notH] DEFORMATION, DECORATION, ORNAMENTS, CLOTHES 497 
198)—an embellishment with very likely some special object, unfor- 
tunately unrecorded. An analogy for the probability of such a suppo- 
sition is afforded in the fact that though the Akawai wore their hair 
parted down the middle (BB, 186) and to a length that admitted of 
its falling far below their shoulders, the “head man” had his hair 
bound around with cord in such a manner that it stuck out at a right 
angle behind (BB, 22). Furthermore, such a “ tail” was common to 
other Carib stocks. Thus among the Trio it was the men who wore a 
tail bound spirally with a vine, while among the Galibi it was the 
women who sported it (Cr, 278). So also the Pianoghotto (SR, 1, 
478) and Maopityan men wore their hair in a plaited tail which lay in 
a 10 to 12 inch long palm-leaf tube, decorated with a number of 
threads and the gayest of feathers (SR, u1, 470, 472). The back hair 
of the Waiwai and Parikuta men is similarly done up into a tube. 
The Serekong men had their long hair combed neatly back and here 
plaited into a long pigtail, which presented quite a Chinese appear- 
ance (SR, u, 253). On the islands the women (Carib) used to rub 
their hair with oil and tie it with cotton, to the end of which they 
attached small shells (PBR, 247). 
516. The first cutting of the children’s hair seems to have been con- 
nected with more or less ceremonial, the meaning of which appears 
to have been lost. The island Carib used to cut the infant’s hair 
when about 2 years of age, for which purpose the whole family 
would hold a feast (RO, 554). On the mainland Arawak and 
Warrau at the present time crop their infant’s hair as soon as 
it is well able to crawl; on the Pomeroon it is believed that 
were it to ba done earlier the child would never become healthy 
and strong. The girls’ hair was cut or burned off at puberty 
in many of the tribes (SR, 1, 168; 11, 362, 363, 431), while in sev- 
eral tribes—e. g., Carib, Arawak, Warrau—both widows and 
widowers had their hair cut short on the death of the respective 
spouses, a practice which in some cases also extended to the children 
(GO, 15) and nearest relatives (RO, 569). Crévaux has it that 
the deceased’s spouse can not remarry until the hair has grown to 
a certain length (Cr, 548). Hair cutting was a sign of slavery (sec. 
775). Fish teeth were among the means employed for cropping hair. 
Thus, on the Orinoco, the Quirruba and others who go without hair 
use the teeth of the guacarito for cutting it in place of scissors by 
fixing the jaws in place and tying the ends together with cord (G, 
11, 207). The sharp bamboo knife (GO, 5, etc.) was also utilized. 
51%. Hairpins, combs.—Mention has already been made of the bod- 
kins, silver plates, fish bones, etc., with which the Arawak women 
were wont to fix up their hair. To all intents and purposes these may 
be regarded as hairpins [and it is a question whether the “ combs ” 
