Chapter II: Part 2

Total sample 6 1 9 1 242 30 545 66 11 1 0 0 813
Interior 0 0 0 0 20 13 133 87 0 0 0 0 153
East 3 3 4 3 77 64 36 30 0 0 0 0 120
Coast 1 1 2 1 56 27 148 71 2 1 0 0 209
N.W. 0 0 1 1 20 25 57 72 1 1 0 0 79
Fiji II 0 0 0 0 0 0 127 96 5 4 0 0 132
Solomons 0 0 0 0 0 0 9 11 74 87 2 2 85

Unexposed skin color was observed on the under surface of the upper arm near the armpit. The anticipated shift in color range results in a reduction of dark-skin incidence to a mere 1 per cent, and an increase in medium brown to 60 per cent and of light brown to 30 per cent.

Howells' describes 96 per cent of his Fijians as medium brown, 4 per cent dark brown, and none light brown. The Solomon Islanders seem definitely darker than the Fijians whether they are compared with Howells' or my series.

The eastern groups continues to contrast with the interior people. The former show a majority of 64 per cent in the light-brown category as compared with 13 per cent among the interior groups; the latter have a medium-brown incidence of 87 per cent against 30 per cent among Lauans.

_Hair Color_

Black Dk. Brn Med. Brn Lt. Brn Red-Brown Total
No. % No. % No. % No. % No. %

Total sample 757 93 31 5 1 0 0 0 18 2 807
Interior 145 95 8 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 153
East 114 95 6 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 120
Coast 193 92 11 5 0 0 0 0 5 2 204
N.W. 70 89 5 6 0 0 0 0 4 5 75
Fiji II 118 91 9 7 0 0 0 0 3 2 130
Solomons 55 65 26 31 0 0 3 4 0 0 84
Tonga 0 94 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Black hair is the usual color, although 5 per cent are described as dark brown and a few red-brown. This latter variation is a rufous color (reddish-brown) and it may be a little more frequent than the data indicate because the Fijians frequently dye their hair with a substance extracted from mangrove bark. This intensifies the usual blackness of the hair and adds a satisfying gloss. More sophisticated natives have access to modern hair dye and lacking this, some have been known to resort to black shoe polish.

Hair bleaching is no longer practiced in Fiji.

The hair of the Solomons Islands is not so uniformly black, nearly a third have dark-brown hair and a few are light brown.

_Eye Color_

Black Dk. Brown Med. Brown Lt. Brown Total
No. % No. % No. % No. %

Fiji I 2 0 550 68 257 31 4 1 813
Interior 0 0 131 86 22 14 0 0 153
East 0 0 71 59 48 40 1 1 120
Coast 0 0 127 61 81 39 1 0 209
N.W. 1 1 53 67 25 32 0 0 79
Fiji II 0 0 130 98 0 0 2 2 132
Solomons 0 0 85 100 0 0 0 0 85
Tonga 0 3 0 94 0 0 0 3

A little more than two-thirds of Fijians' eyes are described as dark brown. The remaining third have medium-brown eyes. There were four individuals who were light brown. Howells, with his Fijian series, is more generous with the darker designation; he designated 98 per cent as dark brown and 2 per cent light brown. His Solomons sample is described as dark brown without exception. The Tongan data also is recorded as more uniformly dark brown than my Fijians.

The Fijians of the interior of Viti Levu have more deeply pigmented eyes than the others; 86 per cent are classed as dark brown and only 14 per cent medium brown.

HAIR

_Hair Form_

Straight Low Wave Deep Wave Curl Frizz Wool Total
No. % No. % No. % No. % No. % No. %

Total sample 0 0 7 0.1 13 0.2 91 11.0 702 862 0 0 813
Interior 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 3 149 97 0 0 153
East 0 0 1 1 10 8 37 31 72 60 0 0 120
Coast 0 0 0 1 3 0 18 9 188 90 0 0 209
N.W. 0 0 2 3 0 0 7 9 70 89 0 0 79
Fiji II 0 0 0 0 0 0 19 16 38 33 59 51 116
Solomons 2 3.3 1 1.6 0 0 16 26 17 28 25 41 61

