In place of a fedora, the men wear a "lei-wreath" affair called a maram. A long, thin bamboo comb is another item of apparel frequently seen; at one time, in many places throughout the Western Carolines, it was used to designate the freeman from the serf, the longest comb belonging to the wealthiest man. In Ulithi, however, it has lost much of its significance, and although the comb is worn by only the older men, it is used principally for the utilitarian purpose of holding up many inches of heavy hair, and for the decorative purpose of attaching flowers and feathers to it.
A delight in decorations is carried to elaborate tatooing of the body, now more ornamental than significant. The Japanese tatooed many of the natives as a means of identification, but the most impressive designs are those which were done to enhance the charm of the body, such as_ the band stripes that run conversely to tiger stripes, i.e., from shoulder to ankle. These body-long stripes are in dark blue, usually produced by lamp-black.
The art of tatooing was most highly developed on Mogmog island, and members of the nobility from Yap journeyed to Ulithi to receive their tatooes. The Mogmog artist was considered the foremost in all the Carolines.
Tatooing was formerly surrounded with taboos and ceremonies, with restrictions made on the person being tatooed as to having sexual relations or appearing in public during the month-long process, In 1922, the Japanese forbade further tatooing except for identification, and the observance of this edict can be noticed in the fact that all young Ulithians are almost entirely unmarked.
Nor do the Ulithians mutilate the body, as was once the practice, except for puncturing and enlarging the ear-lobe. Even this seems to be on the wane, since only the eldest have ear-lobes which are capable of carrying objects an
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