PART II. 



MACHIGANGA INDIANS OF THE SAN MIGUEL 

 VALLEY. 



General Considerations. 



The Machig-angas are a group of Indians living in the general 

 region of the San Miguel River, one of the streams assisting in 

 the formation of the Amazon, at an altitude of some 3,000 feet, 

 which is considerably less than that of the region occupied by 

 the Quichua who were measured. 



The Machigangas are quite uncivilized, living, however, in 

 small groups in thatched huts. The extent of their distribution 

 was not investigated. 



The following quotation from Dr. Ford's report indicates in a 

 general way some of their characters and customs. 



"At 7.15 a bunch of Machigangas came into camp and crowded 

 around our breakfast table. They are friendly, curious and 

 somewhat timid. The men have strong, broad faces with high 

 cheek bones and shallow broad noses. The hair is long, thick, 

 dull black and fine. All have red grease paint streaked on faces 

 in varied designs. Though this paint seems to be applied only 

 to the face it becomes smeared over everything, hands, garment 

 and hair. The women are full chested and broad hipped. The 

 men are all thin, broad shouldered and finely muscled. All have 

 small, slender hands and feet, small wrists and ankles. Nails are 

 all well shaped and clipped. All wear the same kind of garment. 

 It is a shirt of heavy, well-woven cloth originally white with a 

 small, black stripe but in use universally red from the paint. 

 Some have narrow woven bands on the wrists and ankles and 

 the women bands of the same just below the knee. The shirts 

 are often decorated with bunches of nuts, bones, teeth, etc. 

 Many have necklaces of nuts and seeds. Bags woven of cotton 

 are hung around their necks for coca and other things. Some 

 of the men have coils of cord hung over neck and shoulders. 

 This cord is said to be used to climb trees and as extra bow 

 strings. The children are thin, but very active, happy and full 

 of play. The men are very talkative and their voices are musical 



