Mursi lip plate South Ethiopia

Mursi woman with her giant lip plate, a sign of beauty in Mursi tribe, like in Surma one. When they are ready to marry, they start to make a hole in the lip with a wood stick.
It will be kept for one night , and is removed to put a bigger one. This is very painful at this time... Few months after, the lip plate has its full size, and the girl is seen as beautiful by the men.
The lip plate made of wood or terracotta, and they have to remove the lower incisors to let some space for the disc. it's amazing to see them speak without any trouble, put it and remove it as a classic jewel.
Sometimes the lip is broken by the pressure of the lip plate. This is a very big problem for the girl cos men will consider her as ugly, she won't be able to marry anyone in the tribe apart the old men or the sick people...
The women are shaved, like the men, cos they hate hairiness!

©Eric lafforgue
www.ericlafforgue.com

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