CULTURE SHOCK

Disclaimer: All information and photos in this post are to inform about other culture and not to promote violence. Photos might causes some disturbance for some reader. The information provided may change over time  or not accurate since it is collected through a research from all over the internet

Do you ever wonder how much pain it is to get a normal ink tattoo? And what if I tell you that pain nothing as compare to the pain of getting scarification? Yes, scarification is a very painful procedures of getting a 'patterned' scars on your body for some purposes mainly for cultural mean. 

Widely practiced by West African tribe, scarification carries its own meanings. It signifies one's lineage and social status. Besides, it is also make it possible for us to differentiate between one tribe from another. It is also indicates one's phases of life.

As for man, they will get scarification on their body when the reaches puberty to marks that they are already in the manhood. The fact that scarification is a very painful procedures, it becomes the indication of the man's bravery and courage, thus the man has to go though it without crying. If he cries, he'll get humiliate and if he doesn't cry, he'll likely to get respect from others.

As for girl (or woman) the scarification on their belly shows that they are ready for marriage and ready to bear children by her own. The amount of the tattoo indicates how much she already ready for the responsibility. For African culture, this is a desirable quality in a wife because the pain that they can stand during scarification shows that she can withstand the pain of giving birth.

There are a lot of method of getting this tattoo such as:

1) skin removal ( you remove your skin of desired pattern) using knife, stone, glass, coconut shell, even sand paper o.O

2) hatching - flesh removal ( just like skin removal except that you remove your flesh),

3) packing ( pack the cut with clay or ashes)

4) and lots more.... :3

The following images are MODERN SCARIFICATION ( BODY ART)

Culture Shock Team

References: 

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/07/0728_040728_tvtabooscars.html

http://poundedink.com/body-scarification/