Linton — The Marquesas Islands 



435 



probably was always a rare and greatly valued ornament. A narrow band of featherwork, 

 corresponding to one of the three strips in the large paekita, was worn as a headdress in 

 Nuivu Hiva. It was also called packua. 



According to Handy the packua was worn by young chiefesses at fetes, and was also 

 sometimes worn as a breast ornament. Its principal use, however, was as a man's headdress. 



A few other types of feather headdresses seem to have been in use. 

 Forster (25, pp. 15-16) says that some of the natives of Hiva Oa wore "round 

 coronets of the small linguated feathers of the man-of-war bird." Stewart (59, 

 p. 313) says that a faiia (priest) seen by him in Nuku Hiva wore "a full wreath 

 of red and white feathers, much soiled, in alternate bunches over the forehead and 

 temples." From his notes and from Dordillon's dictionary Handy has compiled 

 names of additional feather ornaments as follows : 



Heikua : A wreath of red cock feathers worn 

 by women to dance the hakapabaka. The 

 feathers were attached to sennit. 



T'ua : An ornament of twelve upright toake 

 feathers, which was worn on the fore- 

 head. 



Hei mekameka : Head ornament of long 

 cocks" plumes. 



Kohepea : Long cocks' plumes attached to 



the end of a stick, worn as an ornament. 

 Koketata : Aigrette of cocks' plumes on the 



end of a stick. 

 Pea : Long tail feathers of a cock. Aigrette 



of these feathers. 

 Peue : Head ornament of feathers in the form 



of a visor. 

 Tua: Aigrette of red feathers of the tropic 



bird. 



A number of striking headdresses of materials other than feathers were 

 also used by the Marquesans. 



Wreaths or garlands of porpoise teeth (pciic ci), worn principally by women, are still 

 obtainable, although their manufacture has been discontinued for a number of years. The 

 base of these ornaments is a band plaited from a number of strands of twisted coconut fiber. 

 (See PI. Lxxxii, A.) The technique is identical with that employed for the bands of hair orna- 

 ments. The band is widest in the middle and tapers toward the ends, which are turned over 

 and plaited back into the band on the outer side, forming stiiT loops. Through these loops the 

 tying strings, usually of white tapa, are passed. 



The teeth were drilled through the root , and were attached as follows : A small bundle 

 of fibers was released from every other cord on one half of the plait, threaded with beads 

 and teeth, and its free end twisted into the corresponding cord on the opposite half of the plait 

 In almost all specimens both teeth and beads are used, each of the loops having six or 

 more beads at each end and from 10 to 15 teeth in the middle. According to one informant, in 

 ancient times small fish vertebrae were used instead of beads. In one specimen the beads are 

 absent, the entire loop being threaded with teeth. It is evident that the twisting of the cords 

 in the plait, the stringing of the loops, and the plaiting were carried on simultaneously. 



In all the specimens examined, the teeth had apparently been drilled with metal tools. 

 The perforations are remarkably small, and the teeth fit the cords on which they are strung 

 so tightly that it is difficult to remove them even when the cords have been broken. Miost, if 

 not all, of the teeth used in these wreaths were obtained from the island of Ua Pou. An 

 ordinary wreath contains from 1000 to 1500 teeth, and the demand evidently exceeded the 

 supply, for several wreaths were seen which contained imitation teeth made of bone. A unique 

 specimen, made entirely of bone, is shown on Plate i.x.xxn, B. 



When not in use the wreath was straightened and a smooth rod, about half an inch in 

 diameter was run through all the loops, between the teeth and the plaited band. The orna- 



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