Cultural Influences of Body Modifications
There
are several things in this world that play a huge role in defining who we are.
Most people in America view body modifications as a way to make them different,
an individual. As Americans, we are not forced to have body modifications done,
in fact they are typically frowned upon; however, some cultures enforce them.
Nile Guide puts it into perspective a little better by stating, “When
westerners hear the words ‘body modifications,’ hardcore kids with stretched
earlobes and nose rings may come to mind. Traditional cultures around the world
still practice body modifications that seriously puts our punks to shame.”
(NileGuide Pg.1)
Different Cultures that Enforce Body Modifications
Cultures around the world still engage in intense body modifications
that Americans would typically see as invasive and painful. Some cultures that
still enforce these are Thai, Ethiopian, Cambodian, Indian and lastly African.
Thai
cultures have several body modifications that are enforced. One of them according the NileGuide is a
neck ring. Neck rings are thick, golden coils that wrap around a young woman’s
neck. In Thailand, women begin to wear these around the age of five, it looks
like neck stretching but it isn’t. The significance of these rings are to push
down on the women’s collarbones, changing the angle of the their shoulders.
This practice originated in Burma with the Kayan Tribe.
In
Ethiopia their common body modification is lip plates. Several tribes use to
practice this; however, Ethiopia is the only place that still currently does
this according to NileGuide. According to this tribe, six months to a year before a girl is to be
married, a small incision is made in the middle of her bottom lip and a stick
is put in it. Over time, larger disks are inserted until her lip is stretched
big enough. These women usually have their two lower teeth knocked out in order
to accommodate the huge plate, according to NileGuide. The Mursi tribe sees lip
plates as a hope for a decent marriage: the bigger the lip, the more desirable
a woman is.
Cambodian tribes are a little less extreme. They practice the use of San
Yak tattoos. "These tattoos are a mix of Buddhist prayers, images, and spells
that have survived from the pre-Buddhist, Hindu religion in Southeast Asia," states NileGuide.(NileGuide Pg. 1).
Holy men or Buddhist monks will tattoo people using the traditional method of
long metal needles, tapping ink deep under the skin. San Yak tattoos are not
just for looks they are believed to ward off evil spirits and give their owner
ample amounts of luck. Most people who have these tattoos are either monks or
regular people whose inhabitants need a little luck.
Indian
tribes use nose plugs to distinguish themselves. The Apatani tribe are the ones
that typically practice this, they keep no written records so they use nose
plugs to identify their women. Traditionally the women get face tattoos and
nose plugs at an early age. They do this to make their women unattractive to
neighboring tribes.
African
cultures take it a different route on identifying themselves. They believe in
scarification or the practice of making permanent scars. "Scars can denote age,
social status, wealth, or increase a person’s sexual attraction," states NileGuide.(NileGuide Pg. 1). To create
these scars, they start by cutting the skin and then rubbing ash or acidic
juice in the wound, these are mainly on the face, back, belly, and legs.
Works Cited
NileGuide. “Ouch! Extreme Ethic Body Modifications
Around the World”. Divine Caroline. Print.
23 March, 2014. http://www.divinecaroline.com/life-etc/culture-causes/ouch-extreme-ethnic-body-modifications-around-world
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