MALLERY. ] NEW GUINEA TATTOO. 411 
right to speak in the society of men. But as soon as he was tattooed he passed into 
his majority, and considered himself entitled to the respect and privileges of mature 
years. When a youth, therefore, reached the age of 16, he and his friends were 
all anxiety that he should be tattooed. He was then on the outlook for the tattoo- 
ing of some young chief with whom he might unite. On these occasions six or a 
dozen young men would be tattooed at one time, and for these there might be four 
or five tattooers employed. Tattooing is still kept up to some extent and is a 
regular profession, just as house-building, and well paid. The custom is traced to 
mythologic times and has its presiding deities. 
In Révue d’Ethnographie (a) (translated) it is published that— 
Tattoo marks of Papuan men in New Guinea can be worn on the chest only when 
the man has killed an enemy. Fig.26, p. 101, shows the marks upon the chest of 
Waara, who had killed five men. 
Tattoo marks upon parts other than the chest of the bodies of men and women do 
not seem to have significance. They are made according to the fancy of the designer. 
Frequently the professional tattooers have styles of their own, which, being popular 
and generally applied, become customary to a tribe. 
The illustration above mentioned is reproduced as Fig. 536. 
Fig, 536.—Tattoo on Papuan chief. 
In the same article, p. 112, is the following, referring to Fig. 537: 
Among the Papuans of New Guinea tattooing the chest of females denotes that 
they are married, though all other parts of the body, including the face and legs, 
may be tattooed long before; indeed the tattooing of girls may begin at 5 years of 
age. Fig. 39, p.112, gives an illustration of a married woman. * * * The dif- 
ferent forms of tattoo depend upon the style of the several artists. Family marks 
are not recognizable, but exist. 
De Clereg (a) gives further particulars about tattooing among the 
Papuans of New Guinea. Among the Segét it is only on women. 
They call it “‘fadjan,” and the figures consist of two rows of little cir- 
cles, on each side of the abdomen toward the region of the arm-pit, with 
a few cross strokes on the outer edge; it is done by pricking with a 
needle and afterwards the spots are fumigated with the smoke of burn- 
ing resin. It is said to be intended as an ornament instead of dress, 
and that young girls do it because young men like to see it. 
At Roembati tattooing is called “‘gomanroeri” and at Sékar ‘béti.” 
They do it there with bones of fish, with which they prick many holes 
