ROTH] DEATH AND MOURNING 639 
go about quite naked—this being the way of mourning over the de- 
parted. The old dames adorn themselves no more, and likewise do 
not worry even about covering their shame, going at once naked 
with long dependent breasts swaying in front of their body. Many 
would find it difficult to imagine that in times of mourning the eyes 
should really be allowed to roam elsewhere, but it is indeed the case 
(BER, 21). Hair cutting was practiced by Arawak, Warrau, Saliva, 
Makusi, Oyana, and Island Carib; among Arawak only at the final 
festivities, e. g., the Makuari and Hauyari. The hair so removed was 
buried with the deceased Oyana, but as to the hair plugged into the 
ears and mouth of the dead Makusi there is not sufficient evidence to 
show whether this came from the deceased or the survivors. The 
coloration of the body in varying degrees, according to the kinship of 
the mourner, was customary among certain of the tribes, red (annatto) 
being employed for the purpose by Carib, Makusi, and Guahibo; blue 
or black (probably genipa) by the Jirara (G,1,201). Certain foods 
are forbidden and various works—e. @., the cutting of large timbers— 
restricted. If the deceased be married, the surviving partner repels 
all offers of marriage until such time as the burial ceremonies are 
concluded. In many cases—e. g., Akawai, Carib, Oyana—the hut, the 
fields, and, on certain occasions, the whole village where death took 
place, might be deserted. Let death have taken place among the more 
influential members of the settlement and every individual will leave 
his hut. The fields may be ripe for crop or may just have been 
planted—nothing can conquer the fear that their further abode at 
that spot is displeasing to Kanaima, the arch enemy of the human 
race (ScG, 282). An Indian may, however, be left in charge to watch 
the crop (ScO, 69). 
$32. The site for the burial of the dead was either the deceased’s 
own house or its neighborhood, though special localities, e. g., gen- 
eral cemeteries, were not unknown. Thus Arawak, Guahibo, Saliva, 
Carib, Akawai, Makusi, ete., all buried their dead in their huts. 
Among the Uaupes River Indians some of the large houses have 
more than 100 graves in them, but when the houses are small and 
very full the graves are made outside (ARW, 346). In one ceme- 
tery of the Piaroa, Humboldt reports having seen nearly 600 well- 
preserved skeletons (sec. 852). The graves of Makusi medicine men 
are dug, not in the nearest convenient spot but on a special hill of 
somewhat peculiar shape and well wooded, which stands isolated on 
the savanna in front of the northern face of the Canuku Moun- 
tains. The Makusi of the village of Carenacru, on the Rupununi 
savanna, have a special place for burying their dead, but this seems 
quite an exceptional instance (IT, 224). Carowob is a hill on the 
upper Pomeroon, noted as the burial place of the ancient Carib 
