The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-07-24
SOCIETY MANNAERs OF MOoRs.
Concentrations with Proverbs and
Koran Quotations.
From the Pail Mall Budget.

is hardly too much to say that the Moor,
of Whatever class, is born a gentleman.
There is such a grace about the humblest,
such an easy dignity, that whenever cir
cumstances place them in positions cali
ing for the exercise of courtesy, they sell
dom fail to respond, and thus it comes 10
pass that in a democratic nation, ia which
every man of ability-cunning, perhaps
would be the better word-may rise TO the
highest place, even though he start life
as slave, the self-proclaiming parvenu
is practically nOneXistent. This is not
however, TO imply that gaucherie and the
unpleasant manners which come from evil
dispositions or stupidity are unknown. I'm
fortunately, the life led by the average
Moor Is one that dWarfs refinement of in
tellect, as it does development of mind,
and the vices TO which the ma jOrity sue
cumb in early life too often stultify the
most prominent commencement. Probably
much of the graceful Difference of the
young MOOrs Is due to the respect they are
taught to pay to their elders, but some
thing also must be due to their unCon-
strained life and limbs and their ample
costumes, while their slOwness of action
takes an air of dignity
1t is a pretty sight to see two elderly,
dignified MOOrS salute. With measured
pace, the eyes of each fixed on those of
the other, they approach with a slight in
Gina ton, holding the right hands slightly
I
gether and commence a Volley of prescrib-
ed salutations, greetings and Inquiries,
hardly pausing to insert replies, and ejac-
ulate God be praised" Then each press
es the finger tips which have been honored
by contact with those of his friend against
his lips, and then upon his heart, as he
raises his head, and redoubles his saIuta-
tons.
To every fellow Muslin the greeting Is
given, ''Es-salam-a Iaikun'' ('Peace be IN
to YOU'D. To which the answer IS: EVA
aiaikum es-salam' C'And to you be
peace"). To the unbeliever the nearest
approach to this permitted is Ala salam
tax" con thy peace'O, which might mean
| anything. They way to speed the part
| ing guest is to exclaim God give thee
/ peace!' or, more CURLY, In peace TO
/ those whose presence has never been de-
sired it is usual to exclainn in tones suffl-
GENTLY explicit Allah thann-ak!' CGod
! protect thee!). On arrival it is custom
/ AIRY to eXclaim to the guest, Welcome to
| theer' or "Marhabban, ahlan We sahlan"
! ('Be welcome, at home, and at ease'O.
| Courteous inteTogatorie fall thick and
| fast How art thou? Thy house?'-the
nearest approach permitted to inquiry af
| ter a mans wfe-"Thy relatives. What
news? Is nothing wrong?" To which he
replies. if there is nothing specially TO COM
plain Of "All right thank God. All are
in prosperity" Or, # bad news has to
!
hand of Cod
When a Muslin meets a European &C
! companied by a Moor though the latter
! be the servant, he not infrequently ig
nores the presence of the foreigner and
| offers the saIutation of his co-religiOnist
only; but if he passes mixed company
| of MOors and Jews or Christians, he eN-
| claims, Peace be on the people of
| Tsla' mr. If two such parties meet on the
road the phrase is, Peace be to those ac-
companying the Jews or "the Naza-
| renes," and 1t is sufficient for one of each
party to give and return the greeting,
| though in the country several often do
so. Inferors saluting superiors usually
kiss the hand, shoulder, top of the turban,
| or feet, or the knee or stirrup OF a horse
man, according to the terms on which they
! approach The more abjeCt forms are nat
uraNy only used to implore a favor, though
| they are employed sometimes to Euro
peans. In the extremity of supplication
even the feet of ones horse are embraced.
The old custom of falling on one anoth-
er's necks is still in vogue between friends
long separated. Men and women restrict
their greetings in public TO words, but,
! personally I was somewhat startled by
the sudden embrace of a negress whose
freedom my father had been the means
of obtaining, when returning TO the coun-
try after some years absence. The kisses
on such occasions are, however, fortu-
nately delivered in the air or on the Shout
der 1t is customary to eXclaim at such
meeting Il have been desolated for thee!'
To judge from the EXPLANATIONS ever on
the tongues of the Moors, they might be
an extremely pious people, and no doubt
there are among them those who really
mean what they say, but generally the
most religious phrases have degenerated
into vain repetition. Elaborate curses fall
almost as freely.
When about 70 repeat some portion of
the Koran, or a prayer, the petition is
commonly uttered: Il take refuge with
God from Satan, the stoned;' and when
anything great or alarming occurs they
exclaim: There is neither change nor
power. save in God, the high. the
mighty" Quotations from the Koran are
also freely introduced in conversation by
the learned, as are proverbs and sayings
by the generality of MOors a knowledge
of which is a great help in conversation.
Several little social usages of Moorish
life deserve attention, though not confn-
ed to Morocco, such as the exclamation
to one who sneezes: The forgiveness of
God be on me and on thee" to which
the reply is: Justice and praise TO God"'
| If a man who yawus i'm public does not
use the prescribed formula, any one
speaking to him may place the back of
his hand to his mouth, utterng a pious
sentence, as the devil is accredited "a
performing an unpleasant operation in
yawning mouths. on the other hand, any
one wearing a new garment or looking
specially spruce or having performed
some clever or meritorious act, receives
the compliment. "Bi sahh't-ak' GIN thy
strength'D. But il occasion should arise
for the mention, in polite society or be-
fore a superior of a woman. a pig or a
Jew it is incumbent TO make use of an
apology, "IIash-akr
4 Moor knows how TO enjoy a good joke
to the fun, and, seated on the floor, he
bends backward and forward without re-
straint in his laughter Often the teller OF
the story will join in the process, too
Raising their right hands far above their
heads as they roll back, they bring them
together in a hearty shake. There never
was a grander way of enjoying a joke
invented. The women, when happy, give
vent to their feelings by a shrill ''Yoo
| 700. 700 700, VOC yoo YOGI,