Lonely Planet™ · Thorn Tree Forum · 2020

Tis about time

Country forums / Pacific Islands & Papua New Guinea

The Figians got an apology today from New Guinea for the 4 missionaries who got eaten- nearly 200 years ago.

Almost as good as the apology yesterday for the Viking raids in the early 1000's.

Or was that the Fijians....yes the Fijians. Well- it was a long time ago.

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And the current-day "Vikings" should put an asterisk on this voyage, as they were towed about 400 miles of it, unlike their ancestors!!

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I'm confused - the Fijians sent missionaries to New Guinea???

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That was pretty quick - it's only a few years since the Catholic church conceded that Galileo was right and that they shouldn't have ex-communicated him. Of course that will only have a real impact if the Church is right about everything else, and he can now get a travel pass to leave downstairs and move upstairs!

Or is heaven a powdery white beach somewhere in the Pacific, with a blue sky, palm trees that lean out "just-so" and a constant supply of G&T's to ward off malaria?

Rob

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  1. I'm confused - the Fijians sent missionaries to New Guinea???


    Yea- in about 1823. They were eaten. And the Fijians today apologized.

    Quick. I suppose. Certainly faster than the apology for the Vikings.

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There was something on our local radio about it this morning. Methodist missionaries. Something too about a huge military reaction to the killing and eating of the missionaries. Big enough that there was an inquiry into that act as well but the military were cleared of wrong doing. I guess that would be the British. So maybe room for another apoligy. Anyways....200 years ago.....was there still Cannabilism in Fiji by then or had the Methodists taken over. FYI ....there were Samoan missionaries that were sent to New Guinea too .....for the LMS church. Aloha

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