Comparison of Body Modification :African & American Cultures
Ukinipamba nitapendeza is an African proverb that roughly translated to English means "If you decorate me, then I will be beautiful." Body modification or adorning the body in a meaningful way was as popular in ancient Africa as it is in present day America. Africans have been embellishing their bodies with paint, clothing, hairstyles, makeup, scarification, piercing, and even tattooing since 3,000B.C. This artistry, using the body as a medium, has been used for purposes such as identification, various tribal rituals and, to beautify the body. One of the most common forms of body modification in Africa as well as in present day America is clothing. In Africa, the style of your clothing as well as the type of fabric that it was made out of could indicate what tribe you were from, what family you belonged to, and your families' status within the tribe. Clothing was also used to adorn and emphasize the areas of the body that were considered to be aesthetically pleasing; for example Mandinka tribes considered women with long necks to be the epitome of beauty, therefore women wore brightly colored tops that tended to have a lower neckline to display and also emphasize their graceful necks. Americans also use clothing to convey
However, in our more permissive modern society an individual can modify their body for any number of reasons, and is not limited by a specific set of rules or conduct. In our culture, we have brought to the mainstream some of these ancient and tribal practices as well as creating our own customs. Africans use many different tools to create elaborately designed scars such as razors, fishhooks, and thorns; often soot is then rubbed into the wound to create a more pronounced scar once the wound heals. In America people tend to scar by using one of two techniques, either by branding (scarification by burning the skin using various tools) or by cutting (scarification using a thin blade often including the removal of patches of skin). Many American women apply makeup in various color schemes and designs in order to make them more appealing. Americans also scarify to signify completion of a rite of passage and to beautify the body. Body piercing is one of the oldest and most interesting forms of body modification. Other cultures scarify to beautify the body. Among the Baule people of the Ivory Coast, scarification is the ultimate mark of civilization; without these designs, a person would not be considered a member of the community. For example, Ethiopian men and women have various facial piercings and oversized ear discs which identify some as being of higher status within the tribe. Africans have used body piercing for thousands of years for various reasons including personal expression, taking part in a religious ritual, or emphasizing ones place in the tribe; in most tribes, people of power have some type of facial piercing. In many African countries, hair braiding has developed into complex patterns signaling one's social status, age group, and village affiliation. American males also often indulge in body painting as well, although their battles usually take place on a sporting field and the fans tend to be more fiercely painted than the actual "warriors" are. In Africa, individuals wishing to modify their bodies in any way are often governed by a strict set of rules.
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