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  • Scary Scarifications<br />
<br />
Seeing a scarification ceremony in the Surma tribe from the Omo valley in Ethiopia is a tough time. Not for the girl who is going to be scarified but for the foreigner who needs to see blood running, flies going into the wounds, under a hard sun. The girl, who was 12, did NOT say any word during the ten minutes ceremony, and did NOT show any pain. Her mother used a spine to pull the skin and a razor blade to cut the skin. <br />
At the end, i asked her if it was not too hard to have her skin cut with a razor blade, and she answered that she was close to collapse! It was incredible as she did not show any sign of pain on her face. It would be a shame for the family she confessed. A girl's eagerness to tolerate pain is also an indication of her emotional maturity and willingness to bear children.<br />
The kid chooses to do it, nobody obliged her. Scarifications are a beauty sign in the tribes. This is the tradition in Surma tribe.<br />
But for years now, the kids who go to school or who convert to christian, are told not to do it anymore. The men say the lack of scars on the skins make them looking ugly.<br />
The skin of the tribes in this area has a special reaction to cutting: the cicatrisation creates raising scars. Ash and certain organic saps might be added to a wound to make the scarring more prominent and or embellished.<br />
Not far from the Surma area, the Bodi women also make scars, some even have coil scarifications on the shoulders. It is very painful as they use some metal to do this, like when they do it to their cows to mark them on the fur and the skin! Pain seems unknown in the area.<br />
I met Ana who lives in the small village of Hana Mursi. She now hides her scarifications she had at 12, as she has gone to Arba Minch town to study at the Police school. People wearing scarifications are seen as « primitives » by many urban ethiopians and they suffer from this. She is proud to introduce me to her best friend, a bodi teenager who has made a heart on her a
    ExPix_Scary_Scarifications04.jpg
  • Scary Scarifications<br />
<br />
Seeing a scarification ceremony in the Surma tribe from the Omo valley in Ethiopia is a tough time. Not for the girl who is going to be scarified but for the foreigner who needs to see blood running, flies going into the wounds, under a hard sun. The girl, who was 12, did NOT say any word during the ten minutes ceremony, and did NOT show any pain. Her mother used a spine to pull the skin and a razor blade to cut the skin. <br />
At the end, i asked her if it was not too hard to have her skin cut with a razor blade, and she answered that she was close to collapse! It was incredible as she did not show any sign of pain on her face. It would be a shame for the family she confessed. A girl's eagerness to tolerate pain is also an indication of her emotional maturity and willingness to bear children.<br />
The kid chooses to do it, nobody obliged her. Scarifications are a beauty sign in the tribes. This is the tradition in Surma tribe.<br />
But for years now, the kids who go to school or who convert to christian, are told not to do it anymore. The men say the lack of scars on the skins make them looking ugly.<br />
The skin of the tribes in this area has a special reaction to cutting: the cicatrisation creates raising scars. Ash and certain organic saps might be added to a wound to make the scarring more prominent and or embellished.<br />
Not far from the Surma area, the Bodi women also make scars, some even have coil scarifications on the shoulders. It is very painful as they use some metal to do this, like when they do it to their cows to mark them on the fur and the skin! Pain seems unknown in the area.<br />
I met Ana who lives in the small village of Hana Mursi. She now hides her scarifications she had at 12, as she has gone to Arba Minch town to study at the Police school. People wearing scarifications are seen as « primitives » by many urban ethiopians and they suffer from this. She is proud to introduce me to her best friend, a bodi teenager who has made a heart on her a
    ExPix_Scary_Scarifications07.jpg
  • Scary Scarifications<br />
<br />
Seeing a scarification ceremony in the Surma tribe from the Omo valley in Ethiopia is a tough time. Not for the girl who is going to be scarified but for the foreigner who needs to see blood running, flies going into the wounds, under a hard sun. The girl, who was 12, did NOT say any word during the ten minutes ceremony, and did NOT show any pain. Her mother used a spine to pull the skin and a razor blade to cut the skin. <br />
At the end, i asked her if it was not too hard to have her skin cut with a razor blade, and she answered that she was close to collapse! It was incredible as she did not show any sign of pain on her face. It would be a shame for the family she confessed. A girl's eagerness to tolerate pain is also an indication of her emotional maturity and willingness to bear children.<br />
The kid chooses to do it, nobody obliged her. Scarifications are a beauty sign in the tribes. This is the tradition in Surma tribe.<br />
But for years now, the kids who go to school or who convert to christian, are told not to do it anymore. The men say the lack of scars on the skins make them looking ugly.<br />
