they practice a hunter-gatherer subsistence economy. in keeping with the tropical climate of the islands, traditional attire includes only clothing below the waist. the traditional attire for men is a short, thin loincloth made of bark cloth, covering only the genitals without a 'tail' of cloth in front. decoration is limited for men, consisting of bead necklaces and armbands. women wear a knee-length skirt of bark cloth, occasionally with a shawl of bark cloth covering the shoulders. decorations include bamboo ear plugs ("ahav"), bead necklaces ("naigaak") and armbands of bamboo ("geegap"). both sexes are barefoot. the shompen probably learned to make and use bows from the nicobaris. the main weapons are the bow and arrow. they do not use quivers but carry arrows by hand. numerous types of spears, spear throwers, fire drills and a hatchet are the main tools.