MELANESIANS. The natives of that part of Oeeaniea known as \lelanesia (q.v.). Some authorities (.011.liter them physically and lin guistically a compound of the woolly-haired black Papuans. who may have been the aborigines of Melanesia, with the smooth-haired, light-colored Malays, who came to the archipelago as adven turers and immigrants. Of all the islanders of these regions they present in individual eases the strongest likeness to the equatorial African negro. Other scholars recognize a 'Melanesian race,' divided into Papuans and Melanesians proper, the latter being taller and more doliehocc phalie than the former, and having generally the large square or lozenge-shaped face with the straight or retrousse nose of the Melanesian race. The Melanesian is the most primitive form of Oceanic speech. The Alelanesians are in general sedentary and devoted to agriculture, being only occasionally hunters and fishers, and they use the pig as a domestic animal. Many of the Mel anesians make pottery, an art practioal by few of the Polynesians. They double canoes and outriggers, but are not given, like the Polynesians. to long voyages. With most of them the characteristic dwelling is built on piles (see LAEE-DtvELLIN“s), and often artistically deco rated, while communal houses are found all over the Mellinesian area. The bow and arrow (sometimes poisoned) are in use, with the club and spear, which lend themselves to ornamenta tion. Some of the hafted stone axes of the Mel anesians are very fine specimens of their kind. Nava, the characteristic drink of the Polynesians.
is absent, but betel-chewing prevails generally ex cept in New Caledonia. The Solomon Islands and a few other places still present examples of cannibalism, while head-hunting. together with the preservation of the skulls of the dead. is well known. Taboo assumes in Melanesia a less clear form than in Polynesia. amounting to simple in terdiction without the intervention of mysterious forces. '['rites proper are rare in Melanesia. The regulation of 'group marriages' is rely strict. Seen-t societies abound, including the famous dak-dak (q.v.), which corresponds in several curi ous respects to the modern club. The highest development of the Melanesian is to be found in the Ijiji islands, now a British colony. the low est in some parts of New Caledonia and the Solo mon Islands. Consult: Finscb, A nthropologische Ernebnisse riner keise in der Siidsce (Berlin, 1554) : Inthitns, Les Nouvelles-Hebrides (Nancy, 1590) ; Guppy. The Solomon Islands and Their Noires (London, 1Sg7 ) ; Legrand, Au pays des ranunurs (Park- 1593 ) : Cod rington, The Mela nesian Lonfotulles (Oxford. 1855) ; id., The Mela nesians: Studies in Their A nthropology and Folk Lore Ob.. 1591) ; Parkinson. Die l'Okrrstiimme n-l'om mow ( Berlin, 1599) ; id.. ha Dis mareks-Arehipel (Leipzig, 1887) ; Haddon, Head Banff rs, Mark, White, and Brown (London, 1902) ; Gaggin, mong the Mun-Eaters: Fiji and Solomon. nds ( London. 1900) ; Afelehing, Ntorrtenbildccng itt ifelancsien (Leipzig, 1897).