Burma . in thickness. Finer and more pliable mats aremade of the reed thabdw. The finest of all are made of the outer skin of thethin plant. Thimbyu is the universal sleeping-mat. The cloth used in Burma is now, for the most part, imported, as are also thecotton yarns, both plain and coloured. Nevettheless, the domestic cloth industrycontinues to flourish in the villages. Native textile cotton (wo) is of twovarieties, one white, the other dun. The cotton, after being culled from theplants, is seeded between wooden rollers. The fibre, caked together by therollers, is scutched by flicking it off
Burma . in thickness. Finer and more pliable mats aremade of the reed thabdw. The finest of all are made of the outer skin of thethin plant. Thimbyu is the universal sleeping-mat. The cloth used in Burma is now, for the most part, imported, as are also thecotton yarns, both plain and coloured. Nevettheless, the domestic cloth industrycontinues to flourish in the villages. Native textile cotton (wo) is of twovarieties, one white, the other dun. The cotton, after being culled from theplants, is seeded between wooden rollers. The fibre, caked together by therollers, is scutched by flicking it off the~ string of a bow into a basket, wherethe fibres disperse is then worked be-tween the palms intoflakes convenient for thespinner {baing-hngin).The plain spindle, com-mon everywhere inIndia, is obsolete inBurma, where even thehill-people use thewheel{yit). With the excep-tion of the stuff for the K 2idlM^HHH^Bt%li^^^H V ^^ ^^:-^c--?:?-? .• ^U^^M 125. PLAITING WALL-MATS, IVMA VI NG 59. 126. BINDINQ THE THATCH. recluses robes, cloth is not dyedin the piece, but in the used for cotton are nowchiefly imported, but the in-digenous dyes continue to beused for silk. The Burmansexcel in yellows, oranges, deepreds, and rich deep greens,which they harmonise with beau-tiful effect. Their clear bluesand purples are in a few localities, whereweaving is a speciality, the mentake no share in the industrybeyond constructing the looms. Women spin and dye the yarn and weavethe cloth. The lath of the loom (lekka) is of graceful outline—often elaboratelycarved—and is furnished with two ornamented metal pins, with loose metal rings,that jangle at each swing of the beam, and proclaim the industry of the youngwoman, to whom this business chiefly falls. Hence it comes that the loom is afavourite rendezvous. The same applies to other occupations of the girls, suchas rice-cleaning, when the suitor will take a turn at the heavy part of the workand lounge whi
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, bookidcu31, booksubjectethnology
