WHOLE VOL. ARAUCANIAN CHILD LIFE — HILGER 373 



ground, so located that the rear of the toldo was toward the prevaiHng 

 winds. The distance between the poles depended on the size of the 

 toldo to be erected and the size depended on the number of families 

 that were to live in it. An ordinary one was from 25 to 30 feet from 

 front to back. The six poles of equal length, in two sets of three, were 

 set firmly into holes opposite to each other to form the two side walls. 

 The three remaining poles were used to form the gable end — the end 

 used as the entrance. The tallest pole was placed midway between the 

 two side walls and in line with them. The two remaining poles were 

 set one each to the sides of the tallest pole. The hide covering was 

 then drawn over the poles from the rear to the gable end and tied to 

 the poles with horsehide thongs. The meeting of the hide at the 

 tallest pole provided the entrance. The covering had to be large 

 enough so that its edge rested on the ground beyond the poles. Heavy 

 stones were then laid along the edge to keep the wind from blowing 

 in. Smoke found its way out through openings in the roof where hides 

 overlapped. 



Women sometimes decorated the inside of the toldo with paint made 

 of white earth (mallo) or red earth (kelii barro) mixed with grease 

 of rhea. It was applied with a wad of wool. "I like to think of those 

 days," Kolupan reminisced, "when we used to visit back and forth 

 sitting in those attractively decorated toldos. We did not have to work 

 at hard labor as we do today. All that men had to do was to tend 

 their animals. I sometimes sit all day and think about those days." 



Hides used as toldo coverings were those of guanaco, horse, and 

 cattle. Women directed the tanning of the hides and did much of the 

 work themselves. All meat on the flesh side and also the thin skin 

 under it were removed with a scraper made of hard stone sharpened 

 along one edge. The stone was tied between two pieces of wood 

 which formed the handle. The scraper was held with the palm of the 

 hand downward, and moved toward the performer. A scraped hide 

 was rubbed with a mixture of grease and salt and allowed to lie for 

 several days. It was then washed and rubbed with a rubbing stone 

 (kura qafikii) (pi. 74, 6), back and forth and with a circular motion, 

 to the degree of softness desired. Men, women, and children assisted 

 in the rubbing. Liver of the animal to which the hide had belonged 

 was now smeared over the inner surface of the hide and dried in the 

 sun. "One can tell when it is dry when it feels like wax to the touch. 

 If the sun is hot, it may take only one day for drying." To remove 

 the dried liver the hide is again rubbed with a rubbing stone, but 

 with a finer surfaced one. Rubbing stones were 5 to 6 inches in height 

 and 3 to 4 inches in diameter at the base. All specimens seen were of 



