Tribal lip piercing

 

The beauty of the women of the Suri and Mursi people of southern Ethiopia is determined by how large their lip plates are.    

The reason for the lip plates has several theories, shared by the tribal elders, and passed down through generations.  The most sensible one is that it was to make the women unattractive to slave traders.  This is a dichotomy considering the lip plates have evolved into a sign of beauty. 

The process of lip stretching will be started by a girl’s mother when she reaches puberty, around 15 years old.  Before the plate process can be started, two or four teeth will be removed from the girl’s mouth.  Then the lower lip is cut to fit a small ceramic disc or peg.  This remains in place until the cut has healed – when it will be replaced by a slightly larger disc.  This process continues until the lip cut is large enough to place the first lip plate, which is around 4cm.   During the stretching phase infection is possible, and the lip can also break.  If this happens a woman will have two dangling pieces of lip.

The plates can be made of wood or clay and are decorated with patterns and paints from local area resources.  The women will choose their own patterns, which can be highly decorative.

Once the lip has been stretched to suit the woman’s aspirations it doesn’t hurt.   Some of the plates are big and heavy and may need the woman to hold them when they are in place, or they may dangle below the face.  They can be removed easily and are not worn for eating.  

The size of the lip plate is considered to show the value of the woman – both to suitors and to her own self-esteem.    At the time marriage is being considered, the plate size will have implications to the dowry paid to the woman’s family.  The larger the plate the larger the dowry – with 60 cows being appropriate for a larger plate, and only 40 cows for a smaller plate.

The same process of cutting and stretching the lips is in place in the Kayapo tribe in the Amazon of Brazil.  There, the elite Kayapo plates, known as ‘botoques’ are a traditional practice for the men of the tribe.  The Kayopo see the plates as signifying social standing and leadership in oratory and warfare.  The largest plates are worn by the most senior tribe leaders.  The most famous Kayopo leader is Chief Raoni, who is a globally recognised environmentalist and a living symbol of the fight to preserve the Amazon rainforest.  He is often photographed with his lip plate.

It's interesting that the same process is used and that the larger the plate the better is understood in two different tribes on two different continents.  What connection would the tribes have had when this practice started – could someone have gone from South America to Africa or vice versa?    It’s also interesting to note that in one tribe it’s the desirability (beauty) of women that is perceived as more favourable with the discs, and in the other it’s desirability (strength) of the men.