Frizzly hair is the condition of over 85 per cent of Fijians; 11 per cent are curly-haired, whereas over twenty individuals have wavy hair. Straight hair is absent. The Fiji II series of Howell distinguishes between frizzly and wooly hair, which I do not. Their combined incidence is 83 per cent, quite close to my frequency of frizzly. Whether one does or does not distinguish between frizzly and wooly hair, there is no doubt that most Fijians have Negroid hair form. The Solomon Islanders are surprising with somewhat less Negroid hair form than the Fijians. Their combined percentage of frizzly and wooly is 69, which is nearly 20 per cent less than that of the Fijians. Twenty per cent have curly hair against 11 per cent among Fijians. Also, the only instances of straight hair occur in the Solomons.

In the Fijian breakdown, the interior groups have the most Negroid hair; 97 per cent have frizzly hair and 3 per cent have curly hair. The eastern people are the least Negroid in this respect; frizzly hair drops to 60 per cent, whereas curly hair advances to 30 per cent and wavy hair to 9 per cent. The coastal and northwestern series are closer to the interior groups with about 90 per cent frizzly hair.

_Hair Texture_

Course Medium Fine Total
No. % No. % No. %

Total sample 804 99 9 1 0 0 813
Interior 153 100 0 0 0 0 153
East 116 97 4 3 0 0 120
Coast 208 100 1 0 0 0 209
N.W. 78 99 1 1 0 0 79

Hair texture is prevailingly coarse; only 1 per cent of the total series shows medium coarseness and none have fine hair. This preponderance of coarse hair is much the same in all the provinces, although the eastern people do depart slightly with a 3 per cent incidence of medium-coarse hair.

It might be added that Fijian hair is quite stiff or wiry. For example, when the hair is unshorn, it stands out like a mop. A Fijian can insert a long stemmed flower in his hair and it will stay in place with no additional fastening.

_Head Hair Quantity_

Absent Subm. +[16] ++ +++ Total
No. % No. % No. % No. % No. %

Total sample 0 0 61 7 219 27 533 65 0 0 813
Interior 0 0 26 17 27 18 100 65 0 0 153
East 0 0 5 4 24 20 91 76 0 0 120
Coast 0 0 11 5 63 30 135 65 0 0 209
N.W. 0 0 7 9 21 27 51 65 0 0 79
Fiji II 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 132 92 133
Solomons 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 6 80 94 85

Head hair quantity is pronounced in the majority of Fijians (65 per cent); it is moderate in 27 per cent and submedium in 7 per cent. Howells describes nearly all the Fijians as having very pronounced head hair--99 per cent, which would appear to be a personal difference in appraisal. In any case, the two series agree that Fijians have hair of more than moderate quantity. The Melanesians of the Solomons are also characterized by much head hair.

Regionally, the only significant variation in this trait is shown in the east, where more individuals have a submedium designation. In the absence of age data, this contrast cannot be fairly interpreted.

_Hair Length_

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.

The Fijian nose shows a strong tendency to broadness of the bridge. Two-thirds show pronounced breadth of bridge and the remainder are medium. Pronounced broadness increases in the interior groups (81 per cent) and shows a marked decline in the east (40 per cent).

Nasal profiles are most often straight (77 per cent), but convex noses are not uncommon (21 per cent). Convexity is slightly more frequent in the east (26 percent), whereas in the coastal people its incidence drops to 16 per cent.

_Nasal-Tip Thickness_

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

Fiji I 1 0 344 42 461 58 1 0 812
Interior 0 0 55 36 98 64 0 0 153
East 1 1 80 67 39 33 0 0 120
Coast 0 0 94 45 114 55 1 1 209
N.W. 0 0 27 34 52 66 0 0 79

_Nasal-Tip Inclination_

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

Fiji I 731 90 57 7 24 3 0 0 812
Interior 147 96 6 4 0 0 0 0 153
East 109 91 6 5 5 4 0 0 120
Coast 186 89 16 8 7 3 0 0 209
N.W. 71 90 6 8 2 3 0 0 79

_Nasal Wings_

Compressed Medium Flaring Total
No. % No. % No. %

Fiji I 0 0 198 24 615 76 813
Interior 0 0 25 16 128 84 153
East 0 0 70 58 50 42 120
Coast 0 0 42 20 167 80 209
N.W. 0 0 16 20 63 80 79

The nasal tip is pronounced more often than not, 58 per cent showing this condition. The remaining 42 per cent have tips of medium thickness. Thicker tips occur more often in the interior (64 per cent) and in the northwest (66 per cent), least often in the east (33 per cent).

