File:Shans at home (1910) (14590775610).jpg

Identifier: cu31924023077252 (find matches)
Title: Shans at home
Year: 1910 (1910s)
Authors: Milne, Leslie, Mrs., 1860-1952 Cochrane, Wilbur Willis
Subjects: Shan (Asian people)
Publisher: London : J. Murray
Contributing Library: Cornell University Library
Digitizing Sponsor: MSN

View Book Page: Book Viewer
About This Book: Catalog Entry
View All Images: All Images From Book
Click here to view book online to see this illustration in context in a browseable online version of this book.

Text Appearing Before Image:
fringe, whichis only allowed to grow long as she approaches amarriageable age. It is worn twisted into a tight coilon the top of the head. Shans wash their hair two or three times a week;they loosen the coil and comb it out several times inthe day, and are much concerned if it is not thickand long. Women who may have thin hair sometimescut it off, presenting it to the image-house, where ithangs among other curious offerings. They do notexpect any immediate answer to their sacrifice, buthope that in their next life they may have luxurianttresses. When they are thus shorn, they either buya switch of hair in the market or wear that of abrother or son which had been cut off when he becamea monk. A Shan woman has no desire to keep secretsuch an addition to her coiffure. When she washesher head in the stream, the additional tail is alsowashed ; then waved in the wind to dry. Should herfriends see her, she does not feel in the least abashed,but talks to them, waving her additional locks with
Text Appearing After Image:
WOMAN IN WORKING DRESS. p. 68) EAR ORNAMENTS 69 the greatest indifference. She is not ashamed of herpurchase ; why, then, should she be ashamed of wash-ing it in public ? The turbans of Shan women completely hide thehair, but often, especially when the weather is hot,women wear neither turban nor jacket; the upperskirt is also discarded, and the under skirt, or petti-coat—always dark blue or black in colour—is tied verytightly under the arms by a string which is knottedacross the chest. If a Shan girl is working, she is notashamed to be seen by her friends, whether they aremen or women, in this undress attire ; when, however,she is not working, she is much concerned if sheis seen decoiffee; she feels that there should be anapparent reason for appearing in deshabille. Shanwomen, when they become elderly, sometimes worknude to the waist, especially when they carry rolls ofcloth, newly dyed, to be washed in the stream, but onerarely sees young women in a semi-nude condition. The ears

Note About Images