The skin of the tribes in this area has a special reaction to cutting: the cicatrisation creates raising scars. Ash and certain organic saps might be added to a wound to make the scarring more prominent and or embellished.<br />
Not far from the Surma area, the Bodi women also make scars, some even have coil scarifications on the shoulders. It is very painful as they use some metal to do this, like when they do it to their cows to mark them on the fur and the skin! Pain seems unknown in the area.<br />
I met Ana who lives in the small village of Hana Mursi. She now hides her scarifications she had at 12, as she has gone to Arba Minch town to study at the Police school. People wearing scarifications are seen as « primitives » by many urban ethiopians and they suffer from this. She is proud to introduce me to her best friend, a bodi teenager who has made a heart on her a
    ExPix_Scary_Scarifications24.jpg
  • Scary Scarifications<br />
<br />
Seeing a scarification ceremony in the Surma tribe from the Omo valley in Ethiopia is a tough time. Not for the girl who is going to be scarified but for the foreigner who needs to see blood running, flies going into the wounds, under a hard sun. The girl, who was 12, did NOT say any word during the ten minutes ceremony, and did NOT show any pain. Her mother used a spine to pull the skin and a razor blade to cut the skin. <br />
At the end, i asked her if it was not too hard to have her skin cut with a razor blade, and she answered that she was close to collapse! It was incredible as she did not show any sign of pain on her face. It would be a shame for the family she confessed. A girl's eagerness to tolerate pain is also an indication of her emotional maturity and willingness to bear children.<br />
The kid chooses to do it, nobody obliged her. Scarifications are a beauty sign in the tribes. This is the tradition in Surma tribe.<br />
But for years now, the kids who go to school or who convert to christian, are told not to do it anymore. The men say the lack of scars on the skins make them looking ugly.<br />
The skin of the tribes in this area has a special reaction to cutting: the cicatrisation creates raising scars. Ash and certain organic saps might be added to a wound to make the scarring more prominent and or embellished.<br />
Not far from the Surma area, the Bodi women also make scars, some even have coil scarifications on the shoulders. It is very painful as they use some metal to do this, like when they do it to their cows to mark them on the fur and the skin! Pain seems unknown in the area.<br />
I met Ana who lives in the small village of Hana Mursi. She now hides her scarifications she had at 12, as she has gone to Arba Minch town to study at the Police school. People wearing scarifications are seen as « primitives » by many urban ethiopians and they suffer from this. She is proud to introduce me to her best friend, a bodi teenager who has made a heart on her a
    ExPix_Scary_Scarifications32.jpg
  • Scary Scarifications<br />
<br />
Seeing a scarification ceremony in the Surma tribe from the Omo valley in Ethiopia is a tough time. Not for the girl who is going to be scarified but for the foreigner who needs to see blood running, flies going into the wounds, under a hard sun. The girl, who was 12, did NOT say any word during the ten minutes ceremony, and did NOT show any pain. Her mother used a spine to pull the skin and a razor blade to cut the skin. <br />
At the end, i asked her if it was not too hard to have her skin cut with a razor blade, and she answered that she was close to collapse! It was incredible as she did not show any sign of pain on her face. It would be a shame for the family she confessed. A girl's eagerness to tolerate pain is also an indication of her emotional maturity and willingness to bear children.<br />
The kid chooses to do it, nobody obliged her. Scarifications are a beauty sign in the tribes. This is the tradition in Surma tribe.<br />
But for years now, the kids who go to school or who convert to christian, are told not to do it anymore. The men say the lack of scars on the skins make them looking ugly.<br />
The skin of the tribes in this area has a special reaction to cutting: the cicatrisation creates raising scars. Ash and certain organic saps might be added to a wound to make the scarring more prominent and or embellished.<br />
Not far from the Surma area, the Bodi women also make scars, some even have coil scarifications on the shoulders. It is very painful as they use some metal to do this, like when they do it to their cows to mark them on the fur and the skin! Pain seems unknown in the area.<br />
I met Ana who lives in the small village of Hana Mursi. She now hides her scarifications she had at 12, as she has gone to Arba Minch town to study at the Police school. People wearing scarifications are seen as « primitives » by many urban ethiopians and they suffer from this. She is proud to introduce me to her best friend, a bodi teenager who has made a heart on her a
    ExPix_Scary_Scarifications22.jpg
  • Scary Scarifications<br />
<br />
Seeing a scarification ceremony in the Surma tribe from the Omo valley in Ethiopia is a tough time. Not for the girl who is going to be scarified but for the foreigner who needs to see blood running, flies going into the wounds, under a hard sun. The girl, who was 12, did NOT say any word during the ten minutes ceremony, and did NOT show any pain. Her mother used a spine to pull the skin and a razor blade to cut the skin. <br />
