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Loud voices, flamboyant behaviour, bragging, roars of laughter, wails of sorrow, are considered bad-mannered. Passion or anger is only expected of children, wild animals, peasants, the retarded, and foreigners. The Javanese keep it all inside; you only see the placid exterior and a calm smile. On this overcrowded island everyone would be at each others' throats if people were too intimate, too loud, too vulgar, or too blunt. The granny won't ask outright for her cup of tea if someone has forgotten it, but will only say, 'It's awfully hot and dusty, isn't it?' It's a virtue for a Javanese not to say what he really means, i.e. 'to talk Javanese'. Thus, when a Javanese says 'yes', interpret the way he says it to determine what the man really means. A complicated Javanese etiquette dictates eye direction, position of hands, the way one sits, stands, points, greets people, laughs, walks, dresses. They even have certain smiles for anger, sorrow, suffering and grief. Most Javanese art forms reflect this discipline and patience: wayang, batik, pencak si/at, gamelan. Java's classical dances are unbelievably intricate, demanding great dignity and perfect selfcontrol. Its elaboratq cultural traditions have always set Java apart from the other islands of Indonesia which are all looked upon as' outer islands'.