WHOLE VOL. ARAUCANIAN CHILD LIFE — HILGER 375 



the floor, or on cloth sacks filled with carded wool that rest on factory- 

 made bedsteads or homemade platforms. When sleeping outdoors, 

 persons lie with feet toward the rising sun. 



Traditionally, ollas and cantaros and containers made of hide were 

 used for storing such things as grain and chicha. A schoolboy was 

 storing a pair of socks and other belongings in the hide of a small pig. 

 His brother was going to store his things in the hide of a stillborn 

 fetus of a pig. The two boys had emptied the fetus through its mouth, 

 organ by organ, and had then stuffed the skin, including the head, with 

 grass. "As soon as the skin is thoroughly dry, I shall take all the grass 

 out of it and put my things into it," said the little boy. 



Things seen stored in sheds included lassos of braided horsehide, 

 inner lining of horsehide, looms, bundles of recently shorn wool, sacks 

 of spun yarn waiting to be dyed "when I know what colors I need for 

 the pattern I want to make," several worn-down homewoven blankets, 

 several bedsteads, dug-out tree trunks and boxes used for storing 

 grain, cowhides, sheep pelts, saddle gear, ponchos, boots, men's and 

 women's clothing. Potatoes were stored on platforms of colihiie stalks 

 that rested on beams of rafters. In the fall of the year hay and straw 

 also are stored in these sheds, unless the family has a separate shed 

 for the purpose. 



CLOTHING 



In the early days guanaco wool was woven into material used for 

 clothing. "This material was soft and delicate like silk," said an 

 old informant. 



Clothing of boys and girls followed the traditional pattern of 

 adults'. A man's clothing included pants (chiripe) and a poncho 

 (makuii). Those who wished to do so wore ojotas on the feet; in 

 general, however, everyone was barefoot. Horseback riders often 

 wore boots (/umell). Kolupan demonstrated how a chiripe should be 

 worn by wrapping a piece of cloth lengthwise around his waist letting 

 it overlap in front. ("This should be chamall," he noted, chamall 

 being an oblong piece of woven material used for clothing.) He 

 secured it at the waistline with a woven belt (trariiwe), pulled the 

 lower back edge forward between his legs and tucked it under and 

 over the belt. Belts were usually 7 feet long, 3^ inches wide, and 

 ended in fringes. Then he put on his poncho, and said, "All I need 

 now to be dressed as formerly is a pair of ojotas or Jumell (boots) 

 and a band about my head to keep my hair back." He indicated bring- 

 ing a band across the forehead and temples, crossing it at the back 

 of the head, bringing it forward, and tying a knot in it near the temple. 



