Daily Attitudes

The exchange of greetings and pleasantries is important in the people's daily lives. Older people, particularly community and religious leaders, are treated with great deference. It is highly disrespectful, for instance, to address an older person with the word kah, for "you". The word to use is droeneuh. People of higher rank and new adult acquaintances are normally addressed as Teungku, although it refers primarily to religious leaders.

The fasting month of Ramadhan and Fridays are of high religious significance to Moslems. During the month of Ramadhan, all adults are required to fast, but without upsetting the normal daily activities. From dawn to dusk, people refrain from eating, drinking and smoking. Restaurants are usually closed during the daytime during the whole fasting month. On Fridays, male adults and children take part in the noontime congregational prayers. Some offices and shops are closed until the end of the prayers.

Strangers visiting a village, for example, would do well to at least let the village head know of their arrival. Better yet, he could introduce himself to people and get acquainted with them. When two people meet, they greet each other by saying assalamu alaikum ("may peace be with you"). The reply is waalaikum salam ("peace be with you, too"). The first to greet the other is usually the person arriving. After exchanging  those words, they usually shake hands. The same greetings are exchanged between speaker and audience at formal gatherings.

Giving or receiving something from another person is always done with the right hand. The use of the left hand is strictly taboo. So is it when raising or waving the hand to greet someone. The use of the left hand in any form of social contact, in short, is regarded an insult.

The head is the most respected part of a person's body, and to touch it is the greatest insult one could deliver to any adult person, whatever his standing in the society. It is also impolite to point at an older person with the forefinger.