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pg 2 Why is it chewed? The multi-purpose benfits are described explicitly in Inidan literature as early as the sixth century. "Betel stimulates passion, brings out the physical charm, conduces to good-luck, lends aroma to the mouth, strengthens the body and dispels diseases arising from the phlegm. The main reason for chewing betel seems to lie in the social affability produced by sharing a quid with friends. Offering a quid to someone is a mark of hospitality pg 6 Red lip are a desirable mark of beauty in SEA, just as in most parts of the world, and continued to be utulized until the advent of lipstick. pg 11 A betel set was a status symbol indicating title or social rank. A person person could be identified by the material of his betel set and the degree of decoration. Regulations et out by the Sultan of Malacca in the middle of the fifteenth century listed the names of high officials to whom betel quids could be given, and the order in which these were to be distributed. Betel sets were part of the regalia by the fifteenth century and shapes conformed to a hierarchial order. Sets with 8 or 12 divisions usually signify a senior prince in Burma, whereas a betel set designated for the Heir Apparent or a Queen is in the shape of a palace. A betel set with enamelled containers inlaid in rubies and a gold try was part of the royal regalia when the present Crown Prince of Thailand was installed. \bOrigins\b pg 13 The origins of betel chewing are unknown and is complicated by the fact that three ingredients are used. While some claim that India was the origin, current linguistic and archaeological evidence suggests the Malaysian Archipelago and Mainland Southeast Asia. Indonesia, however, has the widest range of words for "areca" and "betel" has been found, suggesting it may be the original location. The word "betel" was first used in the sixteenth century by the Portuguese. According to I.H. Burkhill, it is probably a transliteration of the Malay word \ivetila\i (the mere leaf) which is close in sound to "betel". Since its earliest use, the word has undergone a series of spellings from "bettele" to "betre" to "betle" and finally to "betel". "Areca" may have derived from the Malay word \iadakka\i ("areca-nut") or from \iadakeya\i, the Indian equivalent. pg 13-14 The origins of betel chewing are unknown and is complicated by the fact that three ingredients are used. While some claim that India was the origin, current linguistic and archaeological evidence suggests the Malaysian Archipelago and Mainland Southeast Asia. Indonesia, however, has the widest range of words for "areca" and "betel" has been found, suggesting it may be the original location. The word "betel" was first used in the sixteenth century by the Portuguese. According to I.H. Burkhill, it is probably a transliteration of the Malay word \ivetila\i (the mere leaf) which is close in sound to "betel". Since its earliest use, the word has undergone a series of spellings from "bettele" to "betre" to "betle" and finally to "betel". "Areca" may have derived from the Malay word \iadakka\i ("areca-nut") or from \iadakeya\i, the Indian equivalent. pg 13-14 The earliest archaeological evidence found so far is at Spirit Cave in north-western Thailand, where remains of \iAreca catechu\i dating from 10,000 BC have been found (Gorman 1970). Similar remains have been found at other early sites in Thailand, including Ban Chiang, dated from 3600 BC to AD 200-300 (White 1982). All finds, however, are from the cultivated plant
the absence of wild species may suggest origination elsewhere. The wild species has been found in Malaysia and adds archaeological support to the linguistic evidence of its origin in that area. Skeletons bearing evidence of betel chewing, dated to about 3000 BC, have also been found in the Duyong Cave in the Philippines (Bellwood 1979). Compared with these finds, the earliest archaeological evidence for betel found in India is the early years of the Christian era, much later than other parts of the region. \bThe Quid\b pg 17 The betel tree grow best in humid, perrenial hot, damp soil, coastal areas. Sumatra, western Java, Borneo, the Malay Penninsula, southern Thailand, southern Burma, and the Philippines are the main areas in SEA. Produces 200-800 nuts annually for approximately 20 years. Both ripe and unripe nuts are chewed. Unripe is juicy and sweet and ripe is very biter and savory. pg 22 The lime is ground to a powder (CaO) and mixed with water to a paste-like consistency (CaOH). Limstone chalk (calcium carbonate), obtained from mountain lime, is used in Thialand, Laos, and Vietnam. Sea shells and molluscs, such as snails, provide sources of lime in the island areas. Mussels and other freshwater shellfish from rivers and streams are used in the philippines. Coral provides the sources of lime in parts of Indonesia. Lime is pulverized in different ways, depending on its origin. Sea shells are burned and then crushed with a hammer in the Philippines
in Indonesia shells are crushed with the hands. After reducing them to a fine powder, water, and sometimes a bit of coconut oil, is added to form a paste. A similar method is used in the village of Ban Phluang, in northeastern Thailand, with the addition of cumin or turmeric which gives a pink or reddish cast to the lime paste. pg 23 Other ingredient are also added to the betel quid. A Sanskrit text lists caradmom, clove, camphor, musk, nutmeg, copra, black pepper, and dry ginger. Most of these are psices which abound on the Moluccan islands that initially brought the Europeans East in the 16th Century. Cloves and anise seed give a pleasant aroma. A stick of clove is used to secure a folded or rolled quid. Cinnamon, coriander, ambergris, and nutmeg add flavor enhancing taste. Cardamom stimulates the flow of saliva. Tobacco is a modern addition. Betel Chewing and Health pg 25 Rooney states that while betel chewing is not addictive it can be habit forming. pg28 Prolonged chewing is generally believed to keep the gums healthy by strengthning them. It also seems to prevent tooth decay as long as the teeth are cleaned. The reasons for these positive aspects of betel chewing on teeth are probably the fluoride content and the antibacterial effect of the betel leaf. Surveys in New Guineas and East Java have shown that cavities are markedly less frequent among betel chewers. Gum disease, though, is common because of the irritating effect of the lime. Pieces can become wedged between the teeth causing gaps where food can lodge and attract tooth-destroying bacteria. The teeth may become loose and with prolonged chewing can even fall out. Lime grinds the enamel black and, when chewed, also blackens the dentine. Teeth can also be blackened by a deliberate method of using vergetable dyes. \bSymbolism\b pg 30 Betel is believed to be instrumental in establishing communications, and the symbolism focuses on two aspects of it spower in this area
contacts with the spiritual, or supernatural forces, and social and sexual relationships between a male and a female. The earliest symbolical use of betel was most likely as a sacrificial offering for animistic worship. All spirits, regardless of whether they are good or evil, must be dealt with and controlled through rituals. Offerings of betel are made to satisfy, win over, or thank good spirits and to exorcize evil ones. For obvious reasons, spirits of the land and water are given special attention in agricultural areas where adequate rainfall and fertile soil are essential for cultivation. pg 32 \bPregnancy\b In SEA, it is generally believed that a pregnant women is vulnerable to evil spirits from the time of conception until delivery adn so she must be protected. In Malaysia, a ritual is conducted to determine if the delivery will be aneasy one for the expected mother. Another ritual using betel takes place in the seventh month of pregnancy to determine the sex of the baby. In Cambodia, after giving birth the mother must offer betel to the midwife or she will have to follow her for many future lives and the midwife will never turn around to help the mother. pg 33 \bRituals of Death\b It is customary in parts of SEA to provide the deceased with appurtenances from the worldly life to accompany them to eternity. On the island of Luzon in the Philippines, betel juice was used to embalm the dead. pg 34
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