ISS SS Hit Ht : ui Hit i i i / SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOLUME 133 (WHOLE VOLUME) ARAUCANIAN CHILD LIFE AND ITS CULTURAL BACKGROUND (Wirn 80 PLATEs) By SISTER M. INEZ HILGER Benedictine Sister, St. Benedict’s Convent, St. Joseph, Minn. (PUBLICATION 4297) CITY OF WASHINGTON PUBLISHED BY THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION December 10, 1957 THE LORD BALTIMORE PRESS, INC. BALTIMORE, MD., U. S. A. FOREWORD In this day when the vogue in ethnology is to stress theory and far-reaching comparisons, it is refreshing to find a study that is essentially descriptive. With characteristic energy Sister Inez has gathered a wealth of detailed facts concerning all aspects of child life, biological and sociological, which should serve as a mine of source material for future workers. Essentially she has followed the same methods as used in her two previous monographs on the child life of the Chippewa and the Arapaho, but in this instance she has stressed even more the cultural matrix which to such a large extent has determined the practices connected with the development and socialization of the child. The approach technically has not been that of the psychologist, but a wealth of psychological material emerges. The abundance of direct quotes from informants and the frequent recounting of personal experiences give to the narrative an intimacy that not only makes it entertaining reading but imparts a human quality which adds to its value as a sociological and psychological document. Considering the importance of the Araucanians, there are not too many accounts available in the English language, and no other study concerning child life. Although acculturated through more than four centuries of contact with European civilization, the Araucanians have retained their identity, their language, and a great deal of their aboriginal culture. This study of the Araucanians of Chile and Argentina, using the development and training of the child as a method of approach, actually gives an excellent picture of Araucanian ethnology in general as it is today. M. W. STIRLING Director, Bureau of American Ethnology Smithsonian Institution ili CONTENTS Page HEUTE VOL oes Tevetccets oe tele oeral eo lene ekeleveie ie ietouevecnte sla eceveksied poke epatal aie vekalsvs¥e) aloqal et she iii RCAC Oe ee ale renc eee hele veo eualictovzead Galatehetel na Gernelere troy nal Vakorneeneataysl saralchsTohetsl ste xi PNEKMOWIECCINEMES, in co chshcie eiaicls-c,cjeimieccle ole wate evejein es Rime =\elalothtaioiais «sani ©' ote * XV MEISE OLsITILOLIMATIES rites i eraicveto cel evorevaue ackaie e skotete veh onciototelelaleletajes.ofelisisislatene\s xix PART 1. THE ARAUCANIANS OF CHILE.........0...0ccsee0e> 3 Tm beocCtiOml pore eis cicicesis ec cicie tuole ateloversiarcrelxer ono «listaleverteleds lee) a Ts"efsieiey/s) =: = 3 Piretiatal SACtOLS vos cise se 60.4 cacie 2\6 #ieis cieie sore schayninyevelsiowets oyehsysl etal Siateletatsiaties 7 Sterility and fertility.......... 0c. ec cee cece e cence eee eteenceees 7 Size OL MPAs occ one es suis omy parce es en erate mie metetaieae ohteeine: «6:6 8 Prenatal Period, sence fee mysioinis us einieisio piele wie cae pry weiter spebersie sneer > 9 Periodrot SeStatiom: . soc. slelelnmsinic stele «Sela talemiptatnl ss<;a/s syarelaia a}ore 9 VN TSOTELONS Ore cic ee ieto icine tela elake ele neieie is cuels ole kerma eh velco ley = chee sr ere « 9 Sex preference and sex prediction............ seers cece ee eees 10 eDIGtH Aa nate ok sabes Saleeaiele ance Meee ee ae ane Teams 6s II Hood: arid COndtict CaDOOSe ci