Northwest enterprise. [volume] (Anacortes, Wash. Ter.) 1882-1887, 1883-12-01
\ JAVANESE WEDDING.
The Way They do it in Jav&-Painting
Their Bodies yellow.

Their Bodies yellow.
The following is from private letter
lust received from Java "The village
through which We passed was en- fete-
carlands of leaves and flowers hung
across the road, while broad avenue
leading off to the right was II mass OF
whitencd earthly pots set upright on
smaller pots. To our establishment we
were whiskcd down this avenue, and
found ourselves in an immense court
ward filled with natives-therc must have
been hundreds of them. Before we had
time to think what it all meant the car
riage stopped and very dapperJavanese
approached, bowling and smiling and
holding out his hand. Our salutations
exchanged he beckoned us to 60 with
him to the Pan-doppo, raised place,
covered over, in the middle of the square
and opposite to his own house, for he
turned out to be the wydono, or chief
man of the village.
"Op this dais were sofa, chairs and
table; and after we had been placed In
the seat of honor, we were presented with
wine, tea, brandy and the inevitable gin
and biuers, while our amiable host and
some<half-dozen native chiefs talked
away in Malay, of which we knew not
word. Imagine our position tired,
very hungry and seeing no prospect OF
getting out of this affair. The court was
gradually filling with natives, while the
gammelong, the national musical IN
strument, was kept going in deafening
manner. Evidently here was something
expected; and at last, afteran eternity OF
waiting, a procession filed in, consisting
of many mounted wydonos and about
dozen men naked to tho waist painted
over with yellow paste--a most hideous
sight-and carrying immense red and
yellow banners.
"Then followed people carrying offer
ings of fruit and flowers; and finally two
closed carriages followed by two men
hideously painted with ochre and pranc-
ing on enormous pasteboard horses.
They looked too comical with the long
sticks between their legs. They were
accompanied by an old haggard woman,
decked out with flowers, paper tassels,
etc. hacked to the waist, with her gray
hair loose, the contortions OF this old lady
and the pride with which she threw her
head about were most amusing Is tins
| the end of our detention? we thought ;
but no! the wydono came smiling for
ward and escorted us to his house, where
| in back room was an estrada covered
with beautiful white cocoanut mating,
and here sat in state two of the most ex-
traordinary figures possible-a woman
whose face was one mass OF ochre, with
Enthusiastically painted eyebrows, her head,
neck, arms and tunic covered with enor-
nous diamonds; her companion man
painted in like manner, and wearing a
tall hat encircled with diamonds and his
ears covered with large pointed ass ears
of gold, also heavily enriched with dia'
monds.
"Behind this singular pair were two
women, half-naked and painted yellow
and holding peacock s tailsi in their hands
while behind them again were two
dummy figures similarly painted. The
room was crammed with natives, and yor
may imagine our feelings when our hos
directed us to ascend the dais, himsel
remaining behind. Aftermany signs anc
much hesitation we had to get up, ant
with our travel-stained boots to advance
to those personages, who then rose ant
held out their hands to us. The wydono
evidently plying our uncertainty, ther
motioned to us to come away, and soor
we found ourselves in Il room where ;
comfortable luncheon was prepared
After this repast, to our great relief, We
were allowed to depart, our host givins
me his arm most politely to the carriage
1t was not until the evening that w
learned that the ceremony We had wit
messed was the marriage of a regents o
princes daughter with some Javanes
functionary and that we happened on al
the show by mere chance, the resident o
Dyocka having desired the wydono O
that village to entertain us at tiilin. |
we had only "--[ London Stand
ard.