File:Image from page 204 of "Women of all nations, a record of their characteristics, habits, manners, customs and influence;" (1908) (14769945902).jpg

Title: Women of all nations, a record of their characteristics, habits, manners, customs and influence;
Year: 1908 (1900s)
Authors: Joyce, Thomas Athol, 1878-1942 Thomas, Northcote Whitridge, 1868-
Subjects: Women
Publisher: London, New York (etc.) : Cassell and Company, limited
Contributing Library: University of California Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Internet Archive

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t civilisationwe find in Java asharp line drawnbetween an aristo-cratic ruling classand a servile ple-beian class, such aswe find nowhere elsein the Malay Archi-pelago. Among theBornean Kayan the chief owns slaves, rules his village with a rodof iron, and toils not in the fields, but he lives in the communal houseJavanese Class ^^f j^j^ ^j.^i^g^ ^^-^^ ^l^pre jg Distinctions. ,. , ,. . . , , . little to distmguish him in dress from his subjects. But in Java thesultans live in palaces, and maintain a veryconsiderable pomp and majesty. Every sultan and a few nobles have largeharems, some of the inmates of which aretrained danceis, who perform on state occa-sions. The dance is called the s^rimfi, and23 is a figure-dance in whicii four performerstake part to the accompaniment of an orchestra of gongs, harmoni-DancingQirls ^^j„^g^ j^n^j ^.joi^ j^iC girls,of the Harem. r , j none of wiiom exceed more than fourteen or fifteen years of age, are cladin gorgeous silk petticoats reaching to the

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■y Mr. S/ie;/^^rU KADAYAN WOMEN (BORNEO).Note the light-sleeved jackets with rows of buttons. ground, and fastened round the waist witha girdle of gold plates joined by slenderchains; the upper part of the body isenclosed in a kind of corset passing abovethe bosom and under the arms, and con-fining the waist to the smallest possiblecompass. A silken sash is thrown over theshoulders, and is an imj^ortant adjunct inthe waving motions of the hands and armsin the dance. A tiara of gold studded withprecious stones, richly chased armlets, brace-lets, and finger-rings, complete the attire ofthese damsels. The music of the orchestra 178 WOMEN OF ALL NATIONS Womenas Agri-culturalLabourers. is slow and solemn, and the dance consists are so popular in Java ; they take theof little else than graceful movements of parts of mythical heroines and of thethe upper part of the body and arms, with ividadari, or heavenly nymphs, who werean occasional change of the position of the bestowed on the prince

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