FEATURE
102
For long periods of time, Öberg was left to
his own company, although he visited and had
regular visits from other traders and planters of
the area. Mail and newspapers from home were
received with great excitement, and he often attended
the local indigenous sing-sing parties in
the area.
During the summer, Öberg notes that the
heat was particularly unbearable. Once he was
surprised by a self-ignited brush fi re with large
fl ying sparks that came dangerously close to his
compound from inland, although he was fortunate
in that he was able to extinguish it. From
the opposite side, at one time the sea drew back
and then suddenly rushed back in over, before
pulling back out, taking with it himself, parts of
his buildings, and other belongings. Sometimes
earthquakes occurred as well, also resulting in
damage. Malaria, fever, and infection are not
uncommon themes in Öberg’s diaries. Medical
help from doctors often was not close by, but
FIG. 18 (left):
Loed and Bart van Bussel
playing the New Ireland
friction drums.
Photo © Thomas Otte Stensager.
FIG. 19 (above):
Öberg’s clarinet and music
book, together with objects
from the Admiralty Islands,
and coconuts from which
copra is made.
Photo © Bart van Bussel.
The handwritten sign reads:
“Loincloth, Lava-Lava, made from
the bark of the mulberry tree. From
Fiji Island.”
FIG. 20 (right):
New Ireland friction drums
and carvings.
Photo © Bart van Bussel.
that during the year he had shipped thirty tons
of copra, for which he earned per ton 150 krona
(roughly equivalent in 2018 to 8,600 krona, or
770 euros).28
In the month of January 1902, Governor Hahl
was traveling on inspection through the district
of northern New Ireland together with Franz
Buliminsky and Maximilian Thiel.29 They visited
Öberg, and he conversed with Dr. Hahl. Öberg
notes that the visit gave rise to a great deal more
trade activity than usual.
liminsky and Maximilian Thiel of Hernsheim
& Co. In one of his daily diary entries, Öberg
wrote that “Mr. Buliminsky got thrown off a
horse yesterday and was badly hurt.” Being an
offi cial, the result of the accident would have
been of considerable signifi cance to Öberg and
the other traders and planters in the area.
At Mongal, Öberg was particularly busy with
collecting, drying, and storing copra for shipment
and revenue, in addition to his ongoing
and necessary maintenance of the copra house,
boat house, residence, and ships. He made his
own chicken coop, shot pigeons in the woods
behind, and employed local food supplies for his
own cooking. He found the canned and other
premade food imported from Germany and sold
at the trading stations to be too expensive. However,
while at Mongal he was able to purchase
four dance masks and two friction drums (fi gs.
15, 16, 18, and 20).26
Trading in turtle shell and sea cucumber was
another business and source of income for him.
At one point he returned from Walis Island with
more than 20 kg of turtle shells, he and mentions
a customer, a Japanese skipper, to whom
he sold four pieces of turtle shell for 15 marks.27
In regard to his main business, Öberg recorded
in 1902, at the end of his fi rst year at Mongal