Body Modification: Tribal and fashion

Body modification has been around since the beginning of time, for one of the longest times dating back years ago and even prevalent today is body modification in African Tribes. Seen as socially acceptable in African culture as a way to enhance beauty by giving status in tribes, it is also a right of passage from boyhood to manhood in children.

Body Modification: Tribal and fashion
Review Arieanna Garcia

Yet in today's modern society seen in America and in the UK, body modification is a practice done by the different, strange, awkward, and out there kind of people. Where a nose ring might get you a husband in Africa, it could cost you a job in America.

(on her way to a job interview? maybe?)

So where does the line of socially unacceptable cross that of culturally respectable?

Growing up, you may have brushed through the pages of a National Geographic. What was something that stuck out to most? The pictures of tribes people, naked in the bush adorned with jewelry in all sorts of places?

Delving into the social standard practices of body modification in Africa, you will see many with the following; scarification, piercings, stretched piercings, and teeth filing and even in extreme cases mutilation.

(Maasai man with pierced ears)

Ritual scarification is used in many tribes in Africa, done by burning, cutting, or making a slight incision to create a prominent scar. Done in patterns, it's used to identify members of certain tribal families. It is also done for social and culture acceptance. Not only done in the men of the tribes, but also to women and children as a coming of age rite of passage. In women it's seen as something beautiful, marks showing they are suitable mothers and wives.

(Sudanese immigrant with body modification)

Body piercing is not only something done in American culture, but for hundreds of years by African tribes. Jewelry can be worn in almost any part of the body including the lip, ears, nose, and eyebrow. Nose piercing, which is very common not only in Middle Eastern parts of the world but also in Berber and Beja tribes of Africa, the wife is given the ring at their wedding, the size of the ring denotes wealth and is good security for the wife if she is to get divorced.

However, I want to know among the African American population, is body modification seen or done as somewhat of a ritual or a rite of passage? It's almost seen as somewhat of an oddity to see a person of color with a piercing. If trying to get a piercing to be different wasn't hard enough, adding in the color factor can really make you stand out.

Check me out with my piercings...

Tags: Africa, Afro-punk, piercing, ritual, tribal

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Comment by HeartOfAMetalhead on September 10, 2012 at 10:17am: I actually just watched an episode of a National Geographic show called Taboo on Netflix about tattoos and body modding rituals as a rite of passage, cultural tradition, and marking milestones in one's personal life.

Comment by HeartOfAMetalhead on September 9, 2012 at 1:08am: I'm currently 18 years old due to be 19 in a week. I got my snakebites when I was 16; I did them myself. At the time that I did them, I did it for a mix of reasons but mostly because I thought they looked cool and I kinda into the emo/scene crowd. Although it was 3 years ago, I see them now as kind of like a badge; an initiation into the body modding community. I'm currently going through the process of stretching my lobes. It's a very symbolic journey for me. I'm still young but I take body modding very seriously. I think body mods are a statement of who we are on the inside, whether it's to be different, to face a fear, just because, or because it intrigues us. I plan to continue with my body mods because they liberate me in a way. I love my piercings.

Comment by X-D-D-M*9 on July 15, 2011 at 1:41pm: (shoot, and i just stumbled on this thread)...

Oh, I have make an add on: the Cultural Ignorance Award won by Kyler Jones will be shared Chloe, for her "thank god my late ancestors were chosen to work on plantations..." statement. You are the weakest link! Goodbye!

I'm not calling you dumb Chloe, I'm calling you ignorant. Look up the diffeerence. I'm especially ashamed being that you say you are from St. Kitts & Nevis where much of my family is from. Well my folks are not as blind (that I know of). Sister (heck you may be my cousin), open your eyes & mind up a bit please.

Kyler & Chloe, let's hope you don't hold this award anymore and we can phase it out by respecting our people's various cultural expressions. Again family, do you.

Please Educate All Children Equally.

Comment by X-D-D-M*9 on July 15, 2011 at 1:21pm: I have to comment that the various African cultural modifications are awesome, beautiful & attractive. And this comes from someone who does not have (outside of my locks) nor want want any tatts or modifications at this point in my life.

No need to be subtle, Kyler Jones' comment was corny to me. We all have opinions & hers is valid and not uncommon (though she's said some wack stuff jocking white folks in the past, ha). Yeah I said it.

Folks do you. Just know what it means to you or others who's opinion you respect. Remember you want to think this looks good when you are 80+ years old. Be more careful if you are concerned about perception of employers & businesspeople. If you are doing your own thing and don't care, go all out and let nothing hold you back.

Comment by A L Grady on April 17, 2010 at 2:11am: Interesting article & Beautiful pics!!! I've loved piercings for a while. I had my ears pierced as a baby. My friends and I pierced our noses and second ear lobes in high school and I got my belly button pierced at 17. At the time, it felt like I was rebelling and creating a bond with my friends. I guess we were making our own rite inside of our tribe. Today, I don't wear any piercings (just my ears) but one day, I might get a tattoo to mark a special moment in my life.

Comment by Roni Zulu on April 17, 2010 at 1:49am: "are my ancestors crazy?"

O_O!!!!!

Comment by Fashionfreak on April 16, 2010 at 10:57pm: "thank god my late ancestors were chosen to work on the plantations"

O_O !!!!!!!

Comment by chloe on April 16, 2010 at 5:07pm: being an african desendant but i would never never ever do those things to myself! nooooooooooooooooooooooooo!! i know its tradition and all but are my ancestors crazy? This is scarey. I know i shouldn't say this but thank god my late ancestors were chosen to work on the plantations. I don't think i could have done that but it probably would have pose as a problem to me if i had grown up there since it tradition. Hell tradition even some things in my own country i dont agree with!

Comment by Roni Zulu on April 16, 2010 at 1:00pm: "i don't know if that's the conclusion you drew from my response to this thread"

Fashionfreak, that was not directed at you personally, I was speaking in general terms of anyone who might think that way.

Comment by Fashionfreak on April 16, 2010 at 12:28am: oh yeah...and i also said a lot of people in america want tattoos to be 'cool' or 'down' i didn't say EVERYONE.
there are a crap load of kids out there who just want tats for no ass reason. if you're going to do something it should be of some significance to you. sponge bob on your hand? come on dude.