IN A LOTUS LAND.

Dunstan Times, Issue 3465, 14 April 1930, Page 2

IN A LOTUS LAND.

LAZY LOVELY WOMEN

Most people rave above the South Sea Islands. I do not, cannot. For I know Malaya, writes Mr Leopold Ainsworth in the Sunday Express.

Malaya . . . Well, Malay:! is the topsy-turvy land, whore everything almost runs counter to our customs, ideals and prejudices; a land where people, heasts, lldwei s are everything that you do not expect them to be; but a land which, once you have got over your first amazement, and decided to make allowances, charms you and proves in the long run unforgettable amf tin forgotten. For instance, take its women. Flow pretty they seemed to me when, a youngster, I first saw them. How pretty they still seem to me when I think of those small, dark-eyed, darkhaired creatures. ]Jut their ideas of beauty and mine—or any European’s for that matter—are miles apart. Their complexion is that natural blend of peach and coffee colors which English and French women strive to create with paints and powders. The Malayan’s ideal is a white, dead, glaring white, complexion. In spite of insignilicant features, she is reputed bcautitul as her face is “putch.” So rice powder mixed with water is applied as a “putch” mask; antimony underlines the eyes in ghastly contrast; and beauty walks abroad unafraid. ■ Malaya is not so topsy-turvy a land that its women do not care for clothes. They do, tremendously. So the hone \ idle women make their own clothes, with as few stitches as possible, and eliminate all underclothes. The “baiou,” or tight-fitting jacket, may be. of green silk and worn with a red g old sarong, while the henclcloth, called kaiue klumbtmg, is of yet another color. Or again a white long-sleeved jumper edged with lace accompanies a batik sarong. The effect is delightful. There are no milliners in Malaya. A head cloth is worn out of doors. It is always worn Maclonna-w;jso. Hut the coquettish use made of what is. after all, a veil destined to bide the features of a good Mohammedan from the sight of man, reminds me of the Seville girls’ use of the fan. I What messages those bright, dark eyes often convey. i leave to your imagination, warning you. however, that a Malayan knows no shyness, and that she usually states what she wants quite bluntly. To follow a Malay woman into her bouse invariably gave me a shock. She is so pretty, so beautifully dressed. She id so clean in her person, and yet she turns her house into such a filthy hovel. She washes herself from head to foot twice a day, as Mohammed long since prescribed. Every morning on rising she sits on the steps of - her house, dips her fingers into the heap of wood ashes and cleans her teeth. Now, a Mohammedan woman must never he naked;, and this law somewhat complicates the bathing process. Taking a bucketful of water, she pours it over herself, clothes and all. Hy passing her hands over the wet sarong and squeezing it. she manages to dry herself —almost. Then she slips the clean sarong over her head and begins to waggle. Gradually the wet garment glides downwards until it falls at her feet, and Liu* dry one follows it so quickly into position that at no time is the body exposed naked. Then, clean and pretly, having perhaps fixed a Hower'Mn her hair, she reenters her foul house. You see. she Is so lazy that she will do nothing beyond Unit which is indispensable; cooking and sewing. As her house is merely Oue-roomed and about 22 feet by 18, with a kitchen extension at the bade, as there are no chairs, tables, and no Turniture, there ought to he little to do. That little sin* does not do. Hbe pokes the garbage under the split bamliood floor. It falls on the ground beneath—for the floor is raised above the ground--and remains there until a heavy rain washes if away. The sights and smells .this habit of hers provides in the hot season bad better not be stressed. Scrubbing and dusting she never attempts; and her tidying up consists of (removing out of her path those pots or boxes ol betel licit bar her way. So that unlike Hie successful wives of this country, she is a bad housekeeper. On the other hand, the main—i might almost say. only—pastime being love-making, she promptly becomes very good at it. For about that there never is ocular evidence by third persons. Lovers meet in public, a-ud their faces, their manner -how nothing. The won 1 Id must I not know anything, but the family may. A father, a husband allows his wife to visit a white man and receive prei seals from him so long a.f there is no scandal, so long as the village does nol gossip and laugh. Ii behoves the lover to he discreet, subtle, and kind; for should he he boastful, coarse or brutal, he is krissed —•some inches o! cold steel settle the argument. No. in this lopsy-i nrvy land, jealousy is unknown. Whoever heard of a Malay man or woman committing suicide because of the unfaithfulness of In's or her life's partner ? For one thing, there* are often lour ■wives to one husband, and in a certain Slate* I knew one rajah who allowed his wives to go on nocturnal visits to all the white men of the district aml re'tnrn to him with money, it was done sub rosa. honor asked for nothing more. Hut for all this love making, kisses, hugs and handshake's are* unknown in Malaya. In great privacy y women “e-hoom" that H. smell —those to whom they want to show affection. Topsy-turvy land. Where,* women are* kept separate: where Ihev do all the work in the rice lie*lds, and the men look on: where they seldom swear, sleal, or Me*. Where* women are gouel mothers, but seldom have mole* Ilian two or I love* children, for birth control : s pract i>eel generalI > and as a mailer ol course. I ( isa ianil w here no married women play card,-, or gamble w here all women are ipiieT wilted, ehaiming and willy, and eel lane i, little* I" I Oli.llilv that I rom a di! a nee and all er 'ome months they re* se* 111 file a limb. Indy ii hi hj and e harming or *1 v women loll* ol i Ids 1 op-y-1 ii n - land!