TALK ON BAGDAD

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 122, 25 May 1937, Page 14

TALK ON BAGDAD

LIFE OF EASTERN WOMEN

UNHYGIENIC CONDITIONS

Miss Dorothy Mills, who recently returned", to Wellington from a trip to. The East, was the principal speaker at a meeting of the Social Service Club of the Wellington College Old Girls' Association held last night in the S. P. Andrew Studios. : Miss Mills, who was introduced by Mrs. W. O. Urquhart (club president), gave many interesting sidelights on the mode of living in Bagdad1 where she had stayed for nine months. Dealing with the idea of co'our in Eastern cities, she said that in Bagdad in.particular the native dres'i was dull and almost drab. Ther-* were no romantic desert sheiks on prancing steeds (in fact, she only saw one all the time she was in the city), and for the most part both women and men wore brown or black robes. The life of high-class Arabian women was very hard, every woman living in a state of strict purdah. Heavy veils were worn, ana no male, save husband, father, or brother might see their faces. The betrothal of a young couple was entirely arranged by the parents of both people, and the bride was never, under any circumstances, allowed to communicate - with her prospective husband, either ■by letter or meetings. The Arabian woman wore no colours, save black, : at all, and when out walking or drivi ing was always discreetly veiled and screened away from public view. In i appearance, when in such garb, they i rather resembled parcels, for they ■ looked the same from any angle. Ani other interesting point about Eastern I women was that, in colouring, they ■ were not always dark. One young girl I she had known had auburn /hair, a i fair skin and complexion, and blue . eyes. The life of a low-class woman F was - somewhat freer, but involved i much hard-work. The^ average man : in Bagdad was very lazy, and depends ed largely on his wife (or wives) for : support.. The daily routine of one of E these women' was: arduous-. On rising > she would go and collect enough water : for daily needs' (which did not include t washing), and fuel for cooking. Mud r ovens, in appearance rather like those > used by the Maoris, were used, and ) cakes made of native flour were baked, • these, with dates and a few other na- : tive foods, were the staple diet of an r average household. i There was fio hygiene in Bagdad at i all, stated Miss Mills. Water was : scarce, and because of its paucity, it was precious. As the Arabs were - naturally a very dirty race, disease E was rife, the Bagdad boil, being a ' particularly,1 unpleasant and virulent - form. Flies swarmed over the whole » city, and helped to spread the germs, , youw? children being particularly sus- . ceptible. There was no drainage at E all. ' All refuse water went under the houses* and as the soil consisted main- . ly of very porous sand it soon sank . under. There were open irrigation ( ditches in the street, which were very i dirty, and in which the women (nai tive) quite often washed their vege- ; . tables. Altogether, these- things, comr bined with the multitudinous unsays oury smells always associated with the r East, helped to detract considerably ; from the charm of the city. However, i as Bagdad was 600 miles away from Damascus, and had little contact with . Western civilisation... it was natural j (hat the people should dwell in such ~ confusion,,-a.nd. under such unhygienic : _ conditions??-'" "■' Miss. Mills gave some vivid wordpictures of the temples and religious - life ofthe Moslems, and concluded by ■ handing round various photos and 1 curiosshe had gathered in! the native - bazaars'..: ■■ ■ .-; '■'■,] .: \ r - A hearty vote' >of thanks was accorded to Miss Mills, who promised * to give a talk on "Palestine" at a later i. date. 3 Miss Roma Bitossi gave several " amusing recitations, and supper was s served.