[size=14pt]
Tribal marks? Now, it's the turn of tattoos[/size]
Written by Oluwole Ige
Wednesday, May 4, 2011

THE tradition of African tribal marks dates back to the 14th century and forms part of the rich culture of the black race, most especially in Nigeria. At that point in time, people attached so much importance to tribal scars for various reasons.

Tribal marks were a result of religious beliefs passed down from family to family, either as hearsay or just a common societal norm, usually as relating to a particular god or deity.

[img]http://odili.net/news/source/2011/may/4/tribune/images/trobal_mark[1].jpg[/img][img]

Similarly, Africans of old viewed tribal marks as a means of proper identification of people from different neighbourhoods. Members of the same village, family tree or lineage had the same tribal marks. The hometown, village and lineage of a child or anyone with tribal marks were quickly known and therefore, outsiders, who did not have such marks, were immediately spotted.


Parents also used tribal marks to lend credence to the legitimacy of their children. Hence, a tribal mark on a child is a way of a father acknowledging that he or she is a legitimate child. Some marks run as parallel grooves from forehead, through the temple and cheek to the chin and are complemented with accessory marks from the medial canthus of the eyes downward. Each ethnic group has its own unique pattern.


For example, vertical marks, one on each cheek, identify Ondo men and women. Three horizontal marks on each cheek reveal the identity of Oyo people. To those literate in markings, a mere glance at someone's face is sufficient to read that person's ethnic group, town, or even family.


However, the ancient custom of tribal marks is fast fading away in the country. In its place, people are now embracing tattoos to either beautify their bodies or for spiritual and other purposes.


Because of the fact that marking is usually done to youngsters, most Nigerians whose faces bear ethnic marks had little choice in the matter. When they become parents, however, they often decide not to give their children facial marks. The pain and risk of infection along with scorn and discrimination the child may face later in life are all factors that make parents reject facial marking. Clearly, the popularity and acceptance of facial marks are waning. Individuals now prefer that their "identity card" should be in the wallets, not on their faces anymore.


Beside, the Nigerian government has moved to outlaw the practice, but many states are yet to approve the law. Some human rights organisations also argued that the scarring of children amount to gross abuse.


However, regardless of their efforts, facial scars are becoming harder to find for different reasons, including the displacement of the old ways by the Western influence.


The upsurge in the transmission of HIV/AIDS, which is believed in the medical circles to be largely contracted through unprotected sexual intercourse and sharing of sharp objects, has gone a long way to play down the custom of tribal marks. This was evident in the resolve of the government to ban genital mutilation, circumcision and other traditional acts that involve the laceration of skin with sharp knives or instruments. Long before the awareness programmes on AIDS, many innocent people, mostly children, who were subjected to tribal marks laceration, had inadvertently been infected with the deadly HIV virus, a development that compelled Osun and Ekiti state governments to recently outlaw the practice of tribal marks and female genital mutilation. Sharp instruments used by the locales to inscribe the tribal marks were not sterilised, thus exposing kids, even adults, to the risk of HIV/AIDS.


While the custom of tribal marks is losing its ground, many individuals, who bear facial markings hold divergent opinions on the merits and demerits of such native identifications.


Reactions of people who interact with them on interpersonal basis somehow dampen their spirit or lower their self esteem.


It is common to hear people refer to an individual as colonel, only to discover that he is not a member of the armed forces, but the stripes on his cheeks are the same number as that of the stripes on the uniform of a colonel in the Army. Some are called tiger, because of their striped cheeks or some are referred to as everlasting tears. Just as the marks and reason for them vary greatly, so do attitudes concerning them. Many wear the marks with pride, considering it as an insignia of patriotism, which makes them feel like true sons of their ancestors while others detest it strongly.


Jimoh Adedoyin, a 65-year -old, who has tribal markings on his face said, "I have never felt bad about my Oyo marks, because they shows that I am a real Yoruba indigene from the town of Alaafin". He further related how in 1967 the marks saved his life during the Nigerian civil war. "The house where I lived was invaded and all other persons were gruesomely killed. The murderers did not touch me because of the marks on my face".


