Earring

Among most Central Mountain peoples it is customary to pierce the ears. This is usually done in the lobe of the ear, but other parts of the ear, such as the top of the auricle, may also be affected. The piercing is not accompanied by ceremonies and is performed on young children from about seven to eight years old. Sometimes the earlobes become stretched or even torn due to the weight and shape of the ear jewelry. This ornament consists of the shaft of a casuary spring to which small seeds of a kind of wild banana are attached. The pin is inserted through the earlobe in such a way that the strings of black seeds hang down along the cheek.