WHOLE VOL. ARAUCANIAN CHILD LIFE — HILGER 21 



in an herbal decoction. Not knowing its ingredients she gave her 

 babies an herbal bath daily in a decoction of leaves of limpia plata, 

 bark of apple tree, and either the bark of canelo or the leaves of boldo. 

 She believed these to be soothing and a preventive of rashes. She 

 boiled a pinch of each in water for some time, then strained the 

 decoction into a dish through a piece of cloth. The baby was seated 

 in it, and handfuls of it were dashed against the body. "I made a fresh 

 decoction each day. We Mapuche believe that a decoction must be 

 used the day it is prepared." 



POSTNATAL INTERESTS 

 EAR PIERCING, BODY DECORATIONS 



Araucanians pierce the ears, but not the nose or the lip. One pierc- 

 ing is made in each ear lobe. According to old informants, every child, 

 formerly, had its ears pierced immediately after birth ; in general, 

 today, only girls have theirs pierced. Piercing is done before the 

 child is 3 months old, "that is, before it feels pain; we learned that 

 from the Chileans." "My two daughters there [6 and 8 years old] 

 have not had their ears pierced. I shall not have them pierced any 

 more; it would be too painful." 



Any person may do the piercing, but since a member of the family 

 may be too tenderhearted, an outsider is usually asked to do so. Per- 

 sons mentioned were old persons, "a man in Mehuin who always 

 does it for children there," "a man we know well who passed by our 

 ruka and I called him in," "I myself," and neighbors. 



Formerly ear lobes were rubbed well with ashes and then pierced 

 with the sharp point of a bone. It was believed the ashes would anes- 

 thetize the ear lobe. Old persons still rub the lobes with ashes, but 

 piercing today is done with a threaded needle, a piece of the thread 

 being left in the hole to keep it from growing shut. The ends of the 

 thread are tied to form a loop. Anyone fondling the baby will pull 

 the thread back and forth. "I saw an old man do that recently to a 

 little girl on his lap." An ear could be pierced from either the upper or 

 the lower side of the lobe. Non- Araucanians had seen a bar of soap 

 held under the lobe, and the lobe pierced with a threaded needle with a 

 quick movement from top downward. The needle had been held in the 

 fire to sterilize it. 



When the piercing is well healed, the thread is pulled out and a small 

 earring inserted. Earrings are increased in size as the child grows 

 older. "We give our girls earrings today to retain our customs. 



