Japanese In Captivity Strange Domestic Customs Of Prisoners At Featherston Camp

Dominion, Volume 39, Issue 27, 26 October 1945, Page 6

Japanese In Captivity Strange Domestic Customs Of Prisoners At Featherston Camp

Written For “The Dominion."—No. 10.

In spite of the fact that they are masters in the art of concealment, the Japanese are nevertheless constantly making- unconscious revelations of themselves. Life in such a close community is such that the individual cannot hide his innate characteristics for long. When he does reveal himself, the Jap is a nasty piece of work.

The majority of these yellow men. whatever their previous status in life, have a common salacious streak. It may be that their compulsory sexstarvation increases their lust for the lewd. The fact stands that the worst of them are unspeakable and the best of them mildly disgusting. Perhaps the worst feature of Army life in camp Is the lack of real privacy; but that does not worry the Jap. Another characteristic of these people. evident after they had recoverd from their starvation in the jungle, is their extraordinary suppleness. For some reason or other their favourite resting position is to squat with heels flat on the ground, arms inside, the knees and knees outside the shoulders. At their work .such men us cobblers • will maintain that position for hours. In that posture they will carve a piece of wood on the floor or sidle along the edge of a roof hammering lead-bended nails. The muscular developments of thighs and upper arms is in contrast to that of the European. Rice and fish are their favourite foods. They prefer fish raw or cooked with indescribable spices For rice most of them use chop-sticks. Other ingredients are mixed with the rice, and when it is bubbling like a AVhakarewarewa mud-pool the chop-sticks get to work and the rice disappears. Sauerkraut is another of their coveted dishes. The container is a wooden barrel. A layer of cabbage is laid down. It is tramped in hard. A layer of abominably smelling spice is added and tramped again. Alore cabbage, more glutinous mixture until the barrel is full. The Japanese cookery hook seems to say after that: “leave standing nr long as is unmanly possible, with the lid tisrhtly clamped down. Remove ll)e lid when the mixture is about to escape by its own internal pressure, then go to it, boots and all.’’ When the sentla Featherston breezes

blow from the south, the inhabitants for some distance around are aware that either a new abattoir has started or the Japs have tapped a ripe old vintage ot sauerkraut. Saki, the Japanese national beverage, is made from rice. They were caught once distilling saki, and, being “so sorry,” promised never to do it again. But one. never knows. They entice wild rabbits into snares, tame them, fatten them, have them us playmates for a while, then the rabbits are seen uo more. They trap birds and house them in cunningly made cages. There are scores of these birds in camp. Tame miee are also common.' The Japanese imitative faculty is seen in their bugle-calls. There is one bugle and one alleged bugler in each of rhe two main compounds, but there is no ear for music as we know it. It is utterly painful for the old soldier to have to listen to the-caijonlionations that ’ire sent out to torture the welkin by Nipponese buglers who cau actually blow sharp, flat and in between during the same sustained note. Their calls have obviously' been borrowed from those of British army. They sound as docs a tone-deaf milk-boy whistling just off the tune. Their cookhouse calls bears an annoying resemblance to our owu. but their illegitimate version of the Last Post, which contorts it into <i kind of ranting bit like an American swing selection, sets the teeth on edge. In the early days it was surprising to hear a group of Japanese humming "Little Red Wing.” (They seldom whistle.) Engaged in conversation on the subject the Japs put forward the amazing proposition that “Annie Lnur:e is really a Japanese tune They firmly believe that. The proof there and then was that “Annie Laurie" was sung in Japanese. AA’hilt the words were (accompanied by a polite smile) is another ques- . tion.