WOMEN’S PARADISE

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 10, Issue 13, 19 August 1946, Page 2

WOMEN’S PARADISE

DISHWASHING BECOMES MEN’S CHORES

HOUSEHOLD SERVANTS DO EVERYTHING

Women, especially American women, like living in sunny Egypt, writes Hal Boyle, an overseas correspondent. It isn’t because the pyramids are romantic by moonlight and stores are full of nice, expensive things to buy. It isn’t because they can go out and trade secrets with the

Sphinx or because there are so many night clubs with dance bands. It

isn’t even because they can take a long nap every afternoon. No, it’s all because of dirty dishes, bane of every housewife’s existence. “We don’t have to wash them hex-e!” the ladies exclaim deliriously. That little chore is strictly man’s work in this female paradise by the Nile.

The odd character's who take over this task are known as “safragis.” The best are Sudanese, tall, well built, muscular, moustached Moslems weai'ing striking scars on their faces as if they had spent the weekend at Heidelberg University and lost a few casual sabre encounters. Actually the scars are tribal beauty marks inflicted during childhood by doting parents and dubbed with salt so they will show up well in later life.

The safragis are household servants de luxe, doing cleaning and often marketing and cooking.