World's most terrifying tribe: A place where women's lips are cut off as soon as they become young

Every day something new happens in the world in the name of fashion. New trends keep coming and going in cities, but have you ever heard that hanging lips (Lip Modification) is a fashion in some place? Yes, this is what happens in Ethiopia's Mursi Tribe. Let us tell you the interesting reason for this in this article.

Thu, 24 Oct 2024 12:22 AM (IST)
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World's most terrifying tribe: A place where women's lips are cut off as soon as they become young
World's most terrifying tribe: A place where women's lips are cut off as soon as they become young

Today, we'll tell you about many such tribes in every corner of the world whose fashion standards are unique. One of such example of this tribe is Ethiopia's Mursi tribe. If you think that city people are only crazy about fashion then you are wrong, Mursi Tribe is known all over the world for its unique fashion. They live away from the glitz of cities. 

Hanging their lips enhances the case of beauty for the Mursi tribe. Yes, you heard it right! While girls in cities make their lips attractive by putting on lipstick, girls in the Mursi tribe define their beauty by hanging their lips. It is believed in this tribe that the more the lips hang, the more beautiful the woman will be.

Actually, this fashion is not as easy as it looks. The process of hanging lips is extremely painful. A hole is made in the lower lip of the girl and a disc is slowly inserted into it. Over time, the size of this disc is increased due to which the lips start hanging. The women of the Mursi tribe are ready to bear this pain despite this painful procedure so that their traditions can be saved.

The Mursi tribe is more often considered quite dreaded. The population of this tribe residing in the southern part of Ethiopia is about ten thousand. Known for its unique traditions, this tribe is very attached to its traditions and does not bear any kind of interference in them.

Several customs are followed by the people of the Mursi tribe. The Mursi has a different and unique custom of marriage. In this, there is a marriage of 'stick-fighting'. Here, two men fight with sticks for marriage. This fight allows the winner to get a beautiful wife.

The people of this tribe are immensely traditional and try to avoid the influence of the modern world as far as possible. But to people from the outside world, many of these traditions will be quite strange, although these are a part of their identity and culture.

This practice has a very interesting history. In old times, people of the Mursi tribe were often taken as slaves. Men used to be used for wages, while women were used as sex slaves. To save themselves from this, women started making themselves ugly. They used to hide their beauty by putting discs on their lips and breaking teeth. By doing this, they avoided the evil eyes of people. With time, this practice developed into an important identifier of the Mursi tribe. Even after marriage, women tie a strap around their necks, showing one's married status.

The Mursi tribe of the most famous Omo Valley of Ethiopia follows age-old peculiar culture and customs and is probably one of the most civilized tribes in the world. People or ethnic groups inhabit a territory measuring approximately 2000 square kilometers and guard the borders very strictly. Outsiders are not allowed to enter this region, and whoever tries to cross their borders may have to face Mursi warriors.

The Mursi tribe is believed to rank among the richest tribes in the region. Cows are accorded the status of being the sign of good wealth in this community. The more the number of cows that one owns, the more prosperous he is held to be. Cows are, in fact, involved in all the social rites of passage of the Mursi tribe.

Such is the marriage ritual in which cows play a major role. The bridegroom had to give cows and a Kalashnikov rifle as dowry against the girl's family. This exists in all tribes of Omo Valley. This is the reason that girls in the Mursi society are regarded as enhancing the family wealth.

Muskan Kumawat Journalist & Writer