t1/ SCARIFICATION IN AFRICA

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Scarification is an ancient African body art that involves purposely scarring the skin to create marks & patterns.

Dahomey Tribal Collection Stamp

t2/ Scarring was developed to suit our dark skin pigmentation which isn't ideal for Tattooing.

Boko Man from DR. Congo

t3/ By opening the skin, the uppermost layer of pigment was broken and filled in with slightly lighter shades of scar tissue.

t3 a/ Nyagatom Man ( Ethiopia & Sudan ) with special scarification, which means he has killed many enemies.

t3 b/ Scarring on dark skin

t4/ Reasons to Scar; Beauty

Scars are thought to beauty the body , especially for women. It's normally done during rituals like onset of puberty, first menstrual cycle & childbirth

Bodi Tribe Girl - Ethiopia

t4 a/ Mursi girl- Ethiopia

t4 b/ Nuer Tribe- Sudan

t5/ Reasons to Scar; Strength & Courage

Scarification is quite painful and is a test of courage. One should not cry out as it's a sign of weakness.

t5 a/ The results are beautiful after scarification.

Dinka Girl- Sudan

t5 b/ Mursi Tribe- Ethiopia

t6/ Reasons to Scar; Protection From Death

Spirituality plays an important role in African culture. Facial scarring is sometimes used to protect a person from death.

Dinka Man Sudan

t6 a/ c1880- 1942, Bwaka Woman , Congo DRC

t6 b/ c1957- Bakutu Woman, Belgian Congo

Reasons to Scar; Fertility

Scarring was prized in young women of marriageable age. Abdominal scars are seen as a indication of a womans willingness to have children. The scars are also erogenous & make her more receptive to her husband's sexual attention.

Surma mum

t7 a/ c1940s- Yasayama woman, Belgian Congo

t7 b/ c1910- Zulu Maidens ( RSA )

t7 c/ Toposa woman- Ethiopia

t8/ Reasons to Scar; Family Pride
Scarring can also be a matter of family pride as a coming of age ceremony for women.

c1940s- Bakutu Woman, Belgian Congo

t8 a/ Nuer Woman- Sudan

t8 b/ Bodi woman- Omo Valley, Ethiopia

t9/ Reason to Scar; Identification of Tribe/ Family

Nuer Man, Sudan , with distinctive markings -gaar, which indicates they belong to the tribe & are fierce during conflict.

t9 a/ Scarring may cover many areas of body

t10/ Early Age Scarring;

Some communities scar at an early age for babies & toddlers to mark new beginnings & phases.

It can also be done to treat diseases like convulsion, measles and pneumonia.

t11/ Modern Scarification;

Scarification, or Tribal Mark's as referred to currently, are slowly disappearing and being replaced by tattoos.

Modern Tribal Mark -Moniasse Sessou, Artist/ Model with roots from Benin.