Scarification

Cultures around the world have their own unique forms of body modifications. Most commonly known and practiced today are tattoos and piercings. In this paper, I researched a form of body modification that the tribes of Africa practice. I will delve into the reasoning why they use scarification as a form of self-expression and the significance it has to these tribes in Africa. First, I will give some background on what scarification is and why it is practiced in these cultures. “Scarification involves cutting or making an incision into the skin, and then allowing the wound to heal, leaving a permanent scar” (MSc 2004). The tribes in Africa do these modifications when they…

Many use it as a coming of age ritual that marks certain times throughout life. One group, however, has a slightly different spin on it. When a boy comes of age in the Chambri tribe in East Sepik, they go through crocodile scarification. This is basically the same idea as normal scarification, but the cuts and scars are located specifically on the back so that they resemble the scales of a crocodile. In a news article, a reporter writes about the relationship between the Chambri tribe and the…

cultural passing and its relationship to body modification. Throughout the text the author searches for the meaning of the Maori Moko, and what the rationale is behind tattooing the body and face. The practice is not as popular as it once was; however, when older women were asked as to why they wanted the moko, they responded simply “it is the Maori way” and that “the moko was seen […] as a visible embodiment of Maori culture”. Similar ideas are presented in “Tabwa Tegumentary Inscription” by…

body. Some of the most common type of body art are piercing, tattoos, and scarification. These methods are often used as a rites of passage, aesthetic reasons, religious reasons, and to show self-expression. The three different cultures being talked about are the, Tikopia, Marquesas, and Tsonga. All three cultures use body art through the process of tattooing. These different cultures do not do this art for the same reasoning which is one way to distinguish the different cultures. Cultural…

There is mention of ear and nose piercings in the Bible. There are a range of myths behind ear piercings and their placement and meaning. Nose piercing have been found as far back as 4,000 years in the middle east. Lip piercings and enlarged piercings have been used across Africa, Southeast Asia, and North and South America for centuries (St. Leone, 2010). Scarification, which is where people get scars permanently etched into the skin. This originated in dark-skinned people, because too much…

Inked Through out the pages of time, the second layer of human flesh became the first canvas for art. Today, this form of art is called tattoo. Just as a canvas is stroked by a paint brush, human skin is inked with a needle to create a permanent masterpiece. Loaded with as many meanings as there are global cultures, tattoos come in different sizes, shapes, styles, and designs. People wear tattoos like clothes that symbolize the runway of their life. Today tattoos are widely accepted across…

Tattoos have recently become increasingly popular in youth, due to the hidden meanings and symbolism that they are endowed with. Helen Day’s opinionative blog entry, The Power of Ink, asserts that the significance of tattoos have diminished due to the fashionable aesthetics that tattoos project. A highly casual, yet acknowledging tone characterises her blog entry, which is predominantly catered to young Australian readers who are interested in receiving a tattoo. Accompanying her blog entry is a…

Teenagers and Tattoos In the article On Teenagers and Tattoos, A. Martin, MD. explains some of the reasons why tattoos and piercings are seemingly gaining more popularity with urban youth. Martin MD makes the point that legislation to curtail professional tattooing of minors, teenagers have turned to homemade or what is referred to as “jailhouse” or “self-made” tattoos (Martin MD, 2012 pg. 320). It is alleged that teenagers may desire to obtain body decoration for a variety of reasons. Some…

Donny Collinson Jan. 25. 2016 2 ̊ Mrs. Randazzo The War Against Body art Many teenagers love the idea of having beautiful designs and jewelry displayed all over their bodies, but many of their parents will not allow it. One of the most controversial questions about teenagers and their desire for body art would have to be “Should teenagers be allowed to get tattoos and or piercings without parental consent?” I personally believe teenagers should not be able to get tattoos or piercings without…

Tattoos Are Art Imagine being a tattoo artist that put in hours of work into a design and then even more time tattooing that design for someone to say it’s not art? Infuriating right? Ink on your body to most older people is not considered art, but why? This is because they see it as ruining your body for the rest of your life, but who are they to tell you what’s right or wrong for yourself. There are different types of art in several different forms. Tattoos are considered art because they are…