Baring his mind on the benefits and disadvantages of facial tribal marks, Mr Adeleke Ajai, who earned a degree in Psychology at the University of Lagos, remarked thus, "what is a matter of pride for someone with marks on his cheeks, when among his own clansmen, becomes a reproach, because of the ridicule and contempt which is meted out to him in other parts of the country"


On the other hand, Tajudeen Gbolagade expressed regrets over his facial marks. In an interview with the Nigerian Tribune, he said, "I hate it, and I curse the day it was inflicted on me. The marks really disfigure my face and make me feel terrible anytime I look into the mirror. What pains me most is that there is nothing I can do to erase it from my cheeks".


A teenager girl, who pleaded anonymity, praised her mother for not allowing her to be subjected to the operation as a child. She said: "I would have considered suicide if I had been given the marks".


Perhaps the toughest trials are endured in schools by young students, with facial marks. Adejuwon Samuel was the only one in his class with facial marks. He recounted his experience. "In school I was made fun of a lot. My mates would call me 'railway line' and the boy with the railway line. They were always making jest of me and would raise three fingers to indicate the tribal lines on my cheeks. It made feel inferior".


How did he cope with all the bullies? Samuel continued, "One day, the jesting was so intense that I went to my Biology teacher and asked him if it was possible to remove the marks. He told me that it could be done through plastic surgery but that I should not bother because thousands of Nigerians had marks. He said my peers were making fun of me because they were not mature, assuring that when we grewup all the jesting would stop. He also lifted my spirit by saying that the marks did not determine what I really was or what I would become.

http://odili.net/news/source/2011/may/4/611.html

tribal marks are beautiful, why do some people hate their culture

My husband has tribal marks on his chest. I kind of like them; they're his identity. I'm glad they're not on his face, though.

Inked_Nerd:

Smh, I actually like tribal marks. I myself don't have any but both my parents do. I find tribal marks to be quite beautiful and intriguing.

You don't want a mark like this one below on your daughter, do you?.
[img]http://odili.net/news/source/2011/may/4/tribune/images/trobal_mark[1].jpg[/img]

Inked_Nerd:


It wouldn't really be my choice. For me, I feel that tribal marks are something the individual should choose to do, it not something you should impose on them. Its like when you see parents who pierce their children's ears or loc their children's hair. Those are things that I feel the individual should have a say in. If I ever have a daughter or son who at some point in time approaches me and tell me that they want tribal marks, I would have no problem with just as long as they understand the significance of those marks culturally, socially, and any other way that would impact or influence their being as an individual. I'd also need to take that child's age into consideration. By the way, I see nothing wrong with those scars pictured above.

Will you like to get one?. I know a few good artists who can use their claws on ya.

Inked_Nerd:


It wouldn't really be my choice. For me, I feel that tribal marks are something the individual should choose to do, it not something you should impose on them. Its like when you see parents who pierce their children's ears or loc their children's hair. Those are things that I feel the individual should have a say in. If I ever have a daughter or son who at some point in time approaches me and tell me that they want tribal marks, I would have no problem with just as long as they understand the significance of those marks culturally, socially, and any other way that would impact or influence their being as an individual. I'd also need to take that child's age into consideration. By the way, I see nothing wrong with those scars pictured above.

What about circumcision?

Inked_Nerd:

What about it?

Here

Inked_Nerd:


It wouldn't really be my choice. For me, I feel that tribal marks are something the individual should choose to do, it not something you should impose on them. Its like when you see parents who pierce their children's ears or loc their children's hair. Those are things that I feel the individual should have a say in.

^ I agree with you Inked_Nerd. It was a battle with my husband because he thought it was "the right thing to do" to circumcise if we have a son, but I told him in no uncertain terms that will not be happening. I don't believe in most forms of body modification for infants and children. Now ear piercings on girls, I'm still on the fence about.

bayosgirl:

^ I agree with you Inked_Nerd. It was a battle with my husband because he thought it was "the right thing to do" to circumcise if we have a son, but I told him in no uncertain terms that will not be happening. I don't believe in most forms of body modification for infants and children. Now ear piercings on girls, I'm still on the fence about.