Usually the nasal tip is not inclined downward. Slight and moderate inclination has a combined incidence of only 10 per cent.

Flaring nasal wings are a common condition (76 per cent). This incidence rises to 84 per cent in the interior and drops to 42 per cent in the east.

MOUTH

_Lip Thickness: Membranous_

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

Fiji I 19 2 428 53 364 45 2 0 813
Interior 10 7 43 28 100 65 0 0 153
East 1 1 83 69 36 30 0 0 120
Coast 1 1/2 88 42 119 57 1 1/2 209
N.W. 4 5 39 49 36 46 0 0 79
Tonga 12 10 97 84 7 6 0 0 116

_Lip Thickness: Integumental_

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

Fiji I 4 1/2 608 75 201 25 0 0 813
Interior 1 1/2 114 75 38 25 0 0 153
East 1 1 100 83 19 16 0 0 120
Coast 2 1 164 78 43 21 0 0 209
N.W. 0 0 55 70 24 30 0 0 79
Fiji II 0 0 1 1/2 26 20 106 80 133
Solomons 0 0 0 0 12 14 73 86 85

_Lip Eversion_

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

Fiji I 12 1 333 41 444 55 24 3 813
Interior 0 0 63 41 88 58 2 1 153
East 8 7 77 64 35 29 0 0 120
Coast 0 0 63 30 138 66 8 4 209
N.W. 1 1 26 33 51 65 1 1 79

_Lip Seam_

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

Fiji I 33 4 429 53 343 42 8 1 813
Interior 1 1 79 52 73 48 0 0 153
East 14 12 77 64 29 24 0 0 120
Coast 6 3 105 50 94 45 4 2 209
N.W. 3 4 44 56 32 41 0 0 79

Fijian lips are Negroid in thickness in many instances. Membranous lips are thick in 45 per cent of the series, medium in 53 per cent, and submedium in 25 per cent. Thickest lips occur in the interior and coastal areas where the pronounced type registers 65 per cent and 57 per cent, respectively. In the east, lips are more moderate in thickness, and the pronounced category drops to 30 per cent.

Integumental lips also tend to be heavy but not so much as the mucous parts. Twenty-five per cent of the total Fijians have thick integumental lips and the remainder are moderate. Howells' Fiji II series classes 80 per cent as very pronounced and the remainder as pronounced. The Solomon Islanders, with an 86 per cent incidence of very pronounced, have the heaviest lips of all.

Lip eversion varies largely between moderate and submedium, 55 percent and 41 per cent, respectively. The interior and coastal Fijians show this trait a little more often than the others, whereas the eastern people have least lip eversion. The lip seam is present in nearly all cases, but not to a pronounced degree. Fifty-three per cent are submedium and 42 per cent are moderate. The eastern groups are definitely less endowed with this trait. The other provinces vary but little from the total distribution.

TEETH

_Bite_

Under E-E Subm. over + over Total
No. % No. % No. % No. %

Fiji I 2 0 518 64 274 34 13 2 807
Interior 0 0 94 61 59 39 0 0 153
East 0 0 73 61 45 38 2 2 120
Coast 1 0 130 62 76 36 0 0 207
N.W. 1 1 49 62 23 29 3 4 76
Fiji II 4 3 50 38 77 59 0 0 131
Solomons 1 1 37 45 45 54 0 0 83

_Caries_

Absent Subm.(1-4) + (5-8) ++ (9-16) +++ (17-x) Total
No. % No. % No. % No. % No. %

Fiji I 645 78 80 10 58 7 22 3 8 1 813
Interior 130 84 16 10 3 2 1 1 3 2 153
East 100 83 10 12 4 3 2 1 4 3 120
Coast 153 73 29 14 16 8 8 4 3 1 209
N.W. 62 80 9 11 6 8 1 1 0 0 78

