 

 Melanesia, one feature of which was the loom. 



These spreads of culture took place at various times and doubtless each 

 was characterised by special features. These have not as yet been accurately 

 determined, although Graebner, Rivers and others have made noteworthy 

 attempts and have suggested a relative chronology. 



We may assume that kava-drinking was earlier in Oceania than betel- 

 chewing, and I think that the coiled method of making pottery was older 

 than the modelled technique. As all these spreads must have been made 

 by seafarers, it occurred to me, over thirty years ago, that a study of the 

 canoes of Oceania and New Guinea might afford some useful clues. Some 

 years ago I induced Hornell to undertake an investigation of the canoes 

 of Micronesia and Polynesia and I interested myself in those of New Guinea 

 and Melanesia. Hornell's researches have already been published and 

 mine and our joint work are in the proof stage. Owing to the disappearance 

 of many types of craft and the modification of others no clear-cut story can 

 be told, but we have been able to indicate the distribution of various types 

 and to suggest a relative chronology. 



Sociological spreads are more difficult to trace than those of material 

 culture. Rivers was the first to tackle this problem on scientific lines and 

 his main generahsations, which were based upon certain associations of 

 customs and material objects, must form the basis for future discussion. 

 As an example of method, a short paper by Deacon shows that the cult of 

 the Kakikan society of Ceram (a cult that doubtless had a wider extension 

 in Indonesia) spread along the north coast of New Guinea into Melanesia. 

 In New Guinea certain elements of the cult were stressed, while others were 

 emphasised in Melanesia. 



We may safely assume that the great bulk of the social and material 

 culture of Oceania came directly from Indonesia. 



A critical study of cultures in Indonesia has yet to be made, though it is 

 evident that numerous spreads of culture have taken place from south- 

 eastern Asia and from India, and doubtless there have been various centres 

 of local evolution in Indonesia. 



Students have long recognised the striking similarity between the cultures 

 of Assam and those of Indonesia and Prof. Hutton has just demonstrated 

 to us remarkable cultural similarities between Assam, Fiji, the Marquesas, 

 and Madagascar. The last three marginal areas point to a common cultural 

 home in Indonesia. 



The immediate question is the relation between Assam and Indonesia. 

 Which received a definite cultural complex from the other ? Our President 

 has given us a valuable insight into the culture of the Naga hills of which the 

 Konyak is the oldest and in some respects the richest. He has also given 

 us a highly suggestive account of the relation between the sHt gong and the 

 canoe and with other important associated cultural traits. I consider 

 we may accept his suggestion that a rich cultural complex spread from 

 Indonesia into Assam for some unknown reason and at a date that is not 

 yet established. 



