Question

Certain forms of body art are expressed and interpreted differently by different cultures. Detail a form of body art that has different interpretations in different cultures, and explain why it is interpreted differently.

Answer 1

• In the Sepik tribe in New Guinea scarification is an initiation rite for young men. They slice the mens’ chest, back, and buttocks with a bamboo edge to test their strength and self-discipline. The Sepik tribe believe that crocodiles created the humans, and the scars in their scarification represent teeth marks of the crocodile that “swallowed” the young man during the ceremony. Scarification in the West is growing in popularity, as a way for young people to stand out and be ‘different’.

• In some African and Asian cultures a long neck is seen as the ideal of beauty, and to achieve this ideal they use neck rings to stretch their necks. Neck rings are a number of spiral coils that are added on gradually to stretch the neck, and put weight on the shoulder blades to make them deform causing the illusion of a longer neck.
• Aboriginal body painting or art and personal ornamentation is an ancient tradition which carries deep spiritual significance for the Australian Indigenous People. Their cultural rituals including body painting differ between Aboriginal Tribes and topographic location. It is related to spiritual matters and is very creative in character. The specific designs and motifs used by the Aboriginals reveal their relationships to their family group, social position, tribe, precise ancestors, totemic fauna and tracts of land. There are very strict guidelines to how the body painting and adornment is carried out and an Aboriginal person is not allowed to just use any motives or adornment in their transformation. They must follow traditional, respected patterns. The person adorned with the body paint often takes on the spiritual part of their ancestor dancing, immersed in their character.