Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-03-25
PAINTED FACES
Why the Indians Paint and
Tattoo Their Skin.
Original Idea Was to Show Family
or Tribe.
An Indian Legend Which Explains
the Custom.

so hideOusly tattoo their skin with Pc
culiar designs. Yet there are good
many reasons why Indians do this, ac-
cording to Prof. w. j. MCGEE of the
United States chronological Bureau,
who has long been a student of the
aborigine.
The painting is the more primitive"
Professor MCGEE said to a Washington
Star reporter. THE original form of
expressing an idea was by means of
designs placed upon the face. So far
as known. the primary idea is family
relationship. In savagery the basis
of law is consanguinity, and that con-
sanguinity is maternal alone. To be
more specific, maternal relation is
recognized, while paternal is not.
Accordingly. the younger women
and girls are DESTROYS of advertising
their station, making known to the
world what their relationship is. They
represent the motherhood of the family
or clan and the tribe and are proud of
the fact. as all persons are of their
blood and lineage. For that reason
they paint their faces with the design
of the family or clan totem, the totem
defined as the animal tutelary or deity
of a consanguineal group.
Frequently members of the group
designate themselves collectively by
the name of this tutelary. Thus the
so-called Fox tribe of Indians call
themselves Muswaki, meaning red
earth fox people, their tutelary being
the fox. This tribe again comprises a
number of clans. one bearing the same
design as that of the tribe, the others
named after other animal tutelaries or
tOtems including wolf, beaver, etc.
The various tribal laws including
and pertaining to marriage are based
on this totemic organization. Accord
ingly, in some tribes the Beavers are
prohibited to intermarry with the
Wolves, but not with the Foxes or the
Crows. Throughout that stage of So
ciety called savagery, in any part of
the world, children are named after the
clan tutelary of the mother and belong
to her clan. In the same stage the
father commonly has no authority in
the household of his spouse, where he
remains as sort of perpetual guest,
and may even be recalled by his own
clar or tribe to engage in warfare
against his wifes relations or his own
children.
Frequently the authority in the
family, which is reckoned in terms of
relative age, is such that children may
exact obedience of the father, for when
the mothers clan or tutelary is the
elder in their belief all its members,
including it's children, may have au-
thority over members of any other
elan. Thus among the Muskwakis If
"a man of the Beaver clan marries
woman of the Red Fox clan the chill
dren of the union may exact obedience
of their father by reason of the SUI
perior rank of their totem.
These instances serve to show the
extreme complexity of the savage law
and the importance of mnemonic de-
vices-that is, of devices expressing
the consanguineal system of keeping it
in mind. Among some tribes this aim
lis effected by face painting, the ma
irons smearing their faces with con-
ventional representations of their to-
tens. That illustrates the primary.
fundamental face painting, so far as
known.
In the lowest stages of society men
don't count for much in their own
philosophy, while women count Tor
yerv much more. Women are the
blood carriers, representing a long
lime of successive generations. The
way it is carried out by some tribes is
interesting. In this stage men do not
deem it worth while to paint at all.
IN the somewhat higher stage
known as barbarism, where the law IS
based on consanguinity traced in the
male line, the men paint their faces
largely to represent their totems or
Itutelaries, especially when going on
the warpath. The Indian when he
goes on the warpath strives to attain
the strength, cunning and ferocity OF
his tutelary. So, if he belongs to the
Rear clan or tribe, he paints devices on
his face intended to represent a bear
These designs are invocations to his
hear god. He seeks to invoke and OBJ
ltain the attributes of his deity in this
vay. He tries to make himself bear,
wolf. beaver or whatever clan he be-
longs to.
| $50 much tor the painting in general
! Among the American Indians tattooins is
not particularly common. at least miIunS
! men. In many of the tribes the women
| aro tsttooed for reasons analogous 20
| those that lead to face painting. me
/ most prevalent devices, although NOT pr,
/ mary are uStu lot
conditions. \ woman, On her marrlasN :
| has tattooed two or more lines extending
| down from her mouth to her chin. some
| times these devices are supplemented by
| others Indicating her clan and that OF hef
| spouse. or ,,,o,
! riors are designed for various purposes
| In some tribes a shield is tattooed on the
back to protect the warrior from enemies
in the rear. the shield usually containing
| a symbol or emblem representing Els to-
temic deity. 49,
tional explanations. those that white men
have formed, and are based upon a
careful study of Indian customs and be-
Iefs. The Indians themselves have an
elaborate mytholCgic system TO whicA
they appeal in explanation of their GUS
toms Thus most of the clans and tribe
consider themselves lineal descendants OF
their animal tute'arieS, and old men like
their descent with attendant circum-
stances of the creation of the world, the
origin of the sun, moon and stars, AMI
the differentiation Of the animals
A legend as to why Indians paint their
faces was told recently by former In
dian agent. Prof. MCGEE said that 1t was
typical of the race.
The story runs:
Long ago, when men were weak ann
animals were big and strong. chief Of
the red men who lived in these moLn-
tains went out to get deer. for his PEG
pie were hungry. After walking all dd J
he saw a deer, and shot at it; but tn2
arrow was turned aside and wounded a