100 BULLETIN 134, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



the head, below which it flows loose as the men's. Both men and women 

 pride themselves much in the length of the hair of the head ; and they 

 frequently part it with their fingers, to keep it disentangled : or comb it out 

 with a sort of comb they make of Macaw-wood. This comb is made of several 

 small sticks, about 5 to 6 inches long, and tapering to a point at each end. But 

 they are forced to use their fingers to fetch the lice out of their heads. They 

 take great delight in combing their hair, and will do it for one hour together. 

 All other hair, except that of their eyebrows and eyelids, they eradicate: 

 for though the men have beards if they would let them grow, yet they always 

 have them rooted out, and the woman are the operators for all this work, 

 using two little sticks for that purpose, between which they pinch the hair, 

 and pluck it up. But the men upon some occasions cut off the hair even of 

 their heads, it being a custom they have to do so by way of triumph, and as 

 a distinguishing mark of honor to him who has killed a Spaniard or other 

 enemy. He also then paints himself black (which is not usual upon any 

 other occasion). 



At present the Choco permit their hair to grow to their shoulders. 

 They part it in the middle, while the women comb part of their 

 hair over their forehead in bangs a few inches in length. They 

 paint their bodies with blue, scarlet, and white paint. Both men 

 and women paint themselves according to the fashion of the day 

 and apply the ornamental daubings to hands, feet, face, and body. 

 On feast days they choose an elaborate pattern in red and black. 

 The black color is derived from Genipa americana, the reds and 

 yellows from Bixa orellana. The " caruto " or jet black pigment of 

 Genipa americana is laid on in fantastic openwork pattern. The 

 bright red of the Bixa is more sparingly applied to the face and 

 forehead in stripes and dashes or dots (pi. 12, No. 2). Certain 

 peculiarities in patterns as well as exact repetitions of these by 

 distinct tribes, lead to the belief that they had formerly a signifi- 

 cance as totemic clan or tribal emblems. The groundwork almost 

 always consists of two lines starting obliquely downward from be- 

 tween the eyes so as to form an inverted V. Face painting is, how- 

 ever, rapidly disappearing. 



The Chucunaque and Bayano River tribes are known to practice 

 the painting of the body a jet black before embarking on a hunting 

 or fishing expedition. 



The Cuna of the central uplands paint themselves in black, scar- 

 let, yellow, or blue colors with a contrasting white or other color 

 over the eyes and nose. 



The women are the painters, and take a great delight in it. The}^ 

 temper their colors with some kind of oil, and keep them in cala- 

 bashes for use, and ordinarily lay them on the surface of the skin 

 with pencils of wood, gnawed at the end to the softness of a brush. 

 So laid on, they will last some weeks, and are renewed when the 

 colors fade or the designs begin to disappear. The San Bias women 



