Green Labels Wont Do In India: White Is Unpopular In China

New Zealand Listener, Volume 4, Issue 91, 21 March 1941, Page 42

Green Labels Wont Do In India: White Is Unpopular In China

F a New Zealand firm contemplated setting out to capture the Eastern market with some commodity such as tinned green peas, it would do well to consult Miss C. Crichton Imrie, the world traveller who is giving a series of talks entitled "Far Horizons" from the ZB stations. Miss Crichton Imrie has a considerable fund of knowledge about the East, and in her travels has made a special study of religious prohibitions and caste problems. Accordingly she would be able to inform any firm which hoped to sell tinned peas in India that it was no use presenting them with a green label, for that would mortally offend several million devout followers of a certain religion. Nor would it be any use attempting to sell tinned pickled pork to another sect, or anything with a cow on the label to yet another sect. And in China it pays to remember that white, is a symbol of mourning, and red and yellow are the most popular colours. Miss Crichton Imrie has been a particularly keen observer of the religious rites and festivals of native races. Deep, instinctive religious feelings govern the most trivial actions of even such savage tribes as the Dyak head hunters of Borneo, who, before they go into the forest to cut rattan, will pray for | direction in their task.

While in Japan she watched the ceremony of the "Blessing of the Rice." A special plot of land is chosen for growing rice for the Emperor and the Imperial family, and a shrine is built overlooking the spot, streamers and shinto symbols decorate the fencing, and the planters of the rice bathe ceremoniously in a_ specially erected

bath house. Scores of Shinto priests take part in the actual blessing of the rice, and after the ceremony lasting two hours it is planted to the accompani ment of prayers for the success of the crop. While Miss Crichton Imrie was living in the East she played a part in the marketing of New Zealand produce there. Her " Far Horizon" talks are a further item in the ZB campaign to promote "apple consciousness," and they are heard every Wednesday afternoon at three o’clock from all the Commercial stations.