View Full Version : The Borneo Loincloth
Torchwatch
08-04-2015, 12:32 AM
"Just as native material life is an adaptation—not obvious or easily got but carefully worked out with the experience of thousands of years—to the conditions of river and forest, wearing the loincloth, as I have tried to show in passing, is a small part of a psychological adaptation in human life, in which male sexuality is neither repressed or vilified, but asserted, and at the same time humanized. It would be a pity if this as other human achievements were allowed to be lost to the world."
I think there is a message for us here in this text.
Here is a link to the original source:
http://ikanlundu.com/literary/borneo_loincloth.html
PSDave
08-04-2015, 07:12 PM
After reading that I had to call a friend who is a historian for the American Indians. I asked what the purpose of the loin cloth was/is. He said it had nothing to do with modesty, it was totally utilitarian. When an indian is running through the brush it protected a very tender part of the body. Since most Indians ran through the brush forward there wasn't always a back flap covering the buttocks. The ones that actually have something between the legs to contain the genitals was there to hold the genitals up for straddling and riding horses. When the Europeans arrived with pants they adopted them for a couple reasons -- warmth for northern tribes and more protection against cuts from branches, snake bites etc. The northern tribes had already fashioned a pant of sorts that more closely resembled chaps. Keeping the areas for urinating or vacating the bowels was left open for hygiene and convenience. While the loin cloth may considered sexy or exposing by some, its origins are strictly utilitarian.
In the 60's and the days of hippies, they were worn a lot as a rebellion against conformity and paying honor to our native forefathers. I have worn them and they are very comfortable and virtually non restrictive. Add a pocket for keys and cell phone and they'd be perfect.
Bede735
08-05-2015, 06:49 PM
Well, it is noticeable that the natives wearing these do not have body hair, which is universally accepted as unattractive and perhaps, too similar to animals? European males are generally afflicted with this, and it is noticeable in Western culture that it is more sociably acceptable for women to wear less clothing than men.
As an aside, people often think Speedos should only be worn by competitive swimmers, alluding to their physique - but swimmers also lack body hair, often shaving this off.
Torchwatch
08-05-2015, 07:05 PM
It was traditionally believed that the Neanderthals became extinct, but there is evidence of cross breeding between Neanderthals and Early Modern Humans in what is now Spain and Portugal. This may explain the survival of a certain hairiness across Europe and as far as India in Modern Humans.
Successful offspring would have the human brain and speech facility combined with a tough, cold weather adapted body.
As a tall, slim and smooth bodied person I think I met Neanderthal descendants among the bullies at school.
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