_Crowding_

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

Fiji I 685 84 115 14 13 2 0 0 813
Interior 134 88 19 12 0 0 0 0 153
East 100 83 17 14 3 3 0 0 120
Coast 180 86 25 12 4 2 0 0 209
N.W. 64 81 14 18 0 0 0 0 78

_Tooth Eruption_

Complete Incomplete Total
No. % No. %

Fiji I 796 98 15 2 811
Interior 153 100 0 0 153
East 119 99 1 1 120
Coast 199 95 8 4 207
N.W. 74 94 2 3 76

_Wear_

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

Fiji I 184 23 443 54 144 18 42 5 813
Interior 27 {18} 58 {38} 37 {24} 31 {20} 153
East 26 {22} 69 {57} 24 {20} 1 {1} 120
Coast 60 {29} 120 {57} 28 {13} 1 {1/2} 209
N.W. 12 {15} 47 {60} 17 {22} 2 {3} 78

The jaws of Fijians have a rather distinctive frequency of edge-to-edge bite. I recorded this as 64 per cent, but Howells' series indicates a 38 per cent incidence.

The quality of Fijian teeth as reflected by frequency of caries is excellent. Nearly 80 per cent of the total show no tooth decay. The soundest teeth from this standpoint occur in the interior, the east, and the northwest. The coastal people show the highest incidence of caries, an interesting point since many of this sample come from around Suva and have more access to the Western processed foods.

Tooth crowding is quite uncommon to Fijians, a condition consistent with their generous jaw conformation. Crowding is noted in only 16 per cent of the series, and most of it is slight.

Tooth eruption is complete in nearly all the subjects. A 2 per cent incidence of incomplete eruption is entirely due to the immaturity of some of the young adults. No pathological suppression was noted.

Some wear of the teeth is recorded for more than three-quarters of the series, but lacking age incidence, the data has limited meaning. The Fijian diet is not abrasive the way, for instance, it is for the Indians of our Southwest, where the staple food is ground in stone mills.

EARS

_Ear Helix_

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

Fiji I 230 28 511 63 72 9 0 0 813
Interior 45 29 99 65 9 6 0 0 153
East 29 24 74 62 17 14 0 0 120
Coast 58 28 128 61 23 11 0 0 209
N.W. 24 30 51 65 4 5 0 0 79

_Darwin's Point_

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

Fiji I 761 94 36 4 15 2 1 0 813
Interior 150 98 3 2 0 0 0 0 153
East 112 93 6 5 2 2 0 0 120
Coast 187 89 13 6 4 4 1 0 209
N.W. 77 97 2 3 0 0 0 0 79

_Ear-Lobe Type_

Soldered Attached Free Total
No. % No. % No. %

Fiji I 80 10 531 65 202 25 813
Interior 47 31 74 48 32 21 153
East 3 3 85 71 32 27 120
Coast 9 4 141 67 59 28 209
N.W. 5 6 52 66 22 28 79

_Ear-Lobe Size_

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

Fiji I 176 22 457 56 178 22 2 0 813
Interior 49 32 66 43 38 25 0 0 153
East 16 13 76 63 27 23 1 1 120
Coast 31 15 123 59 55 26 0 0 209
N.W. 20 25 47 59 12 15 0 0 79

_Ear Protrusion_

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

Fiji I 2 0 262 32 463 57 86 11 813
Interior 1 1 47 31 90 59 15 10 153
East 0 0 31 26 77 64 12 10 120
Coast 1 0 75 36 114 55 19 9 209
N.W. 0 0 26 33 49 62 4 5 79

_Ear Slant_

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

Fiji I 416 51 332 41 65 8 813
Interior 78 51 67 44 8 5 153
East 55 46 52 43 13 11 120
Coast 118 56 74 35 17 8 209
N.W. 38 48 39 49 2 3 79

The Fijian ear is a moderately distinctive appendage from a racial standpoint. The helix shows moderate development on the whole and is submedium otherwise except for a 9 per cent incidence of pronounced appearance. Regional variation is small.