It is more hygienic to circumcise boys.

^ That's a myth. If it's cleaned properly there is no hygiene problem. The foreskin serves several important purposes like protecting the head of the penis (similar to the labia in females) and providing lubrication during intercourse. There is absolutely no reason to cut the genitals of any child, male or female. Now if a grown male decides he wants to be circumcised, that's HIS choice. But it shouldn't be done to a baby who can't speak for himself, just for the parents' convenience. Is it really that hard to pull a foreskin back, anyway?! I have no idea but I wouldn't think so. Not unless you're lazy and can't bathe your baby properly.

^ I didn't "discuss" anything with my husband-I just laid it all out. "If you want to borrow my womb, this is how it is." LOL. He's cool with me taking charge as long as I keep putting hot meals on the table.

As for ear piercings, it was done to all my female cousins when they were babies. For some reason, my parents chose not to pierce my ears. I was about 14 when I finally worked up the courage and all my friends already had theirs pierced. Of course it wasn't so bad when I finally had it done, but the anxiety leading up to it was horrible. So I don't know what's worse-getting it out of the way when she's too young to stress about it, or modifying her body without her consent. Is ear piercing at infancy common in Nigeria? I always thought it was a European/Italian thing (dad's family is Italian.)

Yep, he's Nigerian-Yoruba.

Well, he went into the relationship knowing how strong willed I am. My mother even told him "when she wants something, she doesn't stop till she gets it" - in that case she was referring to how my parents were trying to discourage me from the relationship but I wouldn't listen to them. If I were easily controlled, we wouldn't be together today. But I met someone I admired and grew to love, and this is the result. I wasn't afraid to tell him he was eating crap, and since he's changed his diet he now thanks me every day that he feels better and looks even younger and healthier than before. Anything I'm not happy about, I tell him and most of the time he changes it. He used to be very loud, and I told him I don't like being yelled at and he's cut it down a LOT. Likewise he can tell me something and I will talk it over with him and change it if need be - I don't mean to imply I'm so bullheaded I don't listen. Just that there are some things I won't compromise on and he understands and respects that.

No worries, I love talking about our relationship. :-) Especially since I'm so used to people acting all weird when I mention he's Nigerian like it's a bad thing. To me, he and his culture are beautiful and I'm PROUD to be his wife. Anyway, yes, he has had me change some things that were detriments to me, bad habits and such. He never picks on things out of selfishness, but only to help me because he loves me so much and wants me to be happy and successful. At first I was very stuck in my ways and I couldn't even see that his wanting me to change was an expression of his love for me, but gradually I began to understand. He is persistent, I give him that. I'm so very grateful that I finally have a man who is as strong as me and isn't afraid to "confront" me when he needs to, yet still gives me the freedom I need.

I was born and raised in the U.S. but my dad is originally from Italy (mom is American.) Funny they should be wary of Ajibayo because he's an immigrant, seems kind of hypocritical, don't you think? Racism seems to be rampant among old-school Italians but my dad actually surprised me in that he was upset when his sister, my aunt, made an offensive comment. I do think he has a lot of respect for Ajibayo but perhaps is paranoid that he could be taking advantage of me for citizenship purposes (I know this in my heart to be completely untrue.) We actually met when he used to work in my parents' restaurant, and for awhile my dad was driving 20 miles round-trip to pick Bayo up from his first job, and then another 10 miles to take him home at night when he didn't have a car. And he was the only employee who was invited to Thanksgiving dinner at my parents' house. I know that in time they'll come around and hopefully we'll be one big happy, diverse family.

Feel free to PM me if you would like to talk more, Inked_Nerd.

Circumcision of male infants and ear piercing of female infants are the norm in most communities in Nigeria

Hmm, I guess there's no PM feature on this forum.

Inked Nerd, if you don't mind my asking - are you Nigerian or of Nigerian origin?