How to accept European help without forsaking the local culture? It wasn’t an easy question in the 19th century, nor in the 21st. So slip on your smoking jacket, fill your pipe, take your first sip of your adult beverage, and sit back in your most comfortable chair. Welcome to todays offering from The Philatelist.
On a small group of islands, there is a tendency to try to administer them jointly with similar far off south Pacific French Colonies. Hence the New Caledonia stamp overprinted for postal service in Wallis and Fortuna Island. This of course leaves some potential revenue on the table from the international stamp collector. Since World War II Wallis and Futuna have been well supplied with farmed out topical stamp issues.
Todays stamp is issue A19, a 1 Centime stamp issued for use in Wallis and Futuna by French colonial authorities based in New Caledonia beginning in 1930. It was a 42 stamp issue in various denominations that came out over 14 years. According to the Scott catalog, this stamp is worth 25 cents unused. A version with a double overprint is worth $200. There are also later rival versions from wartime. A version without the RF in the top left corner means it was issued by Vichy France. These never reached the colony for use. There is a rival version with France Libre overprinted above the existing Wallis and Futuna overprint. These did make it to island service after the islands went Free French and are worth $2.50. The islands initially pledged to Vichy France but changed sides when the USA Marines landed.
The first humans on Wallis and Futuna were the Lapita ancestors of the Polynesians. Futuna was first spotted by the Dutch and Wallis by the British. The first Europeans to land in 1837 were French Catholic Missionaries. The group was lead by Priest and later Saint Peter Chanel. At first Chanel had very little luck but slowly made some conversions. When the King’s son was Baptized that was perceived as going too far as the King saw himself as both King and High Priest of the island. He sent his son in law, a noted warrior, to his son and the two fought. Injured, the son in law sought out Father Peter for help. While Father Peter tended his wounds, other warriors ransacked his house and then bludgeoned Father Peter to death. The areas Bishop than arraigned for a French naval ship to visit to recover the body. The body recovered, the area was now much more willing to convert and three tribal Kings petitioned France to become French Protectorates. Even the son in law now readily converted and even asked that he be buried next to Father Peter Chanel. That way, people trampling over him to pay respects to Father Peter would demonstrate forever his contrition. Chanel was Beatified in 1889, his remains having returned to France. Natives invented a dance called the eke that shows their regret over what happened to Peter Chanel. It includes much whacking of sticks.
There have been almost constant clashes between the three native Kings on Wallis and Futuna and the French Colonial authorities. In 2005, King Tomasi Kulimoetoke II’s grandson was involved in a drunk driving incident where he killed a pedestrian on New Years Eve. He was granted asylum in the Palace causing a four month standoff with the police who wanted to try him for manslaughter. The King suggested the French give up the island but instead he gave up his grandson for prosecution.
The local Kings are really in no place to dictate to the French. French subsidies are 80 % of the economy and for every native that still lives on the islands there are two that have moved on to greener pastures in France. The islands shrinking population are dependent on these remittances.
Well my drink is empty and I will pour another to toast the Dutch and the British explorers who spotted the islands but kept sailing. Come again tomorrow for another story that can be learned from stamp collecting.