The Darwin's point is noted in a number of cases: 4 per cent to a submedium degree and 2 per cent medium.

The ear lobe is somewhat distinctive with a 65 per cent incidence of the attached condition and 10 per cent soldered. The remaining 25 per cent is free. This distinctiveness is more marked among the interior groups where the soldered type of lobe increases to 31 percent.

Ear-lobe size is moderate in more than half the series, pronounced in 22 per cent, and submedium in 22 per cent. Small lobes are commoner in the interior province.

Moderate ear protrusion is the commonest form followed by submedium. Marked projection is recorded as 11 per cent.

Ear slant either is lacking or slight in most instances; the series is rather evenly divided between these two categories, the zero category having a small majority. Moderate slant is noted for 8 per cent.

BODY BUILD

_Body Build: Endomorph_

1 2 3 4 5 6 Total
No. % No. % No. % No. % No. % No. %

Fiji I 260 32 334 42 126 15 46 6 33 4 12 1 811
Interior 49 32 66 43 26 17 5 3 6 4 1 1 153
East 30 25 54 45 21 18 5 4 8 7 1 1 119
Coast 77 37 82 39 28 13 10 5 8 4 3 1 209
N.W. 26 33 34 43 9 11 6 8 2 3 2 3 79

_Body Build: Mesomorph_

1 2 3 4 5 6 Total
No. % No. % No. % No. % No. % No. %

Fiji I 1 {0.1} 2 {0.2} 33 4 131 16 227 28 419 52 813
Interior 0 0 1 1 11 7 27 18 41 27 73 48 153
East 1 1 0 0 2 2 14 12 38 32 65 54 120
Coast 0 0 0 0 9 4 29 14 67 32 104 50 209
N.W. 0 0 1 1 2 3 15 19 14 18 47 59 79

_Body Build: Ectomorph_

1 2 3 4 5 6 Total
No. % No. % No. % No. % No. % No. %

Fiji I 351 43 195 24 110 14 88 11 68 8 1 {0.1} 813
Interior 54 35 56 37 13 8 15 10 15 10 0 0 153
East 49 41 33 28 15 13 12 10 11 9 0 0 120
Coast 84 40 51 24 36 17 18 9 19 9 1 1 209
N.W. 39 49 19 24 11 14 6 8 4 5 0 0 79

Variations in body build have been expressed with the Sheldon method of somatotyping.[18] Accordingly, the Fijians are primarily and definitely mesomorphic, with endomorphy the second strongest component, and ectomorphy, third. About 80 per cent of the total series had a mesomorphic rating of 5 and 6 which leaves no doubt as to the prevailingly athletic physique. Endomorphy is seldom pronounced so that obesity may be described as no more than occasional. A pronounced linear build is likewise relatively infrequent.

The Fijian subgroups do not vary markedly from the over-all pattern.

SUMMARY

The preceding data may be summarized from three points of view. The first will emphasize the physical features that are common to most Fijians. At the outset it should be pointed out that a "typical" Fijian does not exist, except as a statistical abstraction. The racial composition of the Fijian is complex and far from being homogeneous. There is no doubt, from the physical and cultural evidence, as well as the geographical location, that Fijians are related to both Melanesians and Polynesians. The second point is to give a precise indication of these affinities with Melanesia and Polynesia. A third concern of this analysis is the geographical variability within Fiji. This consists of a regional breakdown of the Fijian data into interior, eastern, coastal, and northwestern divisions, in order to demonstrate some of the local variation of the Melanesian-Polynesian ingredients and their possible meaning.

_Body (pl. 1)._--In general size and appearance, the Fijian is tall and well proportioned. His body is fairly tall and well muscled, that is, predominately athletic in build. Obesity is relatively uncommon except in moderate degrees. This rather tall stature allies the Fijians more closely with the Polynesians. Shoulder, chest, and hip diameters also indicate that Fijians are generously endowed.

The Fijians who occupy the mountainous interior of the main island are less tall than the coastal and eastern people; they also have narrower shoulders, relatively deeper and narrower chests, whereas their arms and legs are somewhat shorter. The eastern Fijians are tallest of all subgroups.

