KARSTEN] BLrOOD REVENGE, WAR, AND VICTORY FEASTS 87 



Early in the morning a small drinking bout is held, whereupon 

 the guests make themselves ready to depart and start to take leave 

 of the hosts. The leave-taking has the same ceremonial character 

 as the salutation at the arrival, each of the male guests addressing 

 the victor and his relatives in a sort of speech. The words uttered, 

 of course, have reference to the feast just finished : the splendid ar- 

 rangements, the entertainment, the harmony prevailing, etc., are 

 eulogized, and the guest in his turn invites the hosts to a visit. After 

 this farewell ceremonj', which lasts a long time, the men march off, 

 accompanied by their wives and daughters. 



After the great victory feast the Jibaro warrior generally under- 

 takes a small journey, lasting a few days, just as he did after the 

 previous smaller feasts. On this occasion he retires to the forest, 

 where he stays alone, taking tobacco water,. bathing every day in the 

 waterfall, and sleeping at night in a small " dreaming hut." As soon 

 as the black body painting has disappeared he returns home, wliere 

 he finally drinks of the narcotic maikoa in order to see Whether there 

 are still enemies threatening him and whether everything will turn 

 out happily for him in the future. 



Concluding Remarks on the Tsantsa Feast 



If we analyze the numerous ceremonies described above we find 

 that all of them are founded upon certain fundamental ideas: (1) 

 That in the trophy {tsantsa) the spirit or soul of the killed enemy 

 is seated; (2) that the spirit, attached to the head, is thirsting for 

 revenge and is trying to harm the slayer in every possible way; (3) 

 that in case this danger is paralyzed through the different rites of 

 the feast, the trophy is changed into a " fetish," a thing charged with 

 supernatural power which the victor may make use of in different 

 ways and in different departments of life. 



The idea that the soul or vital power of a person is concentrated in 

 his head, and particularly in his hair, seems to be common to all 

 loAver peoples in the whole world and gives the explanation not only 

 of a number of peculiar hair customs but first of all of the practice, 

 existing among some savage tribes, of taking the scalps of slain 

 enemies or preparing their heads as "trophies." At any rate the 

 use which the Jibaros make of the heads of their enemies and the 

 ceremonies which they perform with them are throughout founded 

 upon this idea. 



Again, the idea that the spirit of a murdered man is taken by de- 

 sire for revenge and that his revengeful attitude first of all is directed 

 against the slayer is also quite natural and universally met with in 

 the lower culture. In regard to the Jibaros, the interest is especiallj'^ 

 attached to the childish and naive means by which the Indians 



