68 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. I33 



while doing so. During an interview two girls, 17 and 19 years of 

 age, wanted a picture taken of themselves but would not pose in the 

 presence of three young men who were also waiting to be photo- 

 graphed. Finally two of the men, nonrelatives of the girls, walked 

 away. Since the one that remained was a near relative, the girls posed. 

 Later the mother of the girls remarked, "I am glad to know my girls 

 had enough modesty not to have a picture taken this morning in the 

 presence of those two men ; they are not related to us." 



A non-Araucanian was certain that most girls lived chaste lives, 

 although she knew several who had not — each had been promiscuous 

 with several young unmarried men before she finally married one. 



An Araucanian man in his forties, in speaking of conditions as they 

 were when he was a young man, said: "Formerly things were very 

 good. For instance, several families assisted each other at threshing 

 time and everybody then slept in the fields. Never did one hear of 

 things happening among the young people. Everyone had deep respect 

 for everyone else in those days." A non-Araucanian teacher listening 

 in agreed : "As many as 20 families will help each other. I have never 

 heard it said that there is immoral conduct at such times." A non- 

 Araucanian man noted, with regard to the behavior of unmarried 

 men today and in recent times, that there is much homosexuality 

 among them ; that men speak of it freely and openly. 



Very rarely was a married woman unchaste — only one instance was 

 mentioned and that with disfavor. The woman concerned complained 

 that she was being maligned by people who were saying that she was 

 spending time with other men. (Her husband was serving a term in 

 jail for stealing cattle.) Not long after this she sent her five children 

 to her husband's parents, already advanced in years, telling them that 

 she herself would come later. When she did not arrive, the old people 

 went in search of her. Her ruka had been cleared of everything, even 

 the children's school books. She had gone to live with the other man. 



In general men respect women. "If a woman passes by a group of 

 men, one may say, 'I would like to have her.' Another will say, 'She 

 is a married woman,' and that puts an end to that conversation." 



QUARRELING, ANGER, IMPRECATIONS, MURDER, REVENGE, 

 SUICIDE, CANNIBALISM 



Quarrels occurred between persons and between families, but 

 comparatively rarely. Brothers and sisters seldom quarreled. "We 

 learned at home as children to respect and to do things for each other." 

 A 26-year-old woman told of a quarrel she was having with her eldest 



