Tutorski A.V., Vinetskaya A.A. The Maclay shore 140 years later  (the figure of the scientist and  the cultural transformation of  the Papuans)

Abstract: The article presents an overview of the transformations in the language and mythological notions of the Papuans on the Maclay shore after the departure of the scientist. A short description of the region’s ethnic composition permits to take a different look at the cultural processes happening there from the 1890s to the 2010s. The authors cite several legends connected with the appearance of the Russian scientist in the Astrolabe bay, and also of the soviet expeditions “in the footsteps of N. N. Miklouho-Maclay” of 1971 and 1977. They analyse as well the Russian-language adoptions in the Maclay shore languages, while eliminating existing false assumptions of borrowing. The figure of the scientist in mythological folktales significantly altered during the course of the 20th century: in the 1900–1930s he appeared as a cultural hero, in the 1940–1970s – as the transmitter of cargo-treasures, in the 1980–2010s he attains the characteristics of a real person, cooperating with the Bongu Papuans. The article compares the figure of N. N. Miklouho- Maclay with that of Augustus Hanke, who had lived in Bongu for 30 years. The authors come to the conclusion that all of the pertinent legendary tales contain little historical facts and are subjected to the general evolutionary laws of mythological texts. It is therefore necessary to continue the study of the heritage of the Russian scientist in the Papuan culture of the Maclay shore.

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