Women of Ceylon Build Solid Family Life

Lake County Mail, Issue 31, 24 December 1947, Page 5

Women of Ceylon Build Solid Family Life

Boca’se they feel that their contribution to the stabilisation of world affjirs can best be made by keeping -w'iieir own immediate sphere in order, the women of Ceylon are devoting r their efforts to strengthening the unity of their family life, according to Gem Paulickpulle, young teacher from Ceylon who until recently was studying art in the United States, Unlike many who go to a strange —— 9 .'nit*' Miss Paulickpulle never jumps to conclusions when observing customs or actions which puzzle her. She asks questions and tries to understand the situation before passing judgment. “We all interpret conditions in the light of our own past,” she explained, “ and that docs not always produce the right answer.” Husband Walks in Front In her own country, for instance, tradition demands that the husband walk ahead of his wife. Occidentals, comparing this with their own view of courtesy which expects the woman to walk beside the man or to precede him, sometimes interpret this custom as an indication of,the husband’s feeling of superiority. That is not the reason at all, this young Indian woman said. In Ceylon, the husband walks ahead of his wife to make sure that the way is safe, and that the path is smooth. Even though marriages arc arranged, and wives must bring dowries to their husbands, the woman in the home occupies a place of high esteem, Miss Paulickpulle said. ■ While single, girls may work as they do in this country, as doctors, lawyers, teachers, stenographers, or salesgirls. But they do not work after marriage. It is an accepted fact *that husbands must support their wives, and wives must make a good home for their husbands, and bring up a family. Wives have much leisure and time for neighbourly visits because servants can be hired at small cost. Even in poorer homes, Miss Paulickpulle said, wives have time for their own pursuits because they simplify their living. No -False Pretenses Instead of chairs and tables which require constant dusting, these poorer people use mats and carpets. They do without cutlery, too, and cat with their fingers, so that after a meal they have nothing to wash except the cooking utensils and .their own fingers. Bananas grow the year round, and a banana leaf from the garden provides a plate for rice and curry, and can be discarded. There is no strain to keep up standards of living beyond their means. Thus, in Ceylon, women give their full attention to the welfare of their homes, and families enjoy things together. Father, mother, uncles, and aunts will all go together to an entertainment planned entirely for live-year-olds. The family will get its enjoyment through the pleasure of its youngsters. Teen-agers arc not shunted off with just their own group, but participate in all the family plans. It is a disgrace for a wife in Ceylon to be divorced. Even if she gets the divorce, she is considered a failure as a wife. The Ceylonese husband consults his wife on matters of importance, and while he may occasionally disregard her advice to follow his own plan, Miss Paulickpulle said that it is not considered the proper thing to do. And the Eastern husband, she said, is always extremely thoughtful of his wife. Miss Paulickpulle has spoken Engli shall her life. It is the chief language of the Colombo Chetty community where she lives. The ancestors of the people in this community, she related, came .to Ceylon about 400 years ago because of religious persecution when they were converted from Hinduism to Christianity. (Miss Paulickpulle herself is a Christian.) Three Languages for Many They took up the language of the ru ] er —fi rs t Portugese, then Dutch, then English. But Singhalese and Tamli are also spoken in Ceylon, and many speak all three languages, The idea of having women active in politics is still new in Ceylon, but one woman was elected and served a term on the State Council, and women will come to the fore politically if the need arises, Miss Paulickpulle asserted. She has been active in the work of the Young Women’s Christian Association in Ceylon, having served as president of one of its branches. Miss Paulickpulle looked like a storybook princess in her beautiful Ceylonese garb, even to the diamond sparkling from the left side of her nose. She said that she considers the women of her country fortunate because they never have to cope with fashion changes.

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• incut the contour of lier facial lines. To young girls and women with large faces. Westniore offers this advice: “The hair should he worn loosely, in large waves, in large pincurls,,ete. If the eyebrows are short in length, they should be extended through the use of eyebrow pencil in a natural curve to a point just beyond the outer corner of the eye —thus avoiding exaggeration. “ Rouge on a large face,” says Westmore. “ is one of the most important items in creating an illusion of greater length. It should be applied in a modified triangle, starting at the centre of the cheek even with the centre of the eye, shading from this point to the temple, and down very faintly over the jaw line. “ The shape of the mouth is of major importance, too, since a small mouth only accentuates breadth in the lower half of the face. It’s wise to draw the mouth to its full width —and if the mouth is naturally small, both uppei and lower lips should be built up to better proportion.” Consult your mirror for the truth, if’ .1 friend that doesn’t lie.