| caption: |
cutting and threshing rice by swinging |
| text: |
In between the tall leaves of the taro plants, the boys now stood and cut the rice which was carried to the field hut by small boys. Here several youths were threshing the stalks, the sweat running down their faces while they held on to braided ropes which are pulled around the rafters of the roof. The rice was already deep on the big mat. This method can only be used because the rice comes of the stalk easily and can be pulled off even by hand. The owner of the field was watching them work but I do not know whether he might not have participated himself once I had gone. He was only wearing his belt. |
