A Racial Study of the Fijians

Part 4

Chapter 43,858 wordsPublic domain

It might be observed here that although hair length was not included in this survey, on the basis of personal but unrecorded observation, the Fijians conform to the Melanesian pattern. Most Fijian men now cut their hair short in the Western style, but some still do not. Women generally trim their hair but not short. The natural length of head hair is intermediate between the short-haired African Negroes and the long-haired Caucasians and Mongolians.

_Baldness_

Subm. + ++ +++ Total No. % No. % No. % No. % No. %

Total sample 731 90 40 3 30 4 12 1 0 0 813 Interior 122 80 12 8 12 8 7 5 0 0 153 East 112 93 3 3 4 3 1 1 0 0 120 Coast 194 93 10 5 4 2 1 0 0 0 209 N.W. 72 91 1 1 3 4 3 4 0 0 79

The lack of age correlations also limits the value of data on baldness, but some meaning can nevertheless be extracted. Regardless of age, with an incidence of pronounced baldness of 1 per cent among all adult males and of 4 per cent for a moderate condition, it is a clear indication that Fijians are not prone to loss of head hair.

_Beard Quantity_

Absent Subm. + ++ +++ Total No. % No. % No. % No. % No. %

Total sample 0 0 234 29 370 44 208 26 1 .01 813 Interior 0 0 22 14 67 44 64 42 0 0 153 East 0 0 45 38 59 49 16 13 0 0 120 Coast 0 0 60 29 94 45 54 26 1 0 209 N.W. 0 0 22 28 30 38 27 34 0 0 79 Fiji II cheeks 27 21 2 2 44 34 46 35 12 9 131 skin 9 7 0 0 52 40 56 43 14 10 131 Solomons cheeks 21 25 0 0 42 49 22 26 0 0 85 chin 7 8 0 0 53 62 25 29 0 0 85 Tonga chin 0 0 0 19 0 31 50 0 0 0 0 lower chk. 0 4 0 37 0 18 40 0 0 0 0

Moderate beard quantity is shown by 44 per cent of Fijians; the remainder are fairly evenly divided between the submedium and pronounced categories. Howells' series, which records beard quantity for the cheeks and chin separately, shows a higher frequency of pronounced and very pronounced designations. However, his data includes many individuals who have no beards at all. Both series are doubtless influenced by the fact that they contain a preponderance of young adult; a greater proportion of older men would have greatly raised the incidence of the pronounced categories.

Nearly all modern Fijians have adopted the Western practice of shaving. Examination of earlier pictures and written description of Fijians leaves no doubt that the majority of mature men possess luxurious beards when nature is unrestrained.

The natives of the Solomon Islands, according to Howells, are a little less bearded than the Fijians.

The Tongans are a little more heavily bearded than the Fijians.

Some geographical variation is indicated by my data. The interior people of Fiji have the highest incidence of face hair; 42 per cent are recorded as pronounced. Least endowed are the eastern Fijians, where 13 per cent have pronounced beards and 38 per cent are submedium. The coastal and northwestern series conform more closely to the overall distribution.

_Body Hair_[17]

Absent Subm. + ++ +++ Total No. % No. % No. % No. % No. %

Total sample 0 0 243 30 328 40 162 20 80 10 813 Interior 0 0 31 20 56 37 41 27 25 16 153 East 0 0 55 46 45 38 14 12 6 5 120 Coast 0 0 57 27 82 39 46 22 24 11 209 N.W. 0 0 16 20 36 46 19 24 8 8 79 Tonga 0 0 23 29 0 26 0 22 0 0 0

The body hair endowment is also not unimpressive. Forty per cent show a moderate condition, 20 per cent are pronounced, and 10 per cent very pronounced; none are totally devoid of body hair; 30 per cent are submedium. Chest hair among the Tongans is somewhat less in evidence; although the majority range from submedium to pronounced, 23 per cent are described as hairless.

The provincial distribution in Fiji follows that of face hair: the interior groups are hairiest and the eastern people least so.

The anatomical distribution of body hair deserves some comment, even though specific observations were made on the chest. Not infrequently the hair is heavier on the upper legs than on the chest. Occasionally, too, the back of the shoulders is quite hairy as well as the belly.

