Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1895-08-20
TIE MAYA WOMEN.
THEY ARE INTELLIGENT, SWEET Tenn
PERED AND BEAUTIFUL.


Never Looked Into a Mirror.
An unfamiliar word. but as old as the
hills almost. is this word sIaya Among
the Brahmans it means illusion and is
the name II the earth. the material
world. which. according TO the Brah-
| uanical doctrine. il aonexistent - an
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 us that Maya is the good moth
er of all gods and men. In Japan the
goddess Maya is still worshiped- The
beautiful Indian poem "Ramayana"
| tells us about a great navigator named
Maya, who in ages long gone by took
forcible possession of the countries at
the south of the Hindoostanee peninsula
and settled there.
The Maya people of America were in
| olden times :. great nation, occupying
the territory comprised between the 18TH
mus Of Tehuantepec and that of Da-
rien. We know that they We're naviga-
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 large boat. in which we're men,
women and children. Ii also had car
| go of merchandise. consisting of weap-
ons, tools. products Of the earth and
ready made garments The travellers
! called themselves Mayas. They We're in
the habit of travelling TO Cuba and other
| islands TO trade with their inhabitants.
| The Mayas We're neatly clothed in white
cotton raiment. They We're self possessed
and courteous. Fifteen years later their
land, today called Yucatan, was invad-
ed by the Spaniards, but it cost the
white lnen % years of warfare to get
control of that country, for every Maya
| fought like a hero They We're sons of
| fearless mothers.
In reading the works left by the
Spanish chroniclers-priests who ac-
companied the soldiers-we learn that
| the Maya women were very good look
ing, as many are mt 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 man, and if u girl
showed want of shyness the indignant
| matron would pinch her arms. After
| the Spaniards We're 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
l er maiden, and they hanged both, so
J 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.
/ 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 MS the men,
to have had equal power in politics and
| equal authority
/ Today, when business is to be trans
acted, the wife takes the active part, her
husband nodding his head affirmatively.
} 1t 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 forceful 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. If he gets intoxicat-
ed, she guides him home. II he strikes
her, she says, HE does not know what
he is doing" regarding him with an
gelic forbearance. SO that domestic
1 brawls are quite unknown. 1t is her
| pleasure to give him the best of what
they have, keeping for herself the
j worst.
This woman's home has matched
roof and earthen floor. She has no pref
ty objects around her. Hammocks serve
as seats byfday as well as beds by night
There isone 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. Her
hands grind all the corn used in that
humble abode. The fire is built en- the
floor between three stones, on which
rests the clay pot or the disk for baking
| tortillas. 0nfsideat the back Of the hut
there is long dugout, serving as a
washtub. resting on treStles. There she
stands for some hours every day, her
small feet bare. soapsuds MP to her ell
bows. yet i.er HANDS are small and pref
ty, her voice is sweet and low. her Ian
guage never rrde. and If you approach
her hut she Welcomes you with snch per-
feet grace and self possession, mingled
with cOrdiality THAT you ask yourself If