Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-07-09
HERALDRY OF THE INDIANS.
Paint on the Face Corresponds to
Armorial Bearings.

From the Chicago Chronicle
People In general have been content to
look upon the Indians adornment of his
head with eagle feathers and his face with
paint as marks of personal decoration, in
spired by vanity and a savage taste diff
ferent only in degree from what is some
times witnessed among highly civilized peo-
Pies, remarked a scientist of the bureau
of ethnology. But the fact is" he con-
tlnued. that in reference to the latter Gus
tom, for instance, every paint mark on an
Indians face has sort of heraldic mean
ing, implying not only the honors won by
the brave in person, but representing also
the claims of his family and race to dis
tinction. In other words, what is shown
among more cultured communities by coats
Of arms, orders and decorations is depicted
by the Indian on his face by means Of pig
ments.
Scientists of this bureau are now en-
gagged. among other novel Investigate lions
concerning the North American Indian, in
compiling record of the armorial, or
rather. facial. bearings of certain cee-
brated chiefs, and 1t is found to be fasci-
mating work. One renowned warrior, for
instance, will have his lip painted a copper
red. This Is found to indicate that his
tribe was once in possession of huge mines
of copper.
Another individual will have his forehead
thus implying that he or his people are re-
nowned for prowess in catching fish, The
same distinguished person sometimes wears
disk of pearl in addition to his paint
mask. This by Its shimmering radiance
and its form implies that he Is descended
from the moon In the sense that the god
dess of night is one of his ancestors.
THE fact that the Indian artist has no
conception Of perspective seriously handi-
caps the success OF his pictorial efforts. In
deed. the Indian thinner merely aims to
show the most characteristic portion of the
object he attempts to depict. unless he be a
man OF unusual attachments in which case
he divides or dissects the subject of his pic
ture and represents the whole by its parts
the latter being arranged entirely irrespec-
tive of the natural sequence. so that prop
eriy to understand a native Indian picture
would require a course In a specialized
branch Of art criticism.
1.-The exceedingly arbitrary methods of
the Indian artist render it difficult, If not
wholly impossible, for any but an expert to
interpret the meanings of the pictorial rep
reservations.
Thus. the animals ears are invariably
depicted above the eyes on the human sub
Ject, the ears of the beaver being Just above
the eyebrows. On the cheek are painted the
paws in a position as they were raised to
the mouth in the manner conventional In
Indian carvings.
1.-The dogf1sh painted In red on the face
designates the members of an entire tribe.
On the foreheads of the members of this
tribe IL painted the long, thin snout; the
gills are represented 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 indicates that he is of
inferior position: the entire symbol. no mat
ter In what form presented, Is significant
of lofty station and high honors.
This facial heraldry OF the Indians may
be said to be unique not alone in the method
of representation employed. but in the sub
jects selected. These latter include fish.
flesh and fowl Of all descriptions-dog sal
mon, deviihsh, starfish. woodpeckers, ravens,
eagles, bears. wolves. frogs are comprised
In the armorial gallery.
every object represented has It's own
particular significance and one of the most
peculiar phases Of face-painting relates to
the employment OF forms other than animal
TOOLS implements Of the chase. of war, de-
noting the occupation of the individual or
his tribe, ETC.