164 ANIMISM AND FOLK-LORE OF GUIANA INDIANS [bth. ann. 30 



Warraus, and jVi'awaks, this is expressed by man or woman, in the 

 protrusion of the tip of the tongue between the loosely closed lips. 

 Wliat can also be considered a form of kissing is the custom of one 

 individual blowing upon another under particular circumstances. 

 The object of this blowing is explained by Schomburgk (ScR, ii, 254) 

 on the principle that both by tlie Indians "and the Orientals, the 

 breath is regarded as an emanation of the most inward spiritual and 

 mental vigor.", A far more satisfactory explanation, however, 

 would seem to lie in the fact that the blowing is intended to drive 

 away an attached Evil Spirit, etc., as is indeed the behef among 

 the Gahbi piai (Sect. 310) and elsewhere (Sects. 7^, 59, 72, 2^6, 319), 

 a view which is only strengtliened by the particular cu'cumstances, 

 above referred to, under which it is practised, namely, in sickness, or 

 in absence of adequate protecting influences. On the way to Roraima, 

 the Serekong "women brought us several of theu' sick cliildren for 

 us to breathe upon their faces, and so restore them to health" 

 (ScR, II, 253). At Curasawaka streamlet, "a pretty-looldng Makusi 

 mother insisted upon my blowing in the face of her sicldy infant, 

 wMch she beheved would act as a charm, and restore her child to 

 health" (ScE, 177). "Before we left, she [the old Indian woman] 

 made the entire party [on our way to Roraima] blow three times on 

 her back for good luck, but whether tlie luck was for her or for us 

 we never found out" (BW, 217). 



[At Taiepong Village, upper Potaro] when on the point of leaving, a woman stepped 

 forward to an old Indian in one of our canoes, and held up her head. He tapped her 

 forehead with his fingers, muttered a few words, and then blew on her temple. This 

 was done to charm away a pain in the head, the old fellow being a peaiman, and 

 capable of effecting such cures. On our arrival at villages I have sometimes seen a 

 woman carry her infant round to one after another of the Indians of my party, each 

 man as she passed stooping down and blowing gently on the face of the child. 

 [Bro, 202.] 



Among the Arawak and the Warrau, when the child cries, or when 

 father or mother leave it to set out on the chase, to w^ork in the field, 

 etc., they wUl blow either on the child's face or hand; but they do 

 nothing of the sort on their return. It is a Makusi custom for the 

 infant to be blown upon (angehlasen) by the relatives, before its 

 parents take to theu- hammocks (ScR, ii, 314) to keep the couvade. 

 With the same tribe, the piai wiU blow upon the girl after the menstrua- 

 tion ceremony with the object of cUsenchanting her (Sect. 267). 



