Sepik Scarification; p.s: NOT FOR THE FAINT HEARTED!

Hi everyone, today's post shall be about the Sepik Scarification.

image via blam blam fever

This ritual is practiced by the tribes in Papua New Guinea's Sepik region. The tribal people believes that crocodiles created humans. With that said, this ritual involves youth to be cut around his body, particularly his back, in elaborate patterns to resemble the crocodile's skin.The scars on the body represents a crocodile's teeth mark. This symbolizes that a crocodile had swallowed the boy and in turn made him a man.

This ritual plays a psychological impact on the males in the tribe.  The boys are referred to as women as way to toughen them. They are only treated as a man after they performed the initiation rite. If their bodies are "clean", these boys will be treated as an outcast.

"Scarification for equatorial tribes is a way to strengthen your identity, position and religion within a clan". - Alex Ingham

For these tribal men, they gain pride from the initiation.  They are considered to be leaders of the tribe and holds the responsibility of protecting and providing for the tribe. This boosts their ego and the thought of leadership is one of the reasons of to why they are willing to perform the ritual even if it means an intense pain.

image via crocodile scarification, Palembei

image via weird and interesting body art from around the world

The scars really do resemble the crocs, don't they? image via crocodile wildlife in kenya

For those of you who cannot stomach blood, please do not click on the video below.
By the National Geographic.

After seeing this video, then you would really respect the courageous tribal men! :)

Sources cited :-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scarification
http://listverse.com/2010/07/17/10-incredibly-painful-rites-of-initiation/
http://skerah.com/article.php?id=111