_Skin Color._--Most Fijians have either medium- or dark-brown skin on the exposed facial surfaces. The more protected body areas show higher frequencies of medium brown and light brown. The Fijians are definitely less dark than the Melanesians but are darker, on the whole, than the Polynesians.

The interior hill tribes are darker than the eastern and coastal groups. The lightest average skin shade occurs in the east.

_Hair (pls. 6 and 7)._--In several respects the hair is the most consistent endowment of the Fijians. In nearly all instances it is black, frizzly, and coarse. The only departure from this condition is an occasional instance of dark brown and a few instances of rufous shade. Curly hair is a more common exception in the east. The coastal and northwestern people are nearer to the interior condition of frizzly hair. All in all, the hair form is definitely Melanesian. Hair length conforms to the general Melanesian condition, that is, intermediate between short Negroid and long Caucasiod or Mongoloid.

Considerable beard and body hair is common to Fijians (pls. 8 and 9). Moderate to pronounced beard is shown by nearly three-quarters of the total series, and body hair is even more prevelant. General hairiness is also exhibited by the Solomon Islanders and the Tongans in the comparative data. The interior tribes of Fiji are more hairy than the other groups. This prevelence of body and face hair seems to conform to parts of Melanesia where it may be regarded as an Australoid element. Its presence in the Tongan data does not seem to be representative of other Polynesians, who are generally described as more glabrous.

_Head (pl. 2)._--Moderate brachycephaly is the commonest head form of Fijians, although the total range is great. In this respect the Fijians resemble the broad-headed Tongans, and are quite distinct from the longer-headed Melanesians. The Fijian head, despite its general brachycephaly, is rather compressed in the temporal area and submedium in parietal elevation. The back of the cranium is characteristically flattened, a natural conformation as no deformation is practiced.

The interior mountain tribes of Fiji have narrower heads and lower cranial indices than do the coastal and eastern groups. The interior people also have lesser head heights and a higher breadth-height index.

_Forehead (pl. 10)._--Moderate to strongly developed supraorbital ridges are a common Fijian endowment. Similarly are low and sloping foreheads. These features have been observed in western Melanesia, where, like hairiness, they suggest Australoid of archaic Caucasoid elements.

_Face._--Broadness characterizes the Fijian face. Bizygomatic breadth locates them nearer to the Polynesians than to the narrower-faced Melanesians. Strongly developed malars are common, and they tend to project laterally more than frontally. Widest faces appear among the eastern people.

Bigonial and bicanine widths show that generous breadth includes the lower parts of the face, a condition born out by strong gonial angles.

Face length falls between the long-faced Tongans and the definitely shorter-faced Melanesians (pls. 3 and 4).

Some prognathism is common among Fijians, both total and mid-facial, but the condition is not universal nor pronounced. The eastern Fijians are the least prognathic (pl. 10).

_Eyes._--Dark brown is the prevailing eye color, although many subjects have medium-brown eyes. Eye folds are only occasional and eye-opening height is usually moderate. Slight eye obliquity is common, more so in the eastern sample.

_Nose (pl. 4)._--Great variability marks the nasal area. The commonest condition is a broad and moderately long nose. Medium nasion depression is frequent; the root is wide and moderately elevated. Bridge breadth is often pronounced and the nasal profile is straight to convex. The nasal tip is characteristically thickened and nasal wings are usually flaring. On the whole, there is a great deal of Melanesian in the Fijian nose; it is Negroid, but not pronouncedly. Those aspects of the nose which may be termed Negroid are commoner in the interior hill people and the northwest and least evident in the east.

_Lips (pl. 5)._--Thick and moderately everted lips occur in nearly half the series. This Negroid combination is more manifest in the interior and least in the east. Integumental lips tend to be heavy.

_Teeth._--The condition of the teeth is generally excellent. Most Fijians have broad, roomy jaws that permit complete and uncrowded tooth development. Dental caries are very infrequent. A rather high incidence of edge-to-edge bite is interesting.

_Ears (pl. 5)._--The ears are usually moderate in length and tend to protrude. Ear lobes are commonly large and are more often attached or soldered than free.

CONCLUSIONS