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THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE 



KAYAN WOMEN AND GIRLS OP TAMA APING BUUENG S HOUSE ON THE UPPER 

 TINJAR RIVER: SARAWAK, BORNEO 



Obesity is a badge of feminine beauty in Turkey, small feet in China, and large ears 

 among the women of Sarawak. Some of these youthful Borneo belles have suffered a perma- 

 nent blemish to their charms by trying to grow beautiful in a hurry ; their ears have been 

 broken in the attempt to stretch the lobes rapidly by attaching weights greater than human 

 flesh could bear. 



quently to recover breath and ideas. At 

 each pause the crowd drones out a chorus, 

 "Ara Wi Wi Ara," and when the singer 

 finally has exhausted his resources in 

 complimentary phrases, he raises the cup 

 to the lips of the guest, who drinks, while 

 the crowd joins in a prolonged shout until 

 the last drop is drained. 



This ceremony possesses an advantage 

 over our method of drinking a health in 

 that among the Kayans the guest gets the 

 drink. On certain occasions it is proper 

 etiquette to spill a few drops of the rice 

 wine over the rail of the gallery for the 

 benefit of any spirits that may be lurking 

 outside. 



After the drinking song had ended the 

 welcoming of our party, the talk turned 

 upon the news of the country, the gossip 

 of the household, and the disputes that 

 had arisen among themselves or with 



neighboring houses since the Resident's 

 previous visit. 



Throughout the evening and well into 

 the early hours of the morning, the Resi- 

 dent sat patiently listening to the troubles 

 of his people, counseling and encourag- 

 ing them and rendering his decisions in 

 cases that were brought before him. 



As I understood none of the Kayan 

 language, I was glad to be excused and 

 return to the launch, where I had been 

 sleeping comfortably on the deck in the 

 cool, tropical night for several hours be- 

 fore the Resident could leave the almost 

 endless talk of his Kayan friends. 



THE SOCIAL HOUR AT BARAM 



The Residency at Baram is pleasantly 

 situated on a grassy knoll overlooking the 

 river, where about sunset we were wont 

 to sit in the cool evening breeze, while the 



