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Scarification In American Culture

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Scarification, a bloody and painful way of modifying the skin/body, is done by the Sepik River Tribe to show their strength in growing up. These scars are represented as a crocodile’s teeth mark as if the contributor has been “swallowed” by a crocodile. Though many think it’s weird or very terrifying, the Sepik have their reasons for why they do it. This rite of passage happens to teen Sepiks at the age of sixteen or seventeen at a place called Papau New Guinea (Scarification: Ancient Body Art Leaving New Marks, para. 5 & 7), in which tribal leaders, elders, or master cutter make the scars. Both genders can contribute to this ceremony (Scarification: Ancient Body Art Leaving New Marks, para. 7). Though important figures weren’t determined, uncles of the contributor are usually the one who inflict the wounds so that the mother’s blood is spilt back to her (Making Boys Into Men, para. 23). There is only one tool for this ceremony and two reasons why they do it. The tool that they use is a bamboo sliver or a razor blade (Making Boys Into Men, para. 28). At first, they used bamboo slivers because it’s easy to craft and the Sepik reused them. After realizing that it caused diseases, they started using disposable razor blades to inflict the wounds. The purpose of the ceremony is for the …show more content…

For preparation, contributors were to dance and sing the whole day before the ceremony with a stick of ginger in their mouth (Making Boys Into Men, para. 37), and when dawn approaches, they were to soak in the Blackwater for over an hour to test against hypothermia (Making Boys Into Men, para. 38). After that, the contributors were led to the Spirit House to begin the ceremony. An elder or master cutter makes scars on the contributor. After that, the wounds are rubbed with oil and the candidate is told to sit by the fire to dry (Making Boys Into Men, para.

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