At the end, i asked her if it was not too hard to have her skin cut with a razor blade, and she answered that she was close to collapse! It was incredible as she did not show any sign of pain on her face. It would be a shame for the family she confessed. A girl's eagerness to tolerate pain is also an indication of her emotional maturity and willingness to bear children.<br />
The kid chooses to do it, nobody obliged her. Scarifications are a beauty sign in the tribes. This is the tradition in Surma tribe.<br />
But for years now, the kids who go to school or who convert to christian, are told not to do it anymore. The men say the lack of scars on the skins make them looking ugly.<br />
The skin of the tribes in this area has a special reaction to cutting: the cicatrisation creates raising scars. Ash and certain organic saps might be added to a wound to make the scarring more prominent and or embellished.<br />
Not far from the Surma area, the Bodi women also make scars, some even have coil scarifications on the shoulders. It is very painful as they use some metal to do this, like when they do it to their cows to mark them on the fur and the skin! Pain seems unknown in the area.<br />
I met Ana who lives in the small village of Hana Mursi. She now hides her scarifications she had at 12, as she has gone to Arba Minch town to study at the Police school. People wearing scarifications are seen as « primitives » by many urban ethiopians and they suffer from this. She is proud to introduce me to her best friend, a bodi teenager who has made a heart on her a
    ExPix_Scary_Scarifications31.jpg
  • Scary Scarifications<br />
<br />
Seeing a scarification ceremony in the Surma tribe from the Omo valley in Ethiopia is a tough time. Not for the girl who is going to be scarified but for the foreigner who needs to see blood running, flies going into the wounds, under a hard sun. The girl, who was 12, did NOT say any word during the ten minutes ceremony, and did NOT show any pain. Her mother used a spine to pull the skin and a razor blade to cut the skin. <br />
At the end, i asked her if it was not too hard to have her skin cut with a razor blade, and she answered that she was close to collapse! It was incredible as she did not show any sign of pain on her face. It would be a shame for the family she confessed. A girl's eagerness to tolerate pain is also an indication of her emotional maturity and willingness to bear children.<br />
The kid chooses to do it, nobody obliged her. Scarifications are a beauty sign in the tribes. This is the tradition in Surma tribe.<br />
But for years now, the kids who go to school or who convert to christian, are told not to do it anymore. The men say the lack of scars on the skins make them looking ugly.<br />
The skin of the tribes in this area has a special reaction to cutting: the cicatrisation creates raising scars. Ash and certain organic saps might be added to a wound to make the scarring more prominent and or embellished.<br />
Not far from the Surma area, the Bodi women also make scars, some even have coil scarifications on the shoulders. It is very painful as they use some metal to do this, like when they do it to their cows to mark them on the fur and the skin! Pain seems unknown in the area.<br />
I met Ana who lives in the small village of Hana Mursi. She now hides her scarifications she had at 12, as she has gone to Arba Minch town to study at the Police school. People wearing scarifications are seen as « primitives » by many urban ethiopians and they suffer from this. She is proud to introduce me to her best friend, a bodi teenager who has made a heart on her a
    ExPix_Scary_Scarifications08.jpg
  • Scary Scarifications<br />
<br />
Seeing a scarification ceremony in the Surma tribe from the Omo valley in Ethiopia is a tough time. Not for the girl who is going to be scarified but for the foreigner who needs to see blood running, flies going into the wounds, under a hard sun. The girl, who was 12, did NOT say any word during the ten minutes ceremony, and did NOT show any pain. Her mother used a spine to pull the skin and a razor blade to cut the skin. <br />
At the end, i asked her if it was not too hard to have her skin cut with a razor blade, and she answered that she was close to collapse! It was incredible as she did not show any sign of pain on her face. It would be a shame for the family she confessed. A girl's eagerness to tolerate pain is also an indication of her emotional maturity and willingness to bear children.<br />
The kid chooses to do it, nobody obliged her. Scarifications are a beauty sign in the tribes. This is the tradition in Surma tribe.<br />
But for years now, the kids who go to school or who convert to christian, are told not to do it anymore. The men say the lack of scars on the skins make them looking ugly.<br />
The skin of the tribes in this area has a special reaction to cutting: the cicatrisation creates raising scars. Ash and certain organic saps might be added to a wound to make the scarring more prominent and or embellished.<br />
Not far from the Surma area, the Bodi women also make scars, some even have coil scarifications on the shoulders. It is very painful as they use some metal to do this, like when they do it to their cows to mark them on the fur and the skin! Pain seems unknown in the area.<br />
