What is the definition of beauty? Have you ever considered how different cultures’ views on beauty are? The fact that beauty does not merely mean ‘fair and flawless’. If you must know, like beliefs and practices, every culture has its own way of portraying beauty.
Speaking of that, have you ever heard about the Mursi tribe? They live in Ethiopia’s Omo Valley, a remote region. They are one among the remaining tribes to still dress and accessorize in traditional garb. This tribe has a unique way of portraying its beauty. While make-up and famous skincare products are the crowns of most women, for the Mursi women, a wooden lip plate is their symbol of beauty and identity.
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When a girl reaches the age of 15 or 16, her lower lip is sliced and held open by a sodden plug until it heals. It is up to the girl to decide how far the lip should be extended. The excruciatingly painful procedure can take months. Clearly, there’s no beauty without pain, isn’t it?
Unmarried girls and newlywed women are more likely to use lip plates than older married women with children. They are typically worn when serving men food, milking cows, and performing major rituals such as weddings.
Here are some of what the lip plate symbolizes:
1. It symbolizes beauty
2. Because it is worn with pride when bringing food to the husband, it symbolizes a dedication to him. Because a woman’s exterior beauty is considered to deteriorate once her spouse dies, the lip plate is removed after he dies.
3. The Mursi identifying plate is a powerful visual marker. They risk being mistaken for a member of another tribe if they don’t have it.
Sources:TikTok Ervi, ICDO
