Postcard probably by A . J . Tattersall , Manoah -Winter Collection
Lieutenant Von Bulow turned out to be an enthusiastic ethnographer . He clearly learned to speak and understand Samoan well , as over the next 20 years he churned out a stream of learned , though slim , monographs on a wide range of subjects – including Samoan history , mythology , reproduction , agriculture , Christianity and ethnic connections to Asia . Some of his works have been quoted by later historians and mentioned in the same breath as weightier studies by Augustin Kramer and Oskar Stuebel . The Cyclopedia mentions Von Bulow having published 75 books , pamphlets and articles up to 1906 .
The Samoan statesman Ta ’ isi O . F . Nelson quoted from Von Bulow ’ s work in an address he gave to the Samoa Research Society in November 1923 but sadly did not include any personal reflections on Von Bulow who he surely knew . Ta ’ isi grew up at Safune just 6kms from Matapo ’ o and would have passed Von Bulow ’ s house on horseback or cart numerous times in the years after he was born in 1883 . Ta ’ isi began a strong interest in Samoan legends and folklore around 1900 . Did he visit Von Bulow for long discussions ?
This card shows Werner on the verandah of his home at Matapo ’ o probably some time in the early 1900 ’ s . Pineapples are growing in the front garden of the house , which stood on the seaward side of the main road .
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