Morris tribune., 1895-09-11
THE MAYA WOMEN.
THEY ARE INTELLIGENT, SWEET TEM-
PERED AND BEAUTIFUL.

i PEhED AMI BEAUTIFUL.
In the Olden Times These Wives of TIL
/ First Owners of America Were tn
1 Mothers of Courageous Race, and The
Never Looked Into Mirror.
An unfamiliar word, but as old as TIN
hills almost, is this word Maya Anon,
the Brahmans it means illusion and i
the names Of the earth, the materia
| world, which, according to the Brah
manical doctrine, is nonexistent - al
illusion. Maya Dew was the name q
the beautiful mother of Buddha Mayt
in the feminine energy of Brahma an6
the mother of all the gods, even Of
Brahaa 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 s'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 were naviga-
tors, their boats being depicted in very
ancient books and paintings. In 1909,
when Columbus came to America for
the fourth time, he met OIL the high
seas large boat, in which were men,
women and children. It 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 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 ssns 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 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 if /. girl
showed awant of shyness the indignant
matron 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 |
beauty, one bride, the 9TH
or 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 |
Heath 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 as the men,
TO have had equal power in politics and |
equal authority.
Today, when business is to be trans
,cted, the wife takes the active part, her
husband nodding his head afirmatively. |
It is not that she desires to domineer,
but because he looks up to her, relying
IN her Judgment. She complies with
admirable moderation and modesty. She
s eloquent and forceful without being
and she never scolds. When
Ter husband gets himself into trouble,
he pleads for him, being more able
easoner than he is. If he gets intoxicat-
ID, she guides him home. If he strikes
Ter, she says, HE does not know what
le is doing" regarding him with an
relic forbearance, SO that domestic
,rawls are quite unknown. It is her
pleasure to give him the best of what
hey have, keeping for herself the
worst.
This woman's home has matched
oof and earthen floor. She has no pref
y objects around her. Hammocks serve
IS seats by day as well as beds by night.
there is one low chair or stool on which
he sits while her busy fingers make the
garments Of the family. In one corner
lands bench and grinding stones. Her
lands grind all the corn used in that
tumble abode. The fire is built on the
loor between three stones, on which