I met Ana who lives in the small village of Hana Mursi. She now hides her scarifications she had at 12, as she has gone to Arba Minch town to study at the Police school. People wearing scarifications are seen as « primitives » by many urban ethiopians and they suffer from this. She is proud to introduce me to her best friend, a bodi teenager who has made a heart on her a
    ExPix_Scary_Scarifications12.jpg
  • Scary Scarifications<br />
<br />
Seeing a scarification ceremony in the Surma tribe from the Omo valley in Ethiopia is a tough time. Not for the girl who is going to be scarified but for the foreigner who needs to see blood running, flies going into the wounds, under a hard sun. The girl, who was 12, did NOT say any word during the ten minutes ceremony, and did NOT show any pain. Her mother used a spine to pull the skin and a razor blade to cut the skin. <br />
At the end, i asked her if it was not too hard to have her skin cut with a razor blade, and she answered that she was close to collapse! It was incredible as she did not show any sign of pain on her face. It would be a shame for the family she confessed. A girl's eagerness to tolerate pain is also an indication of her emotional maturity and willingness to bear children.<br />
The kid chooses to do it, nobody obliged her. Scarifications are a beauty sign in the tribes. This is the tradition in Surma tribe.<br />
But for years now, the kids who go to school or who convert to christian, are told not to do it anymore. The men say the lack of scars on the skins make them looking ugly.<br />
The skin of the tribes in this area has a special reaction to cutting: the cicatrisation creates raising scars. Ash and certain organic saps might be added to a wound to make the scarring more prominent and or embellished.<br />
Not far from the Surma area, the Bodi women also make scars, some even have coil scarifications on the shoulders. It is very painful as they use some metal to do this, like when they do it to their cows to mark them on the fur and the skin! Pain seems unknown in the area.<br />
I met Ana who lives in the small village of Hana Mursi. She now hides her scarifications she had at 12, as she has gone to Arba Minch town to study at the Police school. People wearing scarifications are seen as « primitives » by many urban ethiopians and they suffer from this. She is proud to introduce me to her best friend, a bodi teenager who has made a heart on her a
    ExPix_Scary_Scarifications15.jpg
  • Scary Scarifications<br />
<br />
Seeing a scarification ceremony in the Surma tribe from the Omo valley in Ethiopia is a tough time. Not for the girl who is going to be scarified but for the foreigner who needs to see blood running, flies going into the wounds, under a hard sun. The girl, who was 12, did NOT say any word during the ten minutes ceremony, and did NOT show any pain. Her mother used a spine to pull the skin and a razor blade to cut the skin. <br />
At the end, i asked her if it was not too hard to have her skin cut with a razor blade, and she answered that she was close to collapse! It was incredible as she did not show any sign of pain on her face. It would be a shame for the family she confessed. A girl's eagerness to tolerate pain is also an indication of her emotional maturity and willingness to bear children.<br />
The kid chooses to do it, nobody obliged her. Scarifications are a beauty sign in the tribes. This is the tradition in Surma tribe.<br />
But for years now, the kids who go to school or who convert to christian, are told not to do it anymore. The men say the lack of scars on the skins make them looking ugly.<br />
The skin of the tribes in this area has a special reaction to cutting: the cicatrisation creates raising scars. Ash and certain organic saps might be added to a wound to make the scarring more prominent and or embellished.<br />
Not far from the Surma area, the Bodi women also make scars, some even have coil scarifications on the shoulders. It is very painful as they use some metal to do this, like when they do it to their cows to mark them on the fur and the skin! Pain seems unknown in the area.<br />
I met Ana who lives in the small village of Hana Mursi. She now hides her scarifications she had at 12, as she has gone to Arba Minch town to study at the Police school. People wearing scarifications are seen as « primitives » by many urban ethiopians and they suffer from this. She is proud to introduce me to her best friend, a bodi teenager who has made a heart on her a
    ExPix_Scary_Scarifications16.jpg
  • Scary Scarifications<br />
<br />
Seeing a scarification ceremony in the Surma tribe from the Omo valley in Ethiopia is a tough time. Not for the girl who is going to be scarified but for the foreigner who needs to see blood running, flies going into the wounds, under a hard sun. The girl, who was 12, did NOT say any word during the ten minutes ceremony, and did NOT show any pain. Her mother used a spine to pull the skin and a razor blade to cut the skin. <br />
At the end, i asked her if it was not too hard to have her skin cut with a razor blade, and she answered that she was close to collapse! It was incredible as she did not show any sign of pain on her face. It would be a shame for the family she confessed. A girl's eagerness to tolerate pain is also an indication of her emotional maturