Body Modifications in Primitive Culture
Body modifications and other "improvements" on nature are as old as civilization itself, and were practiced in some form by nearly every primitive culture. Islam is one of the few cultures that forbids this type of beautification, as it is considered to be a defiling of God's creation. These modifications include body piercing, fetishist scarification, tattooing, ear, nose, lip and forehead reshaping (africa, pre-Columbian Mesoamerica), neck stretching (Burma), feat binding (China), and a host of other "beautification" methods.
Ritual scarring, or "fetishist scarification" and body modification was, and still is popular with various South and West African fetish-worshipping tribes such as the Diola ( Senegal, Gambia), Dahomey (Benin), Foulah Tong (Senegal), Kirdi (Camaroon), Malinke (Niger, Guinea), Sara Kaba (Central African Republic) and Soussou (South Africa).
In the Southeast Asia country of Burma (Myanmar), the Tibeto-Burman ethnic tribespeople known as the Kayan (aka Padaung) have a unique form of body modification. The Kayan "long neck" women stretch their necks by adding successive brass coils as they develop from childhood. There are several theories as to the origin and purpose of this type of modification, ranging from a simple desire to maintain their cultural identity, to exaggerating dimorphism, and even to protect women from becoming slaves by making them less attractive [4]. There are only around 7,000 surviving members of the Kayan tribe remaining in Myanmar, and the government is discouraging the practice in order to appear more modern.
Like the Kayan women of Burma, the Austro-Asiatic Bonda tribe (aka: Remo) wears multiple neck rings made of silver, but they are loose-fitting and not intended for stretching the neck. The Bonda plainsmen are one of the oldest and most primitive tribes in mainland India, living in the lowland mountains of the Malkangiri District, in the Indian state of Orissa.
The Amazonian Matis Indians wear ear ornaments made with 2-inch-in diameter conical-shaped snail shells that are attached to the end of a long wooden dowel that is pierced through the earlobe. These ornaments are believed to enhance a hunter's hearing ability [3].
Primitive Fetishism & Totemism
In the tribal world, a "fetish" is any object, be it natural or man-made, that is believed to have supernatural powers, or power over others. The term "fetishism" describes the attribution of inherent power of a given object, or "fetish." The word was derived from the French word "fétiche," which comes from the Portuguese word "feitiço," and the Latin word facticius, meaning "artificial," and facere, meaning "to make."
Although the contemporary use of the word "fetish" has become synonymous with eroticism and sexuality, the traditional/tribal use of the fetish was tied to every aspect of village life, from agricultural concerns, weather and social harmony or discord, to health, fertility and procreation. Fetishes are typically modeled after the object of concern, such as a person, animal, body part, etc.
A "totem" is similar to a fetish in that it is an inanimate object (carved figurine, animal part, etc.) that has shamanistic powers, and takes the form of an animal or other naturalistic figure that spiritually represents a group of related people, tribes or clans.
Tattooing & Ritual Scarification
Henna (Mehndi in Hindi) tattooing dates back to ancient Africa, Indian and Tamil, Persian,Mesopotamian, Bedouin, Maori and Moorish tribes. The dye for this type of tattoo is not totally permanent, and is made from the henna plant (Lawsonia inermis) which is native to tropical and subtropical regions of Africa and Southeast Asia.
In India, Persia and the Middle Esat, elaborate henna tattoos are worn on the hands and forearms, creating the illusion of decorative lace gloves. The cultural significance of henna tattoos varies from ethnicity to ethnicity, but the general symbolism is related to spiritual enlightenment, fertility, and good health. As an adornment for the Indian wedding ceremony, the henna tattoo, or mehndi is associated with transcendence and transformation.
The Maori, who are an indigenous aboriginal tribe from the island Aotearoa (New Zealand), migrated from Eastern Polynesia between 800 AD and 1300 AD. These ancient Polynesians were known for the ta moko, which is both an elaborate facial tattoo, and a form of scarification. The scarification was made by carving the skin with an uhi (chisel) which created depressed grooves in the skin, rather than a smooth surface created by puncturing. The Maori Chief in the illustration above (left) has a classic facial ta moko, as well as a traditional hair "topknot" that is decorated with feathers, a comb made of bone, and a greenstone earring and pendant.
Jewelry & Paganism
All known primitive tribes practiced some form of Paganism, which simply refers to any spiritual practices that are both polytheistic, and pre-Christian. These include folk religions that use animistic, pantheistic or transformational shamanic practices and rituals. Primitive pagan cultures were historically referred to as "heathens" or "savages," which were used as pejorative terms by the adherents of Western monotheistic religions. Pagan tribal culture and spirituality typically revolved around the concept that souls or spirits exist in humans, as well as in animals, plants or inanimate objects. When used by a Pagan shaman, healer or priest, a shamanic transformation fetish can alter the perceived reality of the subject, having a social and spiritual, as well as a chemical and metabolic effect on them.
Jewelry and fetishes that contain animal parts such as teeth, bone, skin or hide, claws, talons and hair played a particularly significant role in Pagan beliefs. The wearer of these types of ornamentations believed that he or she actually possessed the soul of the animal, imbuing the wearer with the animal's attributes and strengths: speed, courage, strength, cunning and stealthiness.
Northern Eskimo Tribes
The term "Eskimo" refers to three main aboriginal tribes of the Arctic region in North America that are: the Inuit (Inuvialuit) tribe who are indigenous to northern Canada (Nunavut), theYupik (Yup'ik) who are indigenous to western Alaska, and the Aleut who are indigenous to the Aleutian Islands. All of these tribe have practiced some form of shamanism based on animist principles, and this is reflected in their jewelry.
For the Inuit tribe, the Inukshuk is a recurring motif in jewelry. The Inukshuk, meaning "image of man's spirit," was a type of man-like totem sculptural signpost placed along the continent's northern shores as a marker to lead their way.
Inuit jewelry is fairly simple, consisting of amulets which were worn to ward off evil and bring good fortune; copper or leather headbands decorated with animal teeth, and "hairsticks" which were pieces of caribou bone around which they wound their hair. Jewelry was made from silver, antler, bone, ivory tusk, and soapstone. Bone or fossilized ivory might be scrimshawed with pictographs of animals, dancing, hunting, fishing, village life or shamanistic ceremonies.
Courtesy Google
No comments:
Post a Comment