STRANGE CUSTOMS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXVI, 21 June 1932, Page 7

STRANGE CUSTOMS

NATIVE GREETINGS

When a South Sea Islander meets anyone whom he wishes to honour, he pours a jar of water over his head. The native of Central Africa on sueli an occasion strips the other man of his robe and ties it round his own waist. The native of the Gold Coast favours a form of salutation little less strange; after bowing profoundly, he slips his outer garment from his shoulders and l holds it under his arm. In Morocco, 1 when a man on horseback sees a friend | approaching, lie charges full tilt at him, I reins his horse suddenly within a few ! feet of him, and fires a revolver over Ins | head. . , To uncover the head is the European s way of evidencing politeness and respect. The Chinaman places his hat on his head if it is not there already; while the gentleman of Japan shows his respect by taking off his shoos. If, when walking in Mandalay, you should chance to meet the King cif Burma, you would be expected to stop and remove your shoes. If the natives of Chittagong should chance to see two European women kiss when they meet, they would open their eyes in wonder; their method of greeting is place mouth and nose on each other’s cheek and take a long and vigorous sniff. Translated into plain English, they would say to each other, not “Kiss me,” but “Smell me.” And when a Mongolian father is in an affectionate mood, he does not kiss his children; he smells their hair. Among Arabs the common practice is to kiss the feet or knees. If the person saluted is of higher rank, the hem of his garment must he kissed. Where the Briton says, ITow do you do?” the Frenchman. “How do you carry yourself?” and the German, ‘ How does' il ao?” or “How do you find yourself'?” the Aral), after shaking his friend’s hand about a dozen times, exclaims, “The peace ho upon you, the reply to which greeting is “Upon you be the "peace” When lie inquires after his friend’s health, the reply is“ Praise he to God !” “Is it well with thee? he continues. “God bless and preserve thee answers his friend. The dialogue continues for some minutes before the two men “get to business.” you WCI’C to lllilKC 0. 101*111 cl 1 Cell! Oil cl

Jupi of Brazil, your host would offer you a seat and would sit absolutely silent for about a minute. Then he would startle you by exclaiming, in a loud voice, “Are you there?”