Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1888-09-13
The HAIR or sAvAoEs.
How the Asiatie. and south sea Islander
Keen II Within Bounds


The Asiatlcs have always been fam
Gus for decorating their heads. The
Mohammedans OF old shaved their
heads. except a single knot Of hair a
the exact top OF the head. which was
left for a practical purpose. the Mo-
hammedan doctrine being that at the
resurrection OF the dead the angel
Gabriel was specially detailed TO attend
10 the Mohammedans, and he raised
them BY the top-kn0i. Accordingly the
top-knot was left full and strong In or
der that the hold might not break, q
hole being left n the top Of the colin M
order 70 facilitate the angels work.
The Chinese method u hair dressing II
too well known TO need description.
while in India the styles are both NUM-
erous and diversified. many Of the
tribes Of the Puniab being distinguished
from each other by their methods Of
dressing their hair.
According to Lubbock, Darwin and
other authorities. the head dressing OF
the South Sea Islanders Is ornate in the
last degree. while not infrequently their
styles OF dressing their hair are 20 in
geniously grotesgue a. 70 create the i'm
preston that the arrangement was
solely for the purpose Of creating laugh
ter. Sometimes most 81 the hair on the
head is clipped away. leaving n number
OF short. round tufts. as though the
scalp were planted with short paint
brushes. Occasionally the hair Is cut
away from the forehead and temples.
leaving it at the top and back Of the
head; sometimes the back OF the head
Is shaved. leaving the hair on the top
and sides: but generally the entire
growth Of hair Is left upon the head,
and As the capillary adornments OF the
New Zealanders are very long and
bushy. the couture OF a chief generally
assumes enormous proportions. One
traveller mentions the fact OF seeing a
chief in New Zealand whose head dress
was over three feet In diameter and ar
ranged in long cones. the surface OF the
scalp being divided into a great num-
Der Of small circles. and the hair grow
ing in each twisted up and so curled as
tD form inverted cones. the point being
toward the scalp.
But. not content with these extraordi-
nary appeBdages. the South Sea Island
ers have a practice Of dyeing their hair
and in the most extraordinary colors.
The natural color 81 their hair Is jetty
black. but they have a number Of pig
men's. the use OF which is well known
10 them. by which they color their
locks red. green. blue. yellow and
white. and every variety of color may
be seen in the course Of a days walk.
But the New Zealand dandy Is frequent
" not satisfied with having his hair one
color. and so will die il in several. max
ing bands or stripes across his Uranium
A recent traveller records having seen a
New Zealander with an enormous shock
Of bushy hair. In front the hair was
left it, natural color. Next, from ear
across the top Of the head to the other.
came a strip Of white hair. then band
Of red. then a streak Of green, then q
blue stripe, and this parti-colored saw
age, who rescmbled nothing 40 much as
an extraordinary habited clown in the
circus. was not only the admiration OF
himself. but Of the entire village in
which he lived. 80 that in New Zealand.
as well a. In more civilized countries.
the adage: Variety Is TIE spice Of
life. i perfectly true.