DEMOTIC CHARACTERS 



The Seri, like all other peoi)les, are characterized by various collect- 

 ive attributes which vastly transcend iu interest and iniportauce the 

 somatic attributes exhibited by the individuals. These superorganic 

 attributes are essentially activital — i. e., they represent what the peo- 

 ple do rather than what they merely are; and in both collective and 

 activital aspects they serve to distinguisli the human realm from the 

 oriiaiiic realm, and to afford a basis for the classilication of mankind — 

 i. e., they combine to form demotic characters. 



The demotic characters of the Seri, like those of other peoples, may 

 be classed as (1) esthetic, (2) industrial, (3) institutional, (4) linj;uistic, 

 and (5) sophic; and iu this order the essentially hunuiu attributes of 

 the tribe (except the last named) may be described. It is a matter of 

 deep regret that the data concerning the demotic characters of the tribe 

 are too meager to afford more than a mere outline of their activities, and 

 that their suggestive mythology must be passed over for the present. 



Symbolism and Decoration 



face-painting 



One of the most conspicuous customs of the Seri is that of painting 

 the face in designs by means of mineral pigments. Of the 55 mem- 

 bers of the tribe shown iu the group forming plate xiii, 28 (in the 

 oi'iginal photograph; a somewhat less number in the reproduction) 

 exhibit face-painting more or less clearly, and this proportion may be 

 regarded as typical; i. e., about half of the tribe are painted. 



On noting the individual distribution of face-painting, it is found to 

 be practically confined to the females, though male infants are some- 

 times marked with the devices pertaining to their mothers, as adult 

 warriors are said to be on special occasions; and so far as observed all 

 the females, from aged matrons to babes iu arms, are painted, though 

 sometimes the designs are too nearly obliterated by wear to be trace- 

 able. About 35 of the individuals shown in the group (plate xiii) are 

 females; of these, fully four fifths showed designs or definite traces of 

 the paint, while the remaining fifth bore traces too faint to be caught 

 by the camera; but none of the men or larger boys were painted. In 

 the smaller group shown in plate xiv ail of the females display paint, 

 as does the small boy in the center also, while the man (husband of the 

 middle aged matron) reveals no trace of the symbol. The two pictures 

 typify the prevalence and the distribution by sex of the painting. 

 164* 



