Morris tribune., 1901-08-17
HERALDRY or THE INDIANS
Marks ON the Face to Denote HonOrs,
Amcamfr.v. Tribe and Condition.

II
M6rls ON the Face to Denote Honors,
Ancestry, Tribe and Condition.
People in general have been content
i to look upon the Indians adofnmeRf Of
his head with eagle feathers and his
| face with paint as marks Of personal
| decoratfcA inspired by vanity and q
savage taste, different only in degree
from what is sometimes Witnessed
among highly civilized peoples. But
the fact is that IN preferenceto the lat
| ter custom, for instance, every paint
mark on an Indians face has sort Of
heratdic meaning implying not only
the hoHors won by the brave in person.
but representing also the claims Of his
family and race to distinction. In other
words, what is shown among more eui-
tuFed communities by coats Of arms
orders and decorations is depicted by
the Indian on his face by means Of pig
nents.
Scientists are now engaged, among
other novel investigations concerning
the NGrth American Indian, in coGnpfl
ing record Of the armorial, or, rather,
facial, bearings of certain celebrated
chiefs, and It is said to be fascinating
work. One renowned warrior, for IN
stance, will have his lip painted. cop
per red. This is found toindieate that
his tribe was once in possession Of
huge mines OF copper. Another indt
vidual will have his forehead adorned
with a painting of a certain fsh, thu
implying that he or his people are re-
noWned for proWess in catching fish.
The same distinguished person some
times wears disk Of pearl in addition
to his paint mask. This, by its SHIN
mering radiance and It's form, implies
that he is descended from the moenv
in the sense that the goddess of night
is one Of his ancestors.
The fact tllat the indian Las no con
ception of perspective seriously handf-
caps tie success OF his efforts at pic
torial art Indeed the Indian Inner
merely aims to show the most charae-
teristic portion Of the object he at
tempts to depict unless he be man
of great attainment, in which case he
divides or dissects the subject Of his
picture and represents the whole by IT'S
parts. the latter being arranged en-
tirely irrespective Of the natural Sc
quence.
The features of the Indian are some
times Incorporated into the representa-
ton OF the animal which forms his
heraIdic bearing. Should the beaver,
for example. be the object to be de-
picted, it is not attempted to design
the whole form of the animal, but only
its distinctive and typical parts, as, for
instance. its peculiar tail, which is
painted In cTisscross lines extending
from the chin to the nose, as though
standing upright The chin itself does
service as the beavers bodA
The arbitrary methods Of the Indian
artist render It difficult, if not impos-
sibIe. for any but an expert to inter
pref the meanings Of the pictorial
Representations. Thus an animals
ears are invariably depicted above the
eyes on the human subject. the ears Of
the beaver being just above the eye
broWs. On the cheeks are painted the :
paws in position as though they
were raised to the mouth in the man.
ner conventional in indian carvings.
The dogash painted in red on the
face designates the members Of an en-
tire tribe. On the foreheads Of the
members Of this tribe is painted the
long, thin snout. The gills are repre-
scented by two curved lines below the
eyes, while the tail is shown as cut in
two and hanging from each nostril.
Only one or two parts Of an animal
painted on an Indians face indicate
that he is of inferior position. The en-
tire symbol. no matter in what form
presented. is significant Of lofty sta
ton and high honora
The facial heraIdry OF the Indian
may be said to be unique not alone in
the method Of representation employ
ed, but in the subjects selected. These
latter include fish, flesh and fowl of all 5
description. Dog salmon. devilish. star
fish. woodpeckers, ravens. eagles. bears,
wolves. are comprised in the armoFial
gallery.
Every object representa- hss-its own
particular significance. and tHns OF ane
most peculiar phases of face pa nung
relates to the employment OF forl-. es'
other than animals-tools, implements
Of the chase or of war, denoting the
occupation Of the Individual or his
.rfbe.-W Washington Times.
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