Show CEU anthropology instructor Lewis goes native for studies By Kristan Smith of the Eagle Staff Sitting in his museum-lik- e office comfortably explaining his profession David Lewis does not look like a man who has spent a year and a half on a secluded island living in a small hut with no electricity running water or sewage Lewis is the anthropology and sociology teacher at CEU His classes may sound quite difficult and complicated but Lewis says “People don’t need to be afraid of anthropology it’s simply the study of human kind If they would just give it a chance they could learn the interesting and exotic ways of life" The Gilbertese sword hanging from his office wall and many fascinating photos lay claim to this As doctorial research for his doctorate degree Lewis spent a year in a village called Noravea on Marakei Island 2000 miles west of Hawaii in a region of the Pacific called Micronesia and returned for a six month visit last summer to see how things had changed He lived in a house or more appropriately a hut twenty feet from the beach and without any of the comforts of home he added s His house was a shelter with a raised floor and a thatched roof This sounds slightly barbaric but Lewis said "It’s a very positive and relaxing way of life" wall-les- Much of the islanders time is spent sailing "The people were very warm and friendly" said Lewis of the 260 villagers They cooked for him while a girl was appointed to wash his clothes for him “They have a strong custom of hospitality" Lewis remarked He soon picked up their ways and began wearing a Lava-lav- a a skirt-lik- e wrap worn instead of pants He wore no shirt and no shoes is much "The Lava-lav- a more comfortable and cooler than pants and I didn’t wear shoes because you cannot wear them on the raised floors of the huts and it was annoying to take them on and off operated projector which played occasional movies "There was so much to see and do" said Lewis "that I never got bored I went swimming everyday” His diet consisted of taro a fiberous potato-lik- e plant bread fruit coconut bananas papayas and other fruits and an abundant variety of sea food including tuna shark Moray eel flying fish and clams Lewis said "Sometimes I would have lobster twice a day" There was also some imported food like rice tea and canned corned beef On his first trip he contracted hepatitis but he has no remorse for this "Just the way it goes” he says Though the villagers don’t have much money they are not proverty stricken or ridden with disease "They could make more money if they wanted but they didn’t need it They grow and make everything they need" he said Lewis came to CEU in September 1981 and likes it here very much “I will probably be here for quite some time" he said "perhaps untfl I retire” The villagers had no elecIn the future along with his tricity but they did have trucks and anthropology and sociology motorcycles classes he will be teaching a bicycles for transportation They also had battery Spanish class next quarter He to operated radios tape recor- also would like to return Marakei soon "There’s ders and walkie-talkiwith a like said it" he The only extravagance they nothing did have was a generator far away look and slight smile es |