Tribal identity through body art: extraordinary people living in the remnants of time

PSA Journal, July, 2006 by Debbie Jefkin-Elnekave

Why do people adorn, tattoo, pierce or scarify their bodies? This question had never occurred to me until 1 started photographing in tribal Africa and Asia; now I can't stop thinking about it. Since the dawn of mankind, tribes have distinguished themselves through ritual body art. Although they have little in the way of material possessions, they are well attuned to the natural resources of their land, using them to adorn themselves for aesthetic and symbolic effect. At first glance, each tribe or ethnic group is captivating for its unique and exotic appearance. However, indigenous people throughout the world are remarkable, not only for their differences, but for their similarities. Some groups have recently experienced their first contact with the outside world. Others have survived years of exploitation, repression or modernization. What they all have in common is ritual body decoration--where symbolism is paramount--and a fierce determination to maintain their cultural identity.

Cosmetology of courtship and marriage

Since time immemorial, body art has been used to attract the opposite sex and to provide clues about marital status. Perhaps no one clings as tenaciously to these rituals and traditions as the resplendent tribes of Africa. At first glance, the arid landscape of the desert and savanna would not be associated with lively decoration, yet they have incorporated many style elements into their glorious cosmetology.

Karo and Hamer women of Ethiopia scarify themselves to render their bodies sexually appealing through elaborate decoration and skin texture. They apply a concoction of red ochre and binding resin or animal grease to their hair, and style it according to their marital status. This symbol of eligibility simplifies things at the weekly market, which is a common meeting place for young men and women. A Hamer man notches his ear on the occasion of his first marriage, and the edges of his ears are pierced once for each of his wives.

Corporeal beauty is elemental to the Wodaabe tribe of Niger. They have always kept to themselves and disdained other ethnic groups, thus remaining a very pure race. The most dramatic custom of their beauty cult is the gerewol courting ritual. Young men adorn themselves with extravagant costumes and facial makeup, which they carefully administer to highlight their cherished elements of beauty: sinewy bodies, thin noses and lips, and white eyeballs and teeth. Once festooned in full gerewol regalia, the men clasp hands, form a circle or line, and start to chant and sway. There is an inherent romantic quality in the glow of the moonlight, and each man is full of hopeful anticipation that he will catch the equally hopeful eye of his soul mate, watching from the other side of the campfire. The young girls choose the most handsome men, and many of these pairings result in marriage.

Intimidating the enemy

The illusive Dani warriors of Irian Jaya are notorious for glorious battles over pigs, women and land rights. They set forth for battle stark naked, but covered with a mixture of ashes and pig grease. This is meant to intimidate their adversaries by appearing so fierce that they paralyze the enemy with tear.

In the Omo River Valley of Ethiopia, Karo and Hamer men wear their hair in a multi-colored, painted clay bun to convey that they have killed an enemy or ferocious animal. This symbol of bravery and courage is worn for up to a year after the kill.

The Bume of Ethiopia are warriors who fight over grazing land, and their body scarification is meant to illustrate their prowess in battle. These prestigious marks are a record of personal achievement, closely linked to meaningful and complex rituals in which hunting and killing play an important part. For each enemy that a man has killed, he earns a highly esteemed scar of valor on his arm, which resembles a sergeant's stripe.

Appeasing the spirits

Akha women of Thailand are never seen without their elaborate silver headdresses. These crowning jewels often weigh as much as ten pounds, but they wear them all the time--to festivals, to labor in the fields, even to bed. The point of these ornate adornments? In a culture of strict animists who practice spirit worship, quite simply, it would offend the spirits if they did not wear their finery.

The remoteness of Orissa in India has provided the perfect environment for the preservation of several exotic tribal groups. The most distinguishing feature of Orissa's Kondh women is their geometric tattoos on their hands and faces. As animists, they believe that when they die and turn into spirits, these markings will help them recognize each other in the spirit world.

Mourning the dead

A Dani woman of Man Jaya paints herself with yellow clay, in mourning for her deceased husband. The ghostly pallor gives her the appearance of more than just his widow. She is the symbolic tomb in which his spirit rests. Until recently, a woman's mourning rituals included amputation of a finger each time a relative died. Although the practice is no longer common, it has taken a toll on many village elders, whose hands are barely more than stumps. As they toil away in the fields, digging for tubers to find sustenance for the living, do they think any more of the fingers they have lost to the dead, cut off to mark the passing of loved ones?