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of injuries inflicted by her husband in a moment
of blind rage over some grievance, fancied or
real. In this connection it may be mentioned that
subsequently this same woman went to nurse
Pakomeo, previously mentioned, who was ill at the
time. Upon the recovery, so well pleased were
they with each other that she abandoned her
cruel
spouse, remained with Pakomeo, was living with him
as his wife at the time of our visit and the
arrangement seemed mutually satisfactory.
The custom of tattooing has fallen off within the
last few years and is now rarely or never
practised. It is only among the adults, more
especially among the older people, that good
examples may be found.
Unless the inhabitants of other islands, where a
standard pattern is adhered to, the Rapa Nuiis
seem to have affected no uniform fashion nor
limited themselves to any particular style. The
custom obtained alike among the male and female
members of the community. Generally speaking,
the ornamentation was as follows: A narrow band
around the upper part of the forehead, at the
edge of the roots of the hair, with little balls,
each joined to the band by a stem, pendant from
it, the whole simulating a coronet; a line around
the outer free edge, the helix, and lobe of the
ear; a line around the edge of the lips; the neck
in its entire circumference, either in straight
lines, vertical or oblique, or with the lines
wavy; three radiating exclamation marks beneath
each ear, common among women at the present day; a
girdle about the waist, in broad bands, with an
attempt at lace work, or fringe, from which rise
heavy lines, at the ends of which, toward the
axillae, are fanciful figures resembling faces,
with a larger face in the middle of the back; fine
lines down the thighs anteriorly; heavy,
undulating bands posteriorly, running over the
buttocks toward the waist; wavy or straight
perpendicular lines, terminating in points,
around the logs, and elsewhere.
The material used in tattooing is made of the soot
obtained by burning a plant with a leaf similar to
our Indian corn, and called by the natives
ti, moistened with the expressed juice of a
berry similar to our pokeberry, and called
poporo. Pieces of bone, finished like a
fine-toothed comb, or fish bones made fast to a
short stick, are used to prick the skin by holding
in contact with the surface and striking it a
brisk blow.
Before the advent of the missionaries the Rapa
Nuiis possessed scant wardrobes. They made a
coarse cloth woven of the fibers of the inner bark
of the mahuti, Chinese paper mulberry, or of the
burau, another
fibrous tree, which they wore about the shoulders
and loins.
This cloth was also used, in the manner of a
shield , as a protection in battle against the
enemy's spears, which latter was, with the
exception of the war club, their principal weapon,
the head being made of obsidian, numbers of
which may be found on the island. They also made
siapu, or tapa, as do the natives of other
islands, by beating out the bark and wearing the
same as a breechcloth. With the coming of the
missionaries civilized clothing was introduced and
is now generally worn, comprising coat, shirt and
trousers, among the men, and a loose gown of
cotton material,
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