Ethnography gf Microuesin. 



101 



the totems of their respective clans as patterns in cicatrization. 

 The totems here are snak'cs, dugong, sharks, string-rays, elc, the 

 patterns of which are cicatrized on the shoulders in the case of 

 men, and on the waists in the case of women. In some instances, 

 it does not seem that they are entirely ornamental. At any rate, 

 it is difficult to assign a settled meaning to this custom. 



The origin of the tattooing in Yap is mentioned by Furness 

 who bases his account on a native's story, as follows : " The 

 fashion was introduced from the island Mukamuk,i lying about 

 seventy miles to the northward of Uap. Men from this island 

 once long ago drifted down to Uap and taught both the men and 

 women how to tattoo. In those early days only the warriors were 

 allowed to ornament their legs with the pattern known as ' Thili- 

 betrak,' but since serious battles have ceased be- 

 tween the people of neighbouring districts, the 



restriction has been ignored "^ From the 



ethnographical point of view, Mukamuk has im- 

 portant relations with Yap, whose natives are said 

 to visit Mukamuk to have themselves tattooed. 

 Besides, waist- cloths of banana fibre used by the 

 islanders of Yap are imported from the island. In 

 short, the natives of Yap adopt to a large extent 

 the custom of Mukamuk. 



The needles employed in tattooing are made of 

 the bones of water fowls or fish, and the pigment used 

 is furnished by the soot obtained by burning coconut- 

 oil. The needle we brought back with us seems to 



Fig. 38 -Tattoo- ^^^ ^^^^^^ ^^ ^ ^^^^^^ ^^ ^j^^ ^^^|.g^. f^.^i, Jfc ig 



xng Deedle, lap. 



1 Mokomok or Arrowroot Island. 



2 W. H. Fiimess, "The Island of Stone Money," p. 159. 



