The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1902-04-02
THE TRANSFERCLOSED. MOROS OF MINDANAO


lI"'IIn hNN ' N"....'. l''e''ID"N N. Oh
Former Resident cot Honolulu
HaWUiis Young People for April cone
taius the following account OF the
Moros of Mindauao. Philippine Islands.
written by Cora w.. Townsend. formerly
of Honolulu
Take your maps and find the Philip
pine Islands. then look for the large
island called MindanuO. ON the south
western peninsula YOU win find a place
called IamDoanga. This little town on
the seasnore ts one of the many pretty
spots ON the island. There are thou
sands of cOCOanut trees near the shore
and for miles along the seacost and
towards the MOUNTAINS there are great
groves of these cocoa palms
Right ON the shore and partly over
the sea lis "a Moro village. The houses
are built ON piles which the natives
get from the woods and when the tide
comes i'm many of the houses are sur
rounded by water Bamboo on plank
ladders reach from the shore to Che
houses but it is as easy for "a little
Moro to jump into the water and swim
to the shore as it IFS for you To- run
down the garden path, and he likes 10 "a
great deal better. He swims and dives
like q fish. and takes no time To dress
and uEdrgSS. for he wears no clothes.
His skin lis very very brown because
the sun shines ON it so much, and the
sun is very hot i'm this part of the
world
Inc children Hy Kites Nnd play q
| throwing game, using smooth round
| STONES Nheh IheN nave no coppers. Ihey
sell bamboo jew 's-harps and shells, and
when they see an American they shout
/ "HallOO. JOINT or "HallOO, Baby Anne
ricano!" That is about all the English
, they Know,
When the children are SIX or seven
years old they wear a piece OF Moro
cloth as you wear a MALE lei from one
shoulder to the opposite side. Ihe
older girls wear a cloth around their
waists. This is sewed like "a bag with
| both ends open. The upper end Is
wound tightly about the body, and the
| lower one falls to their feet. Another
/ cloth is thrown across the shoulders
with one end sometimes over the mead.
The older boys are very poorly clad.
Sometimes they have but a loose PAR
| of trousers and turban; again it may
/ be slntight breaches and am old under
| shirt or possibly jacket two sizes too
small, and a sash knotted about the
| waist. These children have interesting
| faces, and perhaps when a school for
| the Moros is started we snail see them
! better dressed.
The Dato is their king, or governor
and he says they shall have a
| school where the children will learn to
| weave cloth. make hats and mats, fans
and baskets this kind of work suits a
! Moro much better than to learn to read
and write. If he can do something to
| earn a little money he is happy.
The men have queer clothes and look
quite gay. for they always try to wear
| bright colors. They wind a piece OF
| cloth of many colors about their heads
for a turbau Sometimes a cone-shap-
ed hat of bamboo and straw is worn i'm
place of the turban, but the usual head
dress is of cloth. Their shirts or jack
| cts are often red, green, yellow or pur-
lple. and fit tightly Around their waists
"a large sash is wound many times anC
tied in a queer knot. This sash is fol
many purposes, but mainly to faster
their trousers which are large anC
loose above, and very baggy. The
lower part or legs are OF gaudy cO.Or'
and fit skin tight. Some are buutonel
to the feet.
The women are dressed even wors,
than the men They look very untidN
and dirty. With heair uncombed anl
hanging i'm strings about their faces
with black teeth and Inns stained rec
! from chewing the beetle nut, they are
not at all pretty or attractive, Thei
clothes are not made to fit The uppe
part is a jacket or simply a long clotl
thrown across the shoulder; the lowe
garment is a loose pair of trousers sucl