New Zealand & Madagascar Case Study

Prichard states that the New Zealand skulls, although vary similar to most other skulls studies within the text, provides the largest range of variability. He also writes extensively on the diversity of complexions within New Zealand tribes. He states that they range from very dark to an almost olive color. He also theorized about the origins of such tribes, discussing on the possibility of them immigrating from Australia or Africa. What he finds most interesting though is the uniqueness and widespread language of New Zealand. Although regional dialects occur, the language itself is very universal and unique to the island of New Zealand.

Prichard is also very fascinated by the Tonga Islanders, who he term’s as the “friendly islands”. He states that there is a social hierarchy within their society in which there is a class of nobility, the Egais, followed by a middle class, the Mataboulais, and lastly a peasant class that is unnamed. This inclusion of social castes is interesting because not only does Prichard describe the natives in purely physical manner, but also takes great pains to include their social practices.

In this section Prichard also discusses the natives of Madagascar. He discusses frustration in that “Lots of Europeans have visited the island yet the author complains that none of them have thought it worth while to give us correct information respecting the races that inhabit it”.[1]