Page 29 - Malaysia by John Russel Denyes

as it was found buried under a great mound of
earth being one of the most beautiful pieces of
Buddhist art in the world. Wallace, the natural-
ist, says that the work on the great pyramid of
Egypt sinks into insignificance when compared
with the work on this temple of Boro Budur in
middle Java,
Buddhism in Java was succeeded by Brahmin-
ism, which continued until the Mohammedan conr
quest in 1475-79. Nominally the Javanese are all
Mohammedans, but their religion is not of the
fanatical type of Mohammedanism found in
Arabia. Ten thousand pilgrims go from Java
every year to Mecca, and these are tightening the
hold of Mohammedanism upon the rest of the
people.
The Javanese written language dates very far
back. Their old literature is in the Kawi language.
It is not known when it was introduced into Java,
Their modem language "is very profuse in words
expressing the most profound, delicate, and com-
plicated shades of meaning." In general the
Javanese are a very proud yet gentle people, show-
ing great respect for authority. Until very re-
cently there has been little desire for progress, in
fact civilization seems to have been at a dead
stand-still since the Mohammedan conquest, ex-
cept where there was forced labor under the old
Dutch "Culture System." Eecently, however,
there has been evidence of a real desire to get into
line with the general drift of progress which has
marked all the peoples of Asia.

The People "All the natives of Celebes speak
of Celebes languages of the Malay stock. The
language of the Minnehassans
shows considerable proximity to the Philippine
dialects. Culturally the northeast is likewise
separated from the rest of the island taken as a
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