244 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. I33 



Qiildren of an age group usually play together when small ; when 

 older, the sexes play apart. Friendships exist within each group. 



Leadership among children is not pronounced. Oratorical ability 

 is taken into consideration when the choice of a leader must be made. 

 Oratory gives distinction to elders, also. Joviality and fun is part of 

 the child's life. A child's sight and powers of observation are keen. 



Araucanians have no puberty rites, but cognizance of puberty is 

 taken, for after it a boy is called "young man" ; a girl, "young woman." 

 In instances a mother or older sister instructs a girl regarding first 

 menses and motherhood ; it is not institutional to do so. There is no 

 taboo regarding menstruating women. 



Children by themselves and among themselves are modest. How- 

 ever, their presence at birth or when a machi performs over nude 

 persons is not in accord with standards of modesty of all cultures. 

 Children are taught courtesy in a positive way. They are also taught 

 to give and to share, and are trained to obey an order without 

 hesitation. 



Pride in being an Araucanian is inherent in a child, and a child is 

 hurt if reflections are cast upon its status. An occasional child shows 

 jealousy, but one who does stands out prominently. Boasting and 

 tale bearing are practically nonexistent. In general, the schoolchil- 

 dren I saw had given little thought to their future. 



Teasing is one of the chief amusements of children. Not infre- 

 quently it leads to quarreling, with an exchange of angry words, ac- 

 companied by hitting back and forth. Temper tantrums on the part 

 of small children are ignored ; older children seldom display temper. 



An occasional child steals. Parents feel disgraced if it does so, and 

 see to it that the stolen object is returned, but without imprecating 

 the thief. Stealing food to satisfy hunger is quite evidently not theft. 

 Not all fathers teach their sons to drink to excess, but none corrects 

 a young son if he becomes intoxicated. 



Adult behavior. — As noted above, many adults bathe in flowing 

 water daily in all seasons. No soap or substitute is used except for 

 the hair, for which suds of soap or bark are used. Today most men 

 have a haircut like the Chileans ; an occasional man, especially an old 

 cacique, wears it cut ear-lobe length, or he wears it, as formerly, in 

 long braids. A woman's hair is never cut. She parts it, usually over 

 the crown, and then either braids or twists each part. Two plants 

 are used by women as hair tonics. 



A man is proud of his mustache. The beard, usually sparse in 

 growth, is depilated. Heavy beards and whiskers are shaved. 



In the early days caciques wore a distinct style of earring; other 



