Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-09-07
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would follow another and less
tragic tradition Of the Dyaks.
And had they not taken things
into their own hands that day
probably would have suggested
It for the happiness of these
people is very dear TO me.
This custom called Nunghup
Bui-allows young man 20
carry a girl off to his own viii
lage If her parents won't con-
sent TO have him for a son-in-
law II is strange way, too. in
which the wild man of Borneo"
elopes with his bride
even suspect that many
Dyak mammas and papas say
NO" emphatically in hopes that
the young man will carry their
daughter away. The custom of
Nunghup Bui has real advan-
tages for the brides parents.
Only a short time ago. We
laughed when we heard the story
Of how Yum ran away with her
Dyak boy-fnend in utter def
ance. yet returned home trium-
plant To be married with all the
pomP and splendor of any Dyak
wedding
She couldn't have learned her
technique from the glamour girls
of the movies. for although we
have very fine movie house in
Kuching and natives all dressed
up in their very best travel for
days to get there, We never show
love stories We learned that
screen romances were a mistake
IN Sarawak the first time we
showed one and everyone Kissed
The disagrecbalc noises from the
natives started when the CLAM
our boy kissed his girl friend and
the sounds grew worse with every
embrace
THE natives never kiss one an
! other and II can't be because
they worry about germs-thcy
just don't like kissing but touch
cheeks gently instead They
d'a't 20 in for petting Of any
kind>either [tn spite Of the beau
tiful tropical moon.
Now "root-a-toot-to stories
OF the wild west, and cowboy
stories in particular, are the
things we SHOW at the movies
But the revolving colored lights
in the theater vestibule fascinate
more than anything else One
Of the funniest things ever saw
was an old Dyak man dressed
IN a discarded corset ne had
picked up somewhere "A brand
new straw hat on his head. stand
ing there patiently trying 10 cap
ture the colors as they passed
over his hands.
But maybe IL was the spirit
Of the wild-wcst after an added
10 an old. old custom that made
little Yum and her man turn
their clopement into such a com
edy that they finally got the pa
rental blessing
One day she met her lover. by
arrangement, at the water-side
where he waited for her in his
boat. tremendously she raised
and waved one of the paddles
landward as she stepped into the
craft with delight think Of
this as a sort Of figuratiye
"thumbing f-the-nose" at pa
rental rule in affairs OF the
heart
In a moment they both were
settled in the boat. pulling away
from the shore as fast as they
could go
The Dyak father, who some
how had word Of what was 20
happen followed but not too
fast because he know that If
tins was a traditional clopement
there would be presents along
the way for him In Sarawak
the Dyak suitor who dares steal
the girl he loves must pay dearly
for her although the actual value
Of his gifts probably wouldn't
amount 10 much If converted into
cash
X/HEN Yum and her boy-fricnd
w were far enough ahead so
there was no risk OF being over
taken Immediately. they pulled
for the shore and left on the
bank a gun which Yuns father
always had coveted. That would
put the old man In good spirits
right away they thought Farther
down the line they stopped again
and left two beautiful Jars and
other gifts were left at intervals.