WHOLE VOL. ARAUCANIAN CHILD LIFE — HILGER 47 



a man or woman may address as chau a man from whom assistance 

 is sought. 



Affection between parents and children continues throughout life. 

 It is shown by exchange of visits and gifts and by giving help when- 

 ever it is needed. 



In general children are adequately provided with food and clothing. 

 A man who neglects his wife and children is chided by his relatives 

 and loses his status in the community. A father will make provision 

 for a piece of land for each of his sons and daughters by laying claim 

 to unassigned lands owned in common in the area. Fathers of families 

 present their needs at meetings held by the men under the title of 

 "The fathers of families." A Coiiaripe father told of a discussion held 

 by "The fathers of families" on the previous night regarding the 

 partitioning of community-owned lands and noted that he expected 

 to be given a piece. "I must see to it that each one of my children 

 will have a piece of land when it grows up." Adopted children were 

 cared for and loved as were all other children in the family. 



According to a loo-year-old Conaripe man, brothers and sisters 

 spoke very little to one another when he was young ; he believed this 

 to have been a custom. Other informants — all at least 20 years 

 younger than the old Conaripe man — had not heard of the custom. 

 Two Alepue women, one 80 years of age, the other 46, were greatly 

 surprised to hear of such a custom. 



There are no brother-sister taboos among the Araucanians today. 

 Nor is there a conventional pattern for reciprocal affection among sib- 

 lings. Siblings of all ages observed during the present study acted as 

 one would expect them to act: they helped each other and talked, 

 played, went on errands, and walked long distances together. On 

 occasions a brother showed affectionate care for his sister. In one 

 instance a 22-year-old man brought his 19-year-old sister, who was 

 suffering from a prolonged headache, to an herbalist. After stating 

 that his sister was sick, he asked the sister to give details. During an 

 interview in a ruka a 19-year-old girl rested her elbow on her 17-year- 

 old brother's knee while they sat on the same bench listening in. A 

 non-Araucanian herbalist heard an eldest son being commissioned 

 by his dying mother to care for, advise, and direct his brothers and 

 sisters — she did not want her husband to do so; she resented his 

 having married a younger woman as a second wife. Most boys in an 

 Alepue school between the ages of 11 and 14 loved a younger brother 

 most of all brothers ; boys between 8 and 1 1 loved an older brother 

 most, generally the oldest brother. Most girls in the school loved a 

 younger brother more than any other brother. Boys between 11 and 



