The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1893-11-11
FASHIONS or sAvAcEs.
rattooing Had Ita Origin In Natu,

FASHIONS OF SAvAGES.
rastooing Had 1tr origin in Natura
Savage fashions are subject inter
esting as well rs amusing to tn,
thoughtful, but to the student of an
thropology full of profound signifl
canoe. He has learned to take it TO
granted that the more eccentric of sucl
fashions at least had their origin in
need. a state of things or of feelings
which made it reasonable in sense
Savage men are not more disposed K
put themselves to suffering or incon
venience just ''for the fun of the thing
than are any other animals-and the
most of their fashions are more or les
disagreeable. The motive has beer
forgotten, as rule. male barbarian
pulls out his teeth, sacrifices his fest
and tortures his hair; the female
runs things through her lips or nose
and shapes the head of her picaninny
with no conscious purpose. They do i,
just because their forefathers did the
same. In the course of ages it may
we'll have happened that some personal
defect of an individual in authority, OF
his caprice, imposed some fashion
which has endured. We read for ex.
ample, that when the kings of Abys.
sinia were crippled or wounded-lost q
limb or tooth, and so on-every loyal
subject mutilnted himself to match.
But growing experiences tempts us to
believe that in the simple pages of ex-
istence man was governed mostly by
reason in such matters--that is, con.
venience, tempered by superstition. 1t
IS startling theory for those who
have been taught to believe that the
ways of the savage are dictated by
pure fantasy, when not wilfully per-
verse.
The truth is that we begin to see
further in these days, and with the
help OF overwhelming information.
we have learned that all men passed
through the same stages of savagcry.
Laws which were regarded as local
ana eccentric are now recognized as
universal, and they give us the KEY to
many mysteries. Take that savage
fashion which is still, probably, the
most widespread -tattooing. We under.
stand at this time why it was prac.
ticed. In the first place, some ready
means for distinguishing friend from
foe ut a glance is vitally important
when every person encountered must
needs be one or the other. Life de-
pends on instant recognition.
This obvious explanation was per.
ceived long ago, of course. But there
is another which escaped notice until
the obligation of marrying outside OF
certain families-called "exoramy''-
was seen to be so generally recognized
that one may believe it universal once,
over great part of the world at least.
10 infringe the prohibited degrees Of
marriage carries the penalty of death
among many barbarous races now:
among many others it has only been
modified by compulsion, as in India.
Hut those degrees are MANY and COM
pllcated. For example, the Goala tribe
OF Bhagulpore will not allow "a mar
riage If the ancestors of either party
have been allied in seven generations
back. The quarterings of the noblest
German house ''are fool" to purity
like this. But the most lax of Orissa
aborigines-to SO call them roughly
exact four generations of alien blood.
How was it possible to keep the record
in early ages? Astonishing as is the
memory of priests or others who have
this matterin charge, its bounds would
soon be reached in a community, say,
OF ten dihs or stocks Mr.. Risley is
acquainted with one Of the people
called Pandjiars in the Bais tribe, who
keeps the register of three hundred
families, going back century. But
he has it in writing; his forerunners.
ut best. used some sort of tally,
which must have been highly ingen.
ions IT it answered all demands. Furth.
erlnore, we may be certain that the
tandjiars chronicle the pedigree of
chiefs and leading families thus care.
fully, while the common people are
that is, were-equally in danger if
some enemy discovered flaw in their
'ecords. Iattooing was the simplest
means to evade this peril and therefore
Authorities agree that our |
own forefathers were tatooed, and nc
'ne would think of cavilling at Green
Dr. Freeman, though it may be said !
hat evidence does not abound. Edith. |
,he swan-declsed, identified her lover
oy such marks Hereward was tat
'ooed; but both OF these were Danish
oy descent, and in any case it may have |
been personal fancy. But if the prac-
ice were general, it may be attributed
% eXognmy, long forgotten doubtless.
AT a later date of course. tattooinr
became simply an ornament, carried
o such length that the people them
elves invented an explanation some-
lines. Thus, the Burmese have
egend shockingly libelious upon their
.ncestors, which we can prove false.
t was in troubled times of the six.
eenth century, they say, that tattooiny
'ccame a fashion. But Marco Polo
grote of them three hundred years be.
ore: "As we'll the men us the women
$50 to embroider their faces, neck.
ands, bellies and legs. making the
nages of living dragons and birds,
nd so firmly imprint them that they
annot easily be put out, and the more
nch images any one has upon his
ody, SO much he is esteemed the finer
nd the more gallant. And there ara
iso in this country professors of this
polish art of flesh embroidery. which
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