Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1884-01-11
Burmese Women.

The Burmese women are noted Tor
their well-proportioned though small
figure. To one accustomed TO seeing
the regular features so prevalent among
the many pretty Indian girls, the Mon
gol-like features of their Burmese sis
ters look ugly and repellent, but after
awhile this impression wears oil; the
women of the country have many pref
ty little ways, and they are very clean
". Their hands and feet are small and
we'll shaped, arms symmetrical, the head
well put on to the neck; their carriage
is erect; their hair is most luXurlant,
and is taken the greatest care OF, tied
up q la chinoise, with wreath or gar
land of flowers entwined; they distigure
their ears, which are naturally small
and pretty, by boring huge holes in the
lobes, and wear in them either gold or
amber cylindrical-s earrings;
they cover themselves over with neck
lets, bracelets, rings, etc, and the Bur
mese gold and siftersmiths are nearly
as good as those in Cu,tack, lrichln-
opoly, or Delhi.
A Burmese girl who wishes to kiss
presses her nose up against face and
sniffs! She is "a born coquette, and
spends hours in adorning her person.
Their dress consists of a tight under
Jacket to support the bust, and loose
and flowing jacket over for show; a
gaudy scarf hangs down over the shoul-
ders; from the waist they wear either
many-colored silk thamine, which ex-
poses the inside of one leg half way up
the thigh, or "loongie, sort OF pet
ticoat, fastened round the waist and
exposing no part of the person. All
the women smoke and chew betel nut,
but have nice, white, even teeth; they
can swim, as a rule, and delight in
dabbling in the water, and invariably
bathe once perhaps oftener, during the
day.
The Burmese seldom lave more than
one wife, and she reigns supreme in
the house and conducts the purchase
and sale of all necessaries, A girl S
great ambition is to keep q stall in q
bazaar; it is her introduction into socie-
ty, and the equivalent to our girls being
brought out. The women can not, as a
rule, either read or write, for their
rriests are not allowed to teach them.
/, A few have been educated by we'll
| meaning nlssIOuaIlcs' bul "ho'hSi
from coming in contact with native
children, or some other reason, these
girls too often are not so well conduct
ed as their more ignorant sisters.
Every Burmese girl is born actress,
and delights in taking part in poey'
or national drama. There is no stigma
attached to women who take part IN
these performances, as there is to dane
ing girls in India. and they are inyaria'
bly, well-conductcd, modest girls.
They have some curious customs
such as throwing pots of water owe,
anyone and everyone they meet on theil
New Years day, which corresponds,
think, with our lst of April; what this
is typical of know not, but the custom
is universal. Like the men, the womer
are inveterate gamblers; at boat or .
pony race the men and women bet to
gether freely, and often girl, aftei
losing all she possesses, will stake her
self against what she considers he
value, and if she loses she follows thu
winner and becomes his wife or concu
bine, for the two are nearly synony
nous in Burmah.
On the slightest provocation woman
will commit suicide, generally b.
means of opium, which can be purchas
ed without restriction in every bazaar