Liberia »- 



but on the other hand their women almost invariably practise 

 cicatrisation. This is done, generally when they pass through 

 the Sande or bush school of initiation just before puberty, 

 on the back, chiefly over the loins. The pattern which is 

 thus marked in raised scars is either diamond-shaped and 

 divided into a sort of chessboard arrangement (as indicated in 

 my drawing), or else takes a shape resembling two triangles 

 partially fused, overlapping at the apex. This pattern is best 

 explained by the accompanying drawing. 



. The Gora women have their backs marked in much the 

 same manner as the Vais. 



The Kpwesi people also practise cicatrisation, confining 

 this adornment as much as possible to the back, which is often 

 marked in the manner illustrated in my drawing. They do 

 not practise tattooing. The Kpwesi women, however, do not 

 cicatrise their bodies to anything like the same extent as the 

 men : they generally confine themselves to the Vai patterns on 

 the loins. 



This insertion of colouring matter into the skin occurs 

 a good deal amongst the Kwia, Gibi, Basa, and Kru people. 

 The Kwia men are tattooed with slanting lines on the sides 

 of the neck, the shoulders and arms. So are the Gibi men 

 and women. The Basa men have the broad blue stripe down 

 the forehead and all the bridge of the nose which is so 

 characteristic of the Kru people. This generally cojisists of 

 a number of horizontal cuts made with a sharp knife, into 

 which charcoal, soot, gunpowder, or indigo is introduced. When 

 it has healed it presents an inch-broad striated band of 

 slightly raised skin of an indigo-blue colour. The Gibi and 

 Basa men frequently tattoo their chests with two blue stars 

 and a broad horizontal line as represented in my drawing. 

 These marks are sometimes repeated on the forearms. The 



972 



