Part of Chapter 18
“Hey, Dad, have you heard what the natives are calling Mum now?” Charlie laughed as he walked into the trading station, humming off-key like only a fifteen-year-old would.
“No, Harold, I haven’t heard any new names lately,” his father said. “If it’s from the natives, I suppose it will be a good one.”
“Charlie! Not Harold. You know I don’t like that name.”
“After Mum settled the argument between Chief Touawala and Chief Namakala about who would control transport between the islands, Chief Touawala could collect tribute, manage trade, and strengthen his influence over nearby communities. He gave her his family armband, and now they call Mum the ‘White Queen,’” Charlie said.
“Even the locals are calling her the ‘White Queen of the Trobriands.’”
“I bet some of the administration folks won’t like that. You know how she’s always sending them letters. Remember how she kept writing until they finally sent a medical officer with the patrol to the village to help with minor illnesses? She’s always trying to make life better for the natives.” His father replied as he turned, putting some wooden carvings on the shelf behind him.
Thank you, Karen, for your kind words. Charles stayed in Birmingham with his family. I have found no record of…