Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1900-03-02
PHILIPPINE WOMEN
DO NOT DIFFER FROM SISTERS
OF OTHER LANDS.

A Miniature Representative of Their Home Life
at Glen Island, N. Y.-Fiiipino Women Have
Their Own Work to Do-They Have Like
wise Their Own Opinions to Exprs,s-They
are Clever in Weaving and Embroiderins-
The Filipino Dress--They Love JeweIry. but
Do Not Care for Flowers They are Fond of
Music and Superstitious.
New York Tribune.
To the woman student OF ethnology,
who prefers to make the acquaintance
OF her sisters so recently acquired by
law, the little Filipino village that has
recently erected its picturesque
thatched rooftrees at Glen Island Of
fers opportunities close at hand.
Here, surrounded by veritable Phil
ippine gardens OF rotous squashes,
oleaginous castor bean plants and the
vivid scarlet blossoms of the hibiscus,
four little Filipino sisters, with their
husbands, brothers and babies, have
set up their looms and fire places of
pottery, and, unabashed by the crowds
of spectators who flatten their noses at
the palings which bar the entrances
to the tiny homes, have taken up
their usual scheme Of living.
Accompanied by Professor L. M.
Mccormick, The naturalist and curator
of the museum at the island, The Tri-
bume representative was warmly re-
ceived by the small brown hostesses,
who stretched out slender hands for
an American "shake," and showed
gleam of white teeth and a flash of
dark eyes in broad smile of vel.
come.
81 have tried" said the genial pro-
fessor," to make this little village q
genuine reproduction of real Filipino
village. You see, we have even the
front wall Of the fort that Admiral
Dewey's guns knocked down at Cavite.
All the material for the village we
brought with us. The looms, as you
see, represent the principal work of
the women.
"The Filipino women never do
mems work. You never see them
working in the fields or doing any
heavy work. Indeed, the men oftener
do what might be consid cred the wo-
mems work. After working in the
woods and fields all day they will
often come home and pound the rice
for the women to cook for supper.
The women do all the cooking and
washing, and when that is done they
sit in their cabins and weave the
cloth. No writer has ever mentioned
the fact that know of, but it is a
noteworthy one, that the larger half of
the brain work in the Philippines is
done by the women.
"They have a great influence in the
country. They are never judges, or
consuls, or office-holders of any kind,
but things said in the cabin at night
in family conclave, have a great effect
in the affairs OF the village next day.
Whenever any affair of moment comes
up up among the ordinary people it is
the clear-headed women who argue
matters out with the men.
1.-THE women are exceptionally
clever with their fingers, showing
great skill in embroidering and weav-
ing. In making the durable pima
cloth the women 60 to the woods, cut
the pineapple leaves, take them to
their huts and with dull knife scrape
off the pulp. The leaves are COM
posed OF fibres about yard long, or
the fnN length OF the leaf. These
fibres are then put overnight into a
decoction OF bark to tan. This pro-
duces the silvery white effect. The
following day the women sit down,
take the fibres and splice them TO-
gethef, end for end, afterward reeling
them off in skein ready for the
weaving.
"Most of the pima cloth is exquisite.
ly fine, and is woven both plain and
in plaids or checks. The abaca,
which is the main article OF export
from the Philippines, is sometimes
the Manila hemp. 1t grows exactly
like the banana, but instead of ripen-
ing into flesh fruit it throws out a
heavy pod. The men cut this abaca
and take out the fbres as the women
do out of the pineapple leaves.
Then they make it up into bales for
export, saving out for the women the
finest of the ibres.
"The abaca is frequently sold in
this country for stiffening, its wiry
properties making it much like the
more expensive horsehair.
"Still another silky fabric is ringi,
made from the fibre of an edible ba.
mana tree. The silk industry also
fiourishes in the islands, the silk be-
ing woven by itself or mixed with the
pineapple in stripes and plaids. The
Filipino women are fond OF bright
colors, but, unlike the Hawaiian wo-
men, do not care for flowers in deco.
rating themselves or their dwellings.
They are always puzzled at the eager.
ness that American or European
travellers display in collecting the or
chids which grow there in abundance.