314 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. I33 



side of the loom. This assures even lengths of the poncho, she noted. 

 For the width of the poncho she measured the distance between wrists 

 of the interpreter's outstretched arms, and made a knot to indicate this 

 measurement. The vertical bars of her loom needed to be that distance 

 apart to insure the proper width. 



Since trade with Argentines requires a knowledge of the meter, the 

 length of a meter is marked off on some object. "We marked ours 

 ofif on the rope of braided horsehide that we use in lassoing animals." 



Measurements of quantity were pinches, single handfuls, and double 

 handfuls, with hands held like scoops. 



DIVERSIONS 



VISITING AND CONVERSATION, STORIES, SMOKING 



Visiting within the family or among relatives or neighbors was, 

 and still is, a popular pastime. Casual passers-by also may approach 

 a group, wait until invited, and then join in the visiting. Most persons 

 squat while visiting, but available chairs and benches are usually 

 occupied. Formerly caciques reclined side wise, resting on a pack of 

 pelts. Men squat with knees apart and legs crossed under them at 

 ankles; women squat with feet protruding at the left side. Children 

 were always tolerated during adult conversation as listeners-in. "It 

 was a good way for them to learn." Formerly, on occasions, after a 

 family had made much chicha, invitations were sent to relatives and 

 friends to participate in its consumption. Usually an abundance of 

 meat was roasted outdoors for the get-together. A casual visitor 

 did not stay for meals unless expressly invited to do so. An ample 

 meal, sometimes an abundant one, was served to all invited guests on 

 the occasions of the ear-piercing and naming of a child or following a 

 girl's menstrual isolation. Some families never gave a feast : they were 

 either too poor to do so, or had no interest in doing so. 



Generally, conversation during visiting covered current topics, al- 

 though legends and stories associated with wars were often related 

 also. "There really was much to talk about formerly," said Kolupan. 

 "We talked about the whereabouts of the guanaco ; where the soldiers 

 were ; why we were again being chased from our land ; how we were 

 going to learn the language of the Whites ; and many other things." 



During my visit current topics were a suicide of a young Araucanian 

 man ; the national presidential election ; preparations for driving cattle 

 and sheep to summer pastures ; taking a sick old woman — a favorite in 

 the neighborhood — to a hospital in San Martin de los Andes ; the 

 baptism of a neighbor's baby ; the critical illness of Father Ludovico. 



