TATTOOING THE HEATHEN.

Clutha Leader, Volume XXXVI, Issue 50, 3 December 1909, Page 8

TATTOOING THE HEATHEN.

All the heathen in San Cristoval, one or the Solomons, are tattooed with the eame patterns: a frigate hawk on the forehead above the njse; lines representing the red sky at morning or evening,over the eyebrows; circles, representing the fruit of the salite tree, by the eyes; and on the cheeks clouds and birds' wings alternating. It must (writes Bishop Wilson in the 'Southern Cross Log') l>e a terribly, painful process this tattooing, and it is conducted with some ceremony. Friends gather and the boy is tied firmly down. A sharpened bone of a bat's wing is drawn along the skin with pressure; the pain is fearful and the boy's cries terrible. When one side of the face is finished the drums are beaten to announce the fact to the villagers around. When the bird on the nose is finished the drums ere beaten again. Before the work is finished women bring money to the artist. The operation takes the whole day. Blood covers the boy's face and is mopped or allowed to dry on.> He is in great pain for three, days, but for weeks his face is swollen and horrible to see.