TRAVELLEAVE NO. 2 "East of Suez"

Serial Waves, Volume 2, Issue 2, 27 September 1940, Page 6

TRAVELLEAVE NO. 2 "East of Suez "

by

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- Manukau t muddy. Aucklanders thought it was un.ti.l_they-reached "far-off©nd propellers disturbed a porridge-of- Rotorua-like, consistency. Inglorious foreground to a fascinating Asiatic picture

skylined on misty haze, as crude dhows make homeward under sunlit lateen sails 5 quaint craft rigged in the primitive manner of Biblical days. In a New Zealander’s eyes, strange indeed are the evidences of ancient civilisation, little changed through centuries. Customs & modes of days gone by continue, uninfluenced by progressiveness alongside. Sharp contrasts occur in all phases of life in this mystic land. British enterprise has established Westernism alongside deeprooted habits of living, hallowed by age if by nothing else. European & dark peoples blend interests in commerce & in industry* Renowned for his fearlessness & his endurance, the soldier of this land enjoys universal fame, & we admire the bearing of these warriors in their distinctive dress. Civic & Government Servants wear a diversity i of uniforms, perhaps the most picturesque being that of the metropolitan policeman, who is a colourful figure in blue and yellow. An engraved brass plate brightly proclaims ,the wearer’s employment, & also advertises his firm. Possession of an umbrella denotes prosperity. The women of the country are notably beautiful in their traditional saris of delicate pastel tints, draping gracefully, exquisitely embroidered. Sometimes veiled, they walk with faultless deportment. Adherents of various faiths practise their rites inglorious temples, sanctuaries for devout worship in which infidels may not tread. Aesthet- ‘ ically, these temples are remarkable for their intricate designs. From gardens of indigenous trees, palms and hedges, they rise as monuments to, past’centuries. We noted also the construction of new buildings, and the amount of human labour involved. In moving concrete from the mixer, to which the materials had been fetched by man-power, or in ox-drawn carts, women and men ran with dishes on their heads to the chain of workers on the scaffolding, who- in turn passed the concrete to the top, while children returned the empty pans groundwards. Slowly, another business house was evolving, to take its place in the big city, while in the shadows, beneath the elaborate grandeur, the masses exist in crowded millions, earning a precarious livelihood at occupations typical of this country. i Our brief visit proved most interesting, and provided an enlightening insight into the complicated life of a mysterious land, and a glimpse of\ / the profound faiths that endure the ages. ' ' \