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 Fashionfreak on April 16, 2010 at 12:25am: "You would show your own pathetic ignorance if you were lying in ditch, bleeding to death and the fully tattooed paramedic shows up, and then you decide to wait till a "clean cut" paramedic came along."

did i say that? let me read what i wrote....nope i didn't. i don't know if that's the conclusion you drew from my response to this thread i just asked a simple question. i don't give a damn if my doctor has tattoos that doesn't make him any less qualified. all i wanted to know is if anyone here associates certain professions with a certain 'look' and if they'd be alarmed if they saw otherwise.

i happen to have a tattoo (it's extremely small though) so why would i even think that about someone else? - _ -
but hey that's what ya get for assuming :)

Comment by Mamadoc on April 15, 2010 at 9:39pm: I think that the majority of people have some prejudice about something or other. Even here I've read about the ignorance and non-acceptance of blacks & christians as if all were the same. Some accept certain "types/styles" of tattoos but not others.

One thing that has always held true for me is that by just being myself, I've been accepted by people of all different backgrounds & races in all kinds of situations.

Great thread! I'm enjoying reading. Thanks!

Comment by Arianna Garcia on April 15, 2010 at 9:32pm: It's funny how Kyler Jones thinks those " Africans are atrocious" wen to them she might look atrocious

Comment by Roni Zulu on April 15, 2010 at 9:25pm: "if you were rushed to the hospital for open heart surgery and the doctor turned around with a million different things on his face would you be alarmed? no one attack me here i am asking your opinion :)"

I would not be alarmed, trusting that the doctor would not be employed without the proper education...just as I would not if a paramedic covered in tattoos was sent to save my life. You would show your own pathetic ignorance if you were lying in ditch, bleeding to death and the fully tattooed paramedic shows up, and then you decide to wait till a "clean cut" paramedic came along.
Also, tattoos hold a great deal of cultural significance here in America, I have people flying in from all over the country to get sacred tattooing; so much so that I am booked almost a year in advance to keep up with the demand. Most people aren't aware of this because the general public only hears the bad press and draws conclusions on misinformation.

Comment by Kyler Jones on April 15, 2010 at 8:45pm: ew those Africans were looking atrocious!

Comment by Fashionfreak on April 15, 2010 at 8:37pm: although they hold cultural significance in africa unfortunately here in america let's face a lot of people only want tattoos and piercings just because they think it's "cool" can't deny that one.

i will give someone the side eye if i see some dumb shit like 'scooby doo' or 'get money' plastered on their arm to show off versus someone with a tribal tattoo that holds some sort of significance.

i do think it's wrong though that there is a stigma against tats and piercings. 90% of those wall street dudes have them underneath those suits I guarantee you. it all comes down to professions though :/ it's more acceptable in a non-traditional job. here is something to think about:
if you were rushed to the hospital for open heart surgery and the doctor turned around with a million different things on his face would you be alarmed? no one attack me here i am asking your opinion :)

Comment by Arianna Garcia on April 15, 2010 at 3:39pm: @Roni Zulu that's a very interesting story you shared. When I started writing this piece I had in mind if a lot of young women and men in American went through the same rite of passages as many men and women in Africa did. I think it's a very good cross over into how piercings, tattoos, scarification, etc. plays in the lives of many people, not just in Africa but in America also. I hoped you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed reading your experience.

Comment by Roni Zulu on April 15, 2010 at 1:26pm: Greetings everyone, my name is Zulu and I own and operate Zulu Tattoo in Los Angeles so this topic is not only right up my alley; it is my profession and lifestyle.
I was lucky enough to live next door to foreign exchange students from Kenya when I was 7 years old; my best friend Ondiek was their son. My close friendship with him of many years was the beginning of my understanding and experiences with much of African culture, including ornamentation.
I passed through many rites of passage with Ondiek as he and I grew into manhood from making weapons, mixing herbs and learning sacred dance to sacrificing a goat for ritual ceremony and meals; these rights had to be kept secret from my parents who were devout Christians and quite fearful of their own ancestral practices.
You can imagine that those experiences during such impressionable years set me up for who I am today.
As a small boy I would sneak into my mother’s jewelry box and wear her clip on earrings all over my body. It infuriated my father but my mother would defend me saying, “It’s OK, he’s just playing to look like those Africans next door”…little did she know…I was not just playing!
I eventually came of age, changed my given last name “Beck” of Germanic origin to that of African…ZULU, completely abandoned the Christian faith that was forced upon me and adopted and practiced the Yoruba worship of the ancestors; all of which left my family puzzled and defensive.
To now make a very very long story short; after years of study of the arts, world religions and cultures I turned my innate talents to tattooing as my vocation.
My shop is known as a pioneer tattoo studio owned and operated by an African American; not assimilating to the status quo but specializing in ancient tribal and sacred marks...we do not do “Pooky luvs Snooky” tattoos!!!
Myself, I have a Maori tribesman tattoo that covers the right side of my face and multiple piercings…all of which are based in sacred ancestral history.
I do find it disparaging that a large percentage of people of color, particularly black people, look down upon my appearance and point religious and prejudice fingers my way while white people are intrigued and want to ask questions about my culture….but I’m now preaching to the choir; you all can imagine what black people say when I play Bad Brains!
I find myself in numerous conservative situations on a daily basis and carry myself as such an educated gentleman that resistance is not met…I was even elected the first black Worshipful Master of my Masonic Lodge; so now people who have met me equate my appearance with good virtue…hopefully I have made it easier for those similar who come after me.
All I can do is continue to educate.
I wish you all well.
~Zulu

Comment by Chris The Pusher on April 15, 2010 at 10:22am: Man, i really like that you touched on this subject. I have my septum pierced and my ears stretched out. With me being someone who dabbles into many cultures I feel like I'm a step closer to finding an "african" identity. I've always seen the discovery channel and the stretched out lips and ears and always thought it was fascinating! Then I went and got my piercings and noticed alot of scene kids having their septum pierced and huge gauged ears. It's funny to me because I've always said that we african americans are the most copied people on the planet but also the most hated. People see these piercings on white people and think it's attractive but when i go out i get stared at and asked " Whats that in yo nose" by little black kids or "Can you take that out of your nose before we take the picture?". It's really a shame because this is really part of the culture that was beaten out of us hundreds of years ago. So I wear my jewelry with a kind of pride that makes me close to Africa my mother land. Great read! Oh and if you're curious about your african roots, check out AfricanAncestry.com. They have found a way to trace back DNA in African Americans back to Africa.

Comment by Q.A.Bradford on April 15, 2010 at 10:00am: It will never carry the same meaning in the post-colonial world as long as it stays subcultural. Since so many people walk around unconsciously valuing Victorian era morals, they don't realize the depth of meaning and formal importance behind body modification. In many cases its like a national/ racial branding that boasts ones heritage and pedigree -- like a passport. In order for the modern world to have normalcy with it, governments, academic institutions, etc. would have to require it be done on members of the group. Until then it remains sub-cultural and individualistic.