Saturday press. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1880-1885, 1884-05-10
StIfD.fTTOSS.
The Customs Prsra,iinO in Different
NntiOns

J sHiule edCn OlntI III an amlCaDlc manner
il signifies little whether they move partic
ular part Of the body or practice particular
\ ceremony. In these actions there must exist
different customs. Every nation imagines it
employs the most reasonable ones but all
are equally simple, and none are to be treated
as ridiculous" This infinite number OF cere
monies may be reduced to two kinds To rev.
ernces or saluta,ons, and to the touch of some
part Of the human body. To bend and pros
trate ones self to express sentiments of re.
spect, appears to be natural motion for
terrified persons throw themselves on the
earth when they adore invisible beings: and
the afiectionate touch of the person they sa
Lutte is an expression of tenderness. As ma
tons decline from their ancient simplicity,
much farce and grimace are introduced. SUI
ferstition: the manners OF people, and their
situation, influence the modes Of sautation, as
may be observed from the instances we col
lect.
Modes of salutation have sometimes very
different characteristics, and it is no uninter
estng speculation TO examine their shades.
Many display a refinement Of delicacy, while
others remarkable for their simplicity or
for their sensibiliiy. In general however,
they are frequently the same in the infancy Of
nations and in the more polished societies.
Respect, humility, fear and estecmare expressed
in a somewhat similar manner, for these are
natural consequences Of the organization Of the
body. These demonstrations become in time
only empty civilitics, which signify nothing.
We shall notice what they were originally,
without rejecting on what they are. Primitive
nations have no peculiar modes of salutation;
they known no reverences or other compliments
or they despise and disdian them. The Green.
landers laugh when they see Europen I'M
cover his head, and bend his body before him
whom he calls his superior. The islanders
of the Philippines take the hand or foot Of
him they salute, and with it they gently rub
their face. The Laplanders apply their nose,
strongly against that of the person they salute.
Dapier says that a, New Guinea they arc salts
fed to put on their heads the leaves of trees,
which have ever passed for symbols Of friend
ship and peace. This is at least a, picturesque
salute.
| Other saluations are very incommodious and
painful. 1t requires great practice to enable
man to be polite in an island situated in the
Malacca Straits. Houtman tell us they saluted
him in this grotesque manner: "They
raised his left foot, which they passed gently
over the right leg, and from thence over
his face" The inhabitants of the Philippines
use a most complex attitude; they bend their
body very low, place their hands on their
cheeks and rise at the same time one foot in
the air with their knee bent. An Ethiopina
takes the robe of another and ties it about his
own waist, so that he leaves his friend half
naked. This custom Of undressing on these
occasions takes others forms; sometimes men
place themselves naked before person whom
they salute; it is to show their humility that
they are unworthy OF appearing in his presence.
This was practiced before Sir Joseph Banks
when he received the visit of two female Ota-
heitans. Their innocent simplicity, no doubt,
did not appear immodest in the eyes Of the
virtuoso. Sometimes they only undress partial
silly. The japanese only take off slipper the
people of Arracan their sandals in the street,
their stockings in the house.
In the progress Of time it appeared servile to
uncover ones self. The grandees Of Spain
claim the right Of appearing covered before
the king to show that they are not so much
subjected to him as the res, Of the nation. Mr..
Hobhouse observes that uncovering the head,
with the Turks, is mark Of indecent familiarity;
in their mosques the Franks must keep their
hats on. The Jewish custom Of wearing their
hats in their synagogues is, doubtless, the same
Oriental custom. In word. there is not a
nation, observes the humorous Montague, even
to the people who, when they salute, turn their
backs on their friends, but that can be justified
in their custom The negroes are lovers or
ludicrous actions, and hence all their cerc-
monies seem iarcical. The greater part pull
the finger till they crack. Snelgrave gives an
old representation Of the embassy which the
King Of Dahomey sent to him. The cere-
monies Of salutations consisted in the most
ridiculous contortions. When two negro
monarchs visit they en,brace, swapping three
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