5. Sepik Scarification
The tribes living along the Sepik river in Papua New Guinea have used the tradition of scarification to mature their boys into men for decades. The ceremony requires the youth to be cut along his back, chest and
buttocks in elaborate patterns, to mimic the coarse skin of a
crocodile. It is thought that this reptilian divinity consumes his youth
during the bloody process, leaving behind a man in his place.
Before he can be treated as a man, though, the boy is subjected to
humiliation in a ritual that can take weeks. In fact, the boys are
referred to as women and regarded that way in order to psychologically
toughen them.
The scarification, parallel to the taunts, strengthens them physically
because it requires a vast amount of discipline to go through the
ritual, withstanding hundreds of cuts. The raw wounds are cleaned after
the scarification is complete, but the pain endured continues for days as their bodies heal.
4. Naghol – Land Diving
In the South Pacific Ocean, on
Pentecost Island, tribe members construct a tower 60 to 90 feet (20 to
30 meters) high made from the trees surrounding a clearing. Rocks and
wood are removed from the ground and the soil is tilled before the tower
is built. The rickety structure is then used as the world’s most
extreme form of bungee jumping, with only two vines and faith supporting
a diver.
The ritual is done to ensure the yam harvest that year will be
successful; the higher they dive, the better the harvest will be. It’s
also thought to strengthen participants spiritually, as they take the leap of faith.
While it’s not required to dive, those who do are revered in the
community and seen as true warriors. After all, to dive means to
sacrifice your life for the tribe. They embrace the possibility of death
during the initiation; it’ll be like taking one for the team. Boys
around seven and eight (once they are circumcised) can participate, and
they’re considered men after they survive the fall.
The risks are obvious. Divers are prone to concussions, broken hips and
necks, and that’s if the vines don’t snap (and if they don’t impale
themselves). If the vine is measured correctly, the only pain a diver
will experience is the sudden harsh pull at his ankles once he drops, a
painful feeling which will stay with him for days. It’s common to see
tribe members’ heads hit the ground after a jump but for the most part,
they survive unscathed.
3. Okipa Ceremony
The Okipa ceremony of the Mandan Indians opened with a Bison Dance,
followed by a variety of torturous ordeals through which warriors proved
their physical courage and gained the approval of the spirits. The
Okipa began with the young man not eating, drinking, or sleeping for
four days. They are then led to a hut, where they had to sit with
smiling faces while the skin of their chest and shoulders was slit, and
wooden skewers were thrust behind the muscles. Using the skewers to
support the weight of their bodies, the warriors would be suspended from
the roof of the lodge, and would hang there until they fainted. To add
agony, heavy weights were added to the initiate’s legs. After fainting,
the warrior would be pulled down and the men (women were not allowed to
attend this ceremony) would watch the warrior until he awoke, proving
the spirits’ approval. After awakening, the warrior would sacrifice the
little finger on both hands, each finger being severed by the initiate
with a hatchet. Finally, the warrior would be taken outside where he
would run around the central plaza of the village a number of times.
2. Roman Infibulations
Speaking of penis, the ancient Romans also had their own initiation
method. Infibulation is the process of suturing the foreskin. Using
string or a metal clasp, the foreskin was closed and the penis was drawn
to the side. Most infibulations were self inflicted.
This was done for several reasons. For singers, infibulations helped
keep their voice through the years. It also was thought to capture and
retain gladiators’ might and vitality. In some cases, an exposed penis
was thought to be vulgar, especially the head of the penis, so
infibulations were done to show modesty and restraint. For the purpose
of this list, youths were exposed to the process to keep them from
masturbating, and to abstain from sexual intercourse. It was a show of
maturity to suture your own foreskin.
1. Mentawai Teeth Chiseling
Female Mentawaians of Sumatra experience an agonizing practice known as
teeth chiseling. Local shaman sharpens a crude blade as best he can to
make the chiseling as least painful as possible. The young girl is given
nothing to numb the feeling in her mouth before he takes a rock and
begins to hack away. Using careful strikes, the blade carves the corners
of the teeth, leaving behind pointed ends similar to shark teeth. To
finish the process, her teeth are filed to achieve the desired shape.
This is done to young girls because it is believed to make them more
attractive. It’s also said that sharpened teeth please the spirits the tribes
believe in, and bring balance to a female’s life. It’s an old tradition
the Mentawaians have been following for years, but the practice isn’t
as common anymore. Today, it’s up to the girl to decide if she wants her
teeth chiseled to become beautiful.
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