Importance of the Crocodile
The Thinking Behind Scarification
Scarification: Papua New Guinea
- Symbolism
- Strength
- Power
- Knowledge
- Ancestry
- Belief that crocodiles created humans
- Inheritance of the crocodile powers
- Honoring the "creator of humans"
Manhood
The cuts on the skin resemble the teeth marks the crocodile makes while engulfing the young boy.
- "Swallowing the young boy and morphing the boys into adulthood"
By: Audris Oh
Cayla Jn-Baptiste
The "Great Crocodile" Story
A village man came across something in the water and was curious at what it could have been. He dived deep into the waters to find out that there was a "spirit house" and a crocodile resided inside. The man spent months with the crocodile to learn the crocodiles powers. After many months living with the crocodile, the man returned home and taught the village-men how to create a spirit house and to brand their skin to appear like a crocodile.
What is scarification?
Where does this take place?
Picture Websites
- Scarification is an initiation rite for young men.
- Spiritual custom undergone to transition into manhood.
- Test of strength and discipline
The Effects
- Transition into manhood
- Infections
- Unsanitary objects used to slice skin transmits diseases and causes infections
- Death
www.myfwc.com/crocodile/
www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/crocs/
news.nationalgeographic.com/.../0728_040728_tvta...
www.ezakwantu.com/Gallery%20Scarification.htm
www.huffingtonpost.com/.../healthy-skin-tips_n_15...
kids.nationalgeographic.com/.../photos/oceans/
www.shutterstock.com/s/bamboo+tree/search.html
- Predominately takes place in Papua New Guinea in the East Sepik province
- Papua New Guinea is in the South Western Pacific
- Scarificaton is also is a tradition in Australia, Ethiopia
- Old cultural traditions used to be head hunting
- Wetlands Landscape
- Scarification started from the beginning of the tribe and is still practiced
Works Cited
- Guynup, S. (2004, July 28). Scarification: Ancient Body Art Leaving New Marks. National Geographic News. Retrieved February 17, 2014, from http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/pf/8804230.html.
- Philips, S. (2014). Scarification BME: Tattoo, Piercing and Body Modification. BME News. Retrieved February 18,2014, from http://news.bme.com/tag/scarification.
- Williams, J.R. (2009, April 28). Ritual Body Modification. TrendHunter. Retrieved February 20, 2014 from, www.trendhunter.com/trends/ritual-body-modification-facial-scarification.
Painful Process
Tools
- Begins weeks in advance
- Diet which allows the skin to soften
- Soaking of skin in warm water for a couple of hours on the day of the scarification
- The skin gets cleaned
- Cutting Begins
- Minutes to Hours to Days
Heated Metal
Razors
Bamboo Sticks
Why is it Taboo?
- Many cultures consider skin sacred
- Markings are highly frowned upon
- Some cultures prohibit any form of skin markings