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need to civilise his own people then there can be no question as to the validity of such action,
resulting in only confirming the fact in Krull’s mind. Furthermore, he is the only chief who lives
in his richly European decorated home, due no doubt to his experiences in England, but his family
do not share his tastes and live elsewhere. As if to draw an extreme contrast between the
generations, Krull parallels Tamihana with the painting of his infamous father. The appearance of
this “wildes, dunkelfarbiges Gesicht, ganz und gar tättowirt” (14.4.1859, 134) with a talisman
around his neck and a battleaxe and greenstone club in either hand is in stark contrast to the
refined gentleman his son has become. It is no wonder with his fluent English and European
views that Krull engages in a long conversation with him.
After the various large meetings that take place among the twenty-one prominent chiefs
who are, according to Krull, accompanied by attendants and slaves, Tamihana invites them to
attend the chiefs’ European-style dinner at the local inn:
Wir setzten uns also mit an die Tafel, die ganz auf englische Weise zugerüstet war, und es war mir
ein eigenthümliches Gefühl hier so weit von Heimathlande in dieser merkwürdigen Gesellschaft,
von so wilden Gesichtern umgeben zu speisen. […] Es amüsirte uns zu sehen, wie anfangs alle
Häuptlinge mit Gabeln und Massern [sic] zu essen begannen, Salz, Senf und Pfeffer nahmen, nach
und nach aber die ungewohnten Werkzeuge bei Seite legten, und bevor die Mahlzeit halb beendigt
war, Tomiona [sic] allein ausgenommen, alle nur mit den Fingern aßen. (14.4.1859, 134)
Although more European in attire and status, all but the European-like Tamihana revert to their
old habits, which by now brings an amused response to Krull, in contrast to his first sight of them
eating with dirty fingers, as he no longer feels threatened or is repulsed by such behaviour. In the
end, it seems the unfathomable toys of the Europeans still hold great joy even for these respected
chiefs who look in “große[r] Verwunderung” through a microscope like the stereotypical
‘childlike’ savage, in which “sie drücken dieselbe durch einen langgezogenen Schrei aus, der so
lange währt, als sie den bewunderten Gegenstand vor Augen haben” (14.4.1859, 134). As is the
norm whenever a gathering or festivity takes place, the whole tribe gets together to eat, drink,
sing and smoke. 60 In this case, the chief’s wives who have come to see their husbands “lagen
entweder auf dem Rasen oder saßen auf ihren Pferden” (14.4.1859, 134) while the children run
about and perform a dance wearing just shirts. However, once the performance is over, he
observes the chiefs leaving on their horses, followed by their wives and male slaves, while the
female slaves must go on foot (14.4.1859, 134).
60 Ibid., 104.
139