TEETH BLACKING AMONGST THE MALAYS. 

 By L, Wrat, Jun. 



The Malays have a curious, and ta European ideas dis- 

 agreeable custom of filing and blacking the teeth.* The 

 substance employed for this latter purpose is called " baja." 

 Marsden says it is "a metallic and perhaps antimonial pre- 

 paration for giving a black colour to the teeth, for which 

 purpose an emjiyreumatic oil is chiefly used in Sumatra." 

 Crawfurd says, " 'Baja,' an empyreuniatic oil, obtained by 

 burning the husk and shell of the coconut, used for staining 

 the teeth black." Clifford and Swettenham, in their recently 

 published Dictionary, say, " 'Baja,' a preparation used by Malays, 

 both men and women, to give a black and shining appearance 

 to the teeth. Note : this preparation is made by burning the 

 hard shell of the coconut (' tempurong') and mixing the soot 

 thus obtained with a little oil. In many parts of the Peniusida 

 the soot obtained by burning the leaves of the lime tree is 

 preferred." 



The first part of Marsden' s explanation would indicate 

 that some black metallic powder, mixed presumably with a 

 drying oil, was painted on to the teeth. The same method 

 is given by Clifford and Swettenham only that charcoal is 

 said to be the basis of the paint. According to Crawfurd's 

 and the latter parts of Marsden's description the substance 

 used is not a paint but a self coloured varnish. 



There being so much doubt about the true nature of the 

 substance the subject seemed worth inquiring into, and with 

 this object an old Malay, a native of Larut, was induced to 

 shew the whole process of the preparation of the " baja." 



There are two distinct sorts, known as " baja tempurong " 

 and " baja kayu." The first being prepared from the shell of 

 the coconut, and the second from various kinds of wood. 



* Note : — -In the eighteenth century blacking the teeth was still 

 practised in Russia. An English woman, Mrs. Vigor, writing about 

 the year 1730, says, in describing a lady she saw, that '' she was 

 exceedingly handsome when her mouth is shut but as frightful when 

 it is open, her teeth being dyed black, and shining as if japanned. I 

 really fear that I started when she first opened her mouth." 



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