In Praise of the Pareu

But the European Must Walk Warily

IN the torrid climate of the Equatorial Zone, the Pareu, or kilt, is the most essential of the several items of clothing and haberdashery which com bine to make the perfect man.

Moreover, these graceful draperies of brilliant scarlet or royal blue constitute —in an age of hideous uniformity of “PANTS”—the only civilian costume that recalls something of the elegance of Eighteenth Century masculine attire.

A man clad in a spotless, white coat and a scarlet Pareu is, verily, a thing of beauty; and, if he be well proportioned, a figure of dignity, as well.

Yet, notwithstanding the greater con cealment by the Pareu, as compared with the Highland Kilt, and our willingness to assume the “wee breeks” of the Scot tish costume, we are not permitted to display our pulchritude to the public eye.

One might parade along the highways, clad in the shortest of shorts, and absolutely nothing else. These meagre garments conform with the classifica tion, as pants; and, so, are acceptable.

But should a European (or a Tahitian, for that matter) clad in a white linen coat, shoes, high half-stockings and a Pareu (!!!) appear on the highway, he would create a scandal that might shake the mountains to their foundations.

We are compelled to hide our light under the bushel of our domicile.

REAL, sound, Pareu cloth of fadeless colours, comes from England. A cheap, shoddy ersatz variety came from Japan.

During six long years, we have cher ished our meagre supply of Pareu kilts.

We have mended and patched them with fragments of old window curtains and other odds and ends, until they have come to resemble the Biblical Joseph’s coat of many colours; but, within our castle walls, we have resolutely refused to bow to the tyranny of pants.

And, now, we are rejoiced to learn that a fresh supply of Pareu cloth is on a ship, voyaging by way of Panama, to the Islands.

To avoid a “mob scene”, resembling the nylon stocking riots in the States, our importers have requested us to register our requirements before the arrival of the ship.

Soon, we may lay aside our patched and threadbare Pareu, and re-establish our self-respect by adorning our persons with draperies of unblemished splendour!

—Acr