_Grayness: Head_

Absent Subm. + ++ +++ Total No. % No. % No. % No. % No. %

Total sample 621 76 82 10 82 10 28 3 3 3 813 Interior 80 52 37 24 19 12 17 11 0 0 153 East 91 76 13 11 16 13 0 0 0 0 120 Coast 176 84 14 7 17 8 2 1 0 0 209 N.W. 60 76 8 10 9 11 2 3 0 0 79

_Grayness: Beard_

Absent Subm. + ++ +++ Total No. % No. % No. % No. % No. %

Total sample 610 75 61 8 90 11 52 6 0 0 813 Interior 72 47 30 20 20 13 31 20 0 0 153 East 89 74 9 8 18 15 4 3 0 0 120 Coast 178 85 8 4 21 10 2 1 0 0 209 N.W. 60 76 6 8 11 14 2 3 0 0 79

Grayness of the hair data without corresponding age incidence is not particularly significant. It is clear, nevertheless, that premature grayness is not common. I would hazard the judgment that on the whole the Fijians show less tendency to grayness than do Caucasians.

The higher incidence of grayness of the interior sample of Fijians is likely due to a larger number of older men in that series.

THE FACE

_Prognathism: Total_

Absent Subm. + ++ Total No. % No. % No. % No. %

Fiji I 206 25 306 38 288 35 13 2 813 Interior 40 26 59 39 52 34 2 1 153 East 54 45 55 46 11 9 0 0 120 Coast 47 22 84 40 73 35 5 2 209 N.W. 18 23 29 37 32 41 0 0 79 Tonga 63 53 26 22 29 25 0 0 118

_Prognathism: Mid-Facial_

Absent Subm. + ++ Total No. % No. % No. % No. %

Fiji I 517 64 184 23 109 13 3 1/2 813 Interior 133 87 15 10 5 3 0 0 153 East 100 83 17 14 3 3 0 0 120 Coast 122 58 49 23 37 18 1 1 209 N.W. 48 61 20 25 11 14 0 0 79

_Prognathism: Alveolar_

Absent Subm. + ++ Total No. % No. % No. % No. %

Fiji I 798 98 9 1 4 1/2 2 0 813 Interior 153 100 0 0 0 0 0 0 153 East 120 100 0 0 0 0 0 0 120 Coast 207 99 0 0 1 1/2 1 1/2 209 N.W. 76 {96} 2 3 0 0 1 1 79

Slight and moderate total prognathism characterizes most Fijians but it is pronounced in only 13 of the 813 subjects. A quarter of the series show no prognathism. The eastern people are least prognathic with a zero incidence of 45 per cent. The other regional sample are close to the general condition.

Mid-facial prognathism has a submedium incidence of 23 per cent and a medium of 13 per cent; the remainder lack the condition, except three individuals who are pronounced.

The coastal and northwestern groups have more frequent medium designations. Alveolar prognathism is almost entirely lacking in all groups.

_Malar Projection: Lateral_

Absent Subm. + ++ +++ Total No. % No. % No. % No. % No. %

Fiji I 1 0 2 0 264 32 543 67 3 0 813 Interior 0 0 0 0 62 41 91 59 0 0 153 East 0 0 0 0 25 21 95 79 0 0 120 Coast 0 0 0 0 68 33 141 67 0 0 209 N.W. 0 0 0 0 28 35 50 63 1 1 79

_Malar Projection: Frontal_

Absent Subm. + ++ Total No. % No. % No. % No. %

Fiji I 4 1/2 0 0 709 87 100 12 809 Interior 0 0 0 0 139 91 14 9 153 East 0 0 0 0 103 86 17 14 120 Coast 1 0 0 0 181 87 27 13 209 N.W. 0 0 0 0 67 85 12 15 79

The facial contours generally include lateral malar projection; two-thirds show a pronounced condition and the balance are medium. The eastern people have high cheek bones oftener than do the others.

Frontal malar projection is also common but more often moderately so; 87 per cent show medium projection and 12 per cent are pronounced.

_Gonial Angles_

Subm. + ++ +++ Total No. % No. % No. % No. %

Fiji I 24 3 459 56 325 40 5 1 813 Interior 0 0 97 63 55 36 1 1 153 East 1 1 65 54 54 45 0 0 120 Coast 7 3 110 53 90 43 2 1 209 N.W. 3 4 49 62 27 34 0 0 79

_Palate Shape_

Parabolic Sm. U Lg. U Square Total No. % No. % No. % No. %

Fiji I 493 61 2 0 303 37 15 2 813 Interior 94 61 0 0 59 39 0 0 153 East 81 68 0 0 38 32 1 1 120 Coast 131 63 0 0 71 34 7 3 209 N.W. 50 63 1 1 27 34 1 1 79

A fairly strong tendency to well-developed gonial angles is indicated; 40 per cent show pronounced angles and nearly all the rest are medium. These proportions hold pretty much for all groups.

Palate shape also attests to the well-developed jaws of Fijians; it is a large U in 37 per cent of the subjects; 2 per cent are square and the remainder parabolic.

_Chin Prominence_

Absent Subm. + ++ Total No. % No. % No. % No. %

Fiji I 2 0 164 20 593 73 54 7 813 Interior 0 0 36 24 110 72 7 5 153 East 0 0 25 21 89 74 6 5 120 Coast 0 0 41 20 153 73 13 6 207 N.W. 1 1 11 14 55 70 9 11 76

_Chin Type_

Median Bilateral Total No. % No. %

Fiji I 673 83 140 17 813 Interior 130 85 23 15 153 East 112 93 8 7 120 Coast 162 78 45 22 207 N.W. 62 82 14 18 76

A well-developed chin further typifies most Fijian faces; nearly three-quarters have a moderate chin prominence, 7 per cent are pronounced, and the remainder are submedium. This range is much the same in the subgroups.

The chin is commonly median although 17 per cent have the bilateral type. The bilateral chin is least frequent in Lau (7 per cent).

THE HEAD

_Temporal Fullness_

Absent Subm. + Total No. % No. % No. %

Fiji I 1 0 563 69 249 31 813 Interior 0 0 113 74 40 26 153 East 0 0 70 58 50 42 120 Coast 1 0 148 71 60 29 208 N.W. 0 0 59 75 20 25 79

_Occipital Protrusion_

Absent Subm. + Total No. % No. % No. %

Fiji I 13 2 775 95 25 3 813 Interior 4 3 149 97 0 0 153 East 0 0 116 97 4 3 120 Coast 3 1 193 92 13 6 209 N.W. 0 0 79 100 0 0 79

A narrowness in the temporal part of the head is indicated. Sixty-nine per cent of the subject show submedium temporal fullness, whereas the remainder are moderate. This condition is not marked and may best be described as a discernable tendency.

The back of the head is generally rather flat as the 95 per cent incidence of occipital protrusion indicates. This is a natural condition; no intentional flattening is practiced by Fijians.

_Lambdoidal Flattening_

Absent Subm. + Total No. % No. % No. %

Fiji I 754 93 32 4 27 3 813 Interior 153 100 0 0 0 0 153 East 113 94 5 4 2 2 120 Coast 188 90 13 6 8 4 209 N.W. 72 91 3 4 4 5 79

_Occipital Flattening_

Absent Subm. + Total No. % No. % No. %

Fiji I 809 100 2 0 2 0 813 Interior 153 100 0 0 0 0 153 East 120 100 0 0 0 0 120 Coast 209 100 0 0 0 0 209 N.W. 79 99 0 0 1 1 79

_Median Sagittal Crest_

Absent Subm. + Total No. % No. % No. %

Fiji I 600 74 177 22 36 4 813 Interior 96 63 46 30 11 7 153 East 109 91 10 8 1 1 120 Coast 160 77 43 21 6 3 209 N.W. 53 57 24 30 2 3 79

_Parietal Bosses_

Absent Subm. + ++ Total No. % No. % No. % No. %

Fiji I 17 2 413 51 381 47 2 0 813 Interior 1 1 130 85 22 14 0 0 153 East 4 3 66 55 50 42 0 0 120 Coast 6 3 82 39 120 57 1 0 209 N.W. 1 1 40 51 38 48 0 0 79

A median sagittal crest though not striking is recorded in a number of cases. It has a submedium incidence of 22 per cent and pronounced 4 per cent. Among the interior people, the crest is more common. Because of the heavy, bushy, and wiry hair of Fijians it is probable that some instances of this feature were not detected by simple palpation, and the incidence may be higher than the data indicate.

Submedium development of the parietal bosses is rather common occurring in 51 per cent of the series. It is very common in the interior (85 per cent).

_Cranial Asymmetry_

Absent Left Right Total No. % No. % No. %

Fiji 813 100 0 0 0 0 813 Interior 153 100 0 0 0 0 153 East 119 100 0 0 0 0 119 Coast 208 100 0 0 0 0 208 N.W. 79 100 0 0 0 0 79

_Facial Asymmetry_

Absent Left Right Total No. % No. % No. %

Fiji 806 100 1 0 0 0 807 Interior 153 100 0 0 0 0 153 East 117 98 0 0 2 2 119 Coast 206 99 0 0 2 1 208 N.W. 78 99 1 0 0 0 79

Cranial and facial assymetry are generally lacking, at least in any marked degree. Normal asymmetries of the face and head were ignored in this description.

EYES

_Eye Folds: External_

Absent Subm. + ++ Total No. % No. % No. % No. %

Fiji 804 98 5 1 4 1 0 0 813 Interior 152 99 0 0 1 1 0 0 153 East 119 99 0 0 1 1 0 0 120 Coast 209 99 1 1 1 1 0 0 208 N.W. 78 99 0 0 1 1 0 0 79

_Eye Fold: Median_

Absent Subm. + ++ Total No. % No. % No. % No. %

Fiji I 782 96 3 1/2 25 3 3 1/2 813 Interior 152 99 0 0 1 1 0 0 153 East 108 90 1 1 10 8 1 1 120 Coast 202 97 1 0 5 2 1 0 209 N.W. 78 99 0 0 0 0 1 1 79

_Eye Folds: Internal_

Absent Subm. + ++ Total No. % No. % No. % No. %

Fiji I 778 96 4 0 30 4 1 0 813 Interior 151 99 0 0 2 1 0 0 153 East 102 85 1 1 17 14 1 0 120 Coast 203 97 0 0 6 3 0 0 209 N.W. 78 99 0 0 1 1 0 0 79 Fiji II 116 89 7 5-1/2 7 5-1/2 0 0 130 Solomons 80 94 2 2-1/2 3 3-1/2 0 0 85 Tonga 63 57 33 30 9 8 6 5 111

Eye folds are not a feature of the Fijian facial make-up. The external fold is present in only 2 per cent of the total series. The median fold shows a 96 per cent absence. The eastern groups exceed the other provinces with a 10 per cent occurrence. The internal eye fold has a total presence of 4 per cent and is also commoner in the east (14 per cent).

_Eye Obliquity_

Absent Subm. + ++ Total No. % No. % No. % No. %

Fiji I 251 31 358 43 201 25 3 1 813 Interior 92 60 46 30 14 9 1 1 153 East 33 28 52 35 45 38 0 0 120 Coast 47 22 102 49 58 28 2 1 209 N.W. 27 34 32 41 20 25 0 0 79

_Eye Opening_

Absent Subm. + ++ Total No. % No. % No. % No. %

Fiji I 0 0 75 9-1/2 737 91 1 1/2 813 Interior 0 0 24 16 128 84 1 1 153 East 0 0 13 11 107 89 0 0 120 Coast 0 0 9 4 200 96 0 0 209 N.W. 0 0 7 9 72 91 0 0 79

Some degree of eye obliquity is present in the majority of cases; 43 per cent show a submedium condition; 25 per cent are medium and three individuals have pronouncedly oblique eyes. The remainder, or 31 per cent, have no obliquity. In the east, the natives depart from this total distribution in opposite directions. The interior groups have much less eye obliquity; the eastern people, a great deal more. The other provinces are quite close to the total frequencies.

Eye opening height is preponderately moderate (91 per cent). The remaining 10 per cent with one exception show submedium eye opening. Regional variation is not great. The eastern and interior groups have a little higher frequency in the submedium class.

FOREHEAD

_Brow Ridges_

Absent Subm. + ++ +++ Total No. % No. % No. % No. % No. %

Fiji I 0 0 148 19 364 44 295 36 6 1 813 Interior 0 0 16 10 69 45 64 42 4 3 153 East 0 0 28 23 42 35 50 42 0 0 120 Coast 0 0 42 20 99 47 67 32 1 0 209 N.W. 0 0 19 24 40 51 19 24 1 1 79

Brow ridges are a marked feature of Fijians in general. None of them lack some supraorbital development. Forty-four per cent have medium brow ridges, 36 per cent are pronounced, and 1 per cent are very pronounced. The other 19 per cent are small. The interior and eastern groups share a little higher incidence of pronounced brow ridges; the other regions are nearer the total distribution of variations.

_Forehead Height_

Absent Subm. + ++ Total No. % No. % No. % No. %

Fiji I 0 0 444 55 369 45 0 0 813 Interior 0 0 90 59 63 41 0 0 153 East 0 0 68 57 52 43 0 0 120 Coast 0 0 110 53 99 47 0 0 209 N.W. 0 0 46 58 33 42 0 0 79

_Forehead Slope_

Absent Subm. + ++ Total No. % No. % No. % No. %

Fiji I 8 1 280 34 460 56 65 8 813 Interior 0 0 53 35 87 57 13 8 153 East 0 0 38 32 72 60 10 8 120 Coast 4 2 78 37 113 54 14 7 209 N.W. 2 3 27 34 47 59 4 4 79 Tonga 1 1 70 60 45 39 0 0 116

Forehead height is submedium in more than half the cases (55 per cent); the others are all medium. There is no significant variation among the subgroups.

A sloping forehead is quite characteristic of the Fijian head; 56 per cent are moderately sloping, 8 per cent are pronounced, and 34 per cent are submedium. Only 1 per cent have foreheads with no recession. Regional differences are very slight.

NOSE

_Nasion Depression_

Absent Subm. + ++ Total No. % No. % No. % No. %

Fiji I 1 0 170 21 579 71 63 8 813 Interior 0 0 41 27 103 67 9 6 153 East 1 1 32 27 85 71 2 2 120 Coast 0 0 45 22 144 69 10 10 209 N.W. 0 0 18 23 56 71 6 6 79

_Root Height_

Absent Subm. + ++ Total No. % No. % No. % No. %

Fiji I 1 0 63 8 555 67 194 24 813 Interior 0 0 16 10 96 63 41 27 153 East 1 1 3 3 77 64 39 33 120 Coast 0 0 10 5 157 75 42 20 209 N.W. 0 0 4 5 57 72 18 23 79

_Root Breadth_

Absent Subm. + ++ Total No. % No. % No. % No. %

Fiji I 0 0 1 0 258 32 554 68 813 Interior 0 0 0 0 38 25 115 75 153 East 0 0 1 1 53 44 66 55 120 Coast 0 0 0 0 67 32 142 68 209 N.W. 0 0 0 0 24 30 55 70 79

_Nasal Septum_

Straight Concave Convex Total No. % No. % No. %

Fiji I 777 99 0 0 36 4 813 Interior 153 100 0 0 0 0 153 East 118 98 0 0 2 2 120 Coast 196 94 0 0 13 6 199 N.W. 78 99 0 0 1 1 79

_Bridge Height_

Absent Subm. + ++ Total No. % No. % No. % No. %

Fiji I 0 0 54 7 644 79 115 14 813 Interior 0 0 13 8 124 81 16 10 153 East 0 0 1 1 98 82 21 18 120 Coast 0 0 10 5 173 83 26 12 209 N.W. 0 0 7 9 60 76 12 15 79 Tonga 0 0 21 22 81 70 9 8 111

_Bridge Breadth_

Absent Subm. + ++ Total No. % No. % No. % No. %

Fiji I 0 0 0 0 265 33 546 67 813 Interior 0 0 0 0 29 19 124 81 153 East 0 0 0 0 72 60 48 40 120 Coast 0 0 0 0 62 30 147 70 209 N.W. 0 0 0 0 23 29 56 71 79

_Nasal Profile_

Concave Straight Convex Total No. % No. % No. %

Fiji I 14 2 625 77 173 21 812 Interior 0 0 123 80 30 20 153 East 1 1 88 73 31 26 120 Coast 4 2 171 82 34 16 209 N.W. 1 1 59 75 19 24 79

Moderate nasion depression characterizes the majority of noses (71 per cent). Pronounced depression is recorded for 8 per cent, and submedium occurrence in 21 per cent. Only one individual lacks any depression. This distribution does not vary much among the provinces.

A well-elevated nasal root is also characteristic; 67 per cent show moderate elevation and 24 per cent pronounced, whereas 8 per cent are submedium; one individual is without any elevation. The interior Fijians have a little higher frequency of low nasal root (10 per cent), whereas the eastern people, with a 30 per cent incidence, excel in the pronounced category.

More striking is the breadth of the Fijian nasal root. It is pronounced in 68 per cent and moderate in the remainder of the series. Pronounced breadth is commoner among the interior people (75 per cent) and least preponderant in the east (55 per cent).

The nasal septum is nearly always straight; the only departure from this condition is a 4 per cent incidence of convexity. Regional differences are not significant.

Nasal bridge height is commonly medium (79 per cent) in the totality of noses. Fourteen percent are pronouncedly high and 7 per cent are submedium. The several provinces do not depart very far from this distribution.