Ethnc^raphy of Micronesia, 95 



PART II. 

 The West Caroline Islands. 



Chapter I. 



Clothing and Personal Adornment. 



The West Caroline Archipelago comprises Palau, Yap and 

 other smaller islands. In customs and other respects there are 

 some noticeable differences between the natives of the two islands 

 or groups of islands ; but on the whole they may be classified under 

 one head. In the following pages their customs will be described 

 in the order as adopted in Part I. 



I. Adornment of the Body. 



1. Body-painting. — The natives of the West Caroline Archipe- 

 lago, like those of the East Caroline group, have a custom of paint- 

 ing the body with a yellow or orange pigment obtained from 

 the turmeric {Curcuma longa), but in the archipelago under con- 

 sideration the painting is not done so conspicuously as, for in- 

 stance, in Truk. In Yap the pigment is called reng, which means 

 " yellow." Althongh the chief object of painting the body with 

 this pigment is personal adornment, there is also a secondary 

 significance in the practice as a preventive against taking cold on 

 account of sudden changes of weather or against the attack of 

 mosquitoes. As mentioned elsewhere, the reng or talk has a strong, 

 offensive smell, which probably is effective in warding off noxious 

 insects. 



