The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1895-07-11
THE MAYA WOMEN.
THEY ARE INTELLIGENT, SWEET TEN
/ pEHED AND BEAUTIFUL.

world. which, according to the Brah-
manical doctrine. is nonexistent IAN
illusion. Maya Devi was the name Of
the beautiful mother Of Buddha Maya
in the feminine energy of Brahma and
the mother Of all the gods, even Of
Brahma himself Any Greek dictionary
informs rs that Maya Is the good moth
or Of all gods and men. In Japan the
goddess Maya is still worshiped. The
beautiful Indian poem "Ramayana"
tolls Us about q great navigator named
Maya, who In ages long gone BY took
xoxcibls possession Of tho countxies IT.
tho south 81 the Hindoostanee peninsula
and settled there.
The Maya people Of America were in
old6ns timesW greet nation, occupying
cha territory COMP between the isthe-
mus Of Tehuantepec and that Of Ds-
Eien. We know that they were, naviea-
tors, their boats being depicted in very
ancient books and paintings In 1902.
when Columbus came to America for
the fourth time, he met ON the high
seas a large boat, in which were men,
women and children. It also had car
60 Of merchandise, consisting Of weap-
ons, tools, products Of the earth and
ready made garments. The travellers
called themselves Mayas. They were in
the habit of travelling to Cuba and other
islands to trade with their inhabitants.
The Mayas were neatly clothed in white
cotton raiment. They were self possessed
and courteous. Fifteen years later their
land, today called Yucatan, was invad-
ed by the Spaniards, but it cost the
white men 25 years of warfare to get
control of that country, for every Maya
fought like hero They were sons Of
fearless mothers.
In reading the works left by the
Spanish chroniclers-priests who &C
companied the soldiers-we learn that
the Maya women were very good look
ing, as many are at the present day;
that they were charitable, sweet tenn
pered, Industrious, modest and so free
from vanity that they never consulted
the mirror, although their husbands
did. In physique these women were
large and beautifully shaped.
Their complexion was light brown,
and their silky black, hair very album
dant. Father Cogolludo, a Spanish priest,
wrote, "These women are more beauti
full and better tempered than those of
Spain" They always dressed them
selves. as they do at the present time,
in flowing white garments, and in their
happier days were greatly addicted to
the use Of perfumes and flowers. They
were industrious, devoted wives and
fond mothers, but exacted great defer
ence from their children. Their ideas Of
modesty were SO strict that they did not
permit their daughters to look boldly
into the face. Of a man, and il u girl
showed q want Of shyness the indignant
matrons would pinch her arms After
the Spaniards were in possession Of the
land they subjected these women to in
dignities and cruelty. Among many
other things it is recorded that in one
village they found two young women Of
remarkable beauty, one bride. the 9TH
er q maiden, and they hanged both, SO
that there should be no trouble about
them. Many young mothers were hung
from trees and their infants suspended
from their feet. Those who escaped
death were enslaved with their hus-
bands and children 80
Long ago, as far back as our studies
enable us to know anything about that
nation, the Maya women Seem to have
enjoyed the same privileges as the men,
to have hadaedral power ID politics and
equal, authority. !.
Today. when business i. to be trans
acted, the wife takes the active part, her
husband Wedding lhiS head afirmatively.
It is not that she desires to domineer,
but. because he looks up to her, relying
ON her Judgment. She complies with
admirable moderation and modesty. She
is eloquent and forcefu1 without, being
loquacious, and she never scolds. When
her husband gets himself into trouble,
she pleads for him, being more able
reasoner than he is. II he gets intoxicat-
ed, she guides him home. IF he strikes
her, she says, He does not know what
he is doing" regarding him with an
gelic forbearance, SO that domestic
brawls are quite unknown. 1t Is he,
pleasure to give him the best Of what
they have, keeping for herself the
worst.
This woman's home has a thatched
roof and earthen floor. She has no pref
ty objects around her. Hammocks serve
as seats by day as we'll as beds by night
There is one low chair or stool on which
she sits while her busy fingers make the
garments Of the family. In one corner
stands bench and grinding stones. He1
hands grind all the corn used in thai
humble abode. The fire is built on thu
floor between three stones, on which
rests the clay pot or the disk for baking
tortillas. Outside at the back Of the hu
there is long dugout, serving as I
washtub, resting on trestles. There sh'
stands for some hours every day, he
small feet bare, soapsuds up to her ell
bows, yet her hands are small and pref
ty, her voice is sweet and low, her Ian
guage never rude, and if you approach
her hut she welcomes you with such per
feet grace and self possession, mingled
with cordiality, that you ask yourself j
she is not a princess in disguise. Sh
may be, but, alas! the palaces OF he
sires are crumbling away in the forest
where her husband cuts timber for hi
master, the white man, now owner o
the soil The dying race must bear it
fate, and the Maya woman meets j
snobly, with resignation and grace. :
Washington Post.