The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-07-24
WOMEN WEAR TAILS
AND PROUD OF THEM
ARTIFICIAL APPENDICES PLAY
IMPORTANT PART IN SOCIAL
LIFE OF NIGERIANs.
BOTH LIPS PIERCED
FEMALES MADE TO WEAR ROUND
DISH OF WOOD TO PRE-
VENT EATING
DOGS.
BOTH LIPS PIERCED

washington, d. c., July 23-In
Inc remote part of northern Nigeria,
not yet under the complete control
or the British, there dwell a people
whose women wear tails and are
proud Of them. according to a state
ment issued by the National Geo.
graphic Society. at Washington, d. c..
today The statement Is based on the
investigations Of Major A. J. N.
Tremearne, who has served in Nigeria,
both as police and political officer.
True it is that these tails are not
of flesh and blood, but none the less
they play an important part in the
social life of the people, for they are
the outward and visible sign of the
matronly dignity says the society.
When a woman of the Kangoro,
kajji, or of fou-. other neighboring
tribes-the Atlakka, Morva. Katab.
or the Jaba-becomes a bride, she
puts off forever the simple girdle of
twisted grass that, up to that moment,
has been her sole adornment, and as
sumes the apron of leaves and the
tremendously significant tail, or kun
noh. as it Is called.
In each of the tribes, the kun
mock varies in form, sometimes long
and thin, at others short, mushroom
Ike and stumpy or shaped like
long bell. These tails are made of
palm fiber, plated or bound together
with string and usually stained with
a red earth, which Is also used for
the further adornment OF the lady's
body Often the kunnock is worn
quite plain, but the more ambitious
modes prescribe an establishment OF
brass wire and colored glass beads
The Kangoro women are distinguish
ed by the Quaker-like simplicity OF
their attire; they wear the shortest
and plainest of tails. a few beads
around the neck. and perhaps a really
fashionable lady will add bracelet
or leglet of beads: but the kunnok
itself remains in all its native sever
ity.
The ladies of the Kajji tribe. how
ever, affect a greater elegance; their
tails are OF greater length, the
stumps being covered with intricate
designs worked in brass and copper
wire, while the wheel-shaped terminal
Is gay with colored beads set in bed
OF liquid rubber. of which there Is
great deal In the country. In this
tribe the kunnok Is generally worn
over a bunch of leaves or grass SIM
liar to that which the ladies of all
the tribes depend from their girdles
in front. Sometimes a Kajji matron
who desires to be a leader In the
fashionable world will wear a tiny
iron bell Just above the tail, but this
is OF rare occurrence, and the bell
Is not often seen.
ITO add further to their beauty.
both the upper and lower lips Of these
women are pierced in order to admit
fiat, round disk OF wood called the
tichiak which Is usually about the
size of a half dollar. The lips OF the
little girls are pierced when they are
seven or eight years OF age. and a
piece OF wood inserted and worn for a
time until IA larger one takes Its
place, the opening thus being gradu-
ally enlarged until q fuli-sized tichiak
can be carried without discomfort.
The object OF this singularly discom-
forting adornment is to prevent the
women from eating dogs. which are
considered the greatest delicacy by
the men Of the tribes.
Both sexes decorate their bodies
with regular de-igns; the chests and
backs of the little girls are scarifed
at a very early age. When they ar
rive at marriageable age, the girls un-
dergo n further ordeal, for two sets OF
parallel lines are cut both on the
chest and the back, and as soon as
possible after marriage the head lines
are made. These consist of a number
of short cuts across the forehead,
extending from ear to ear, and thir-
teen long, slanting lines are cut on
each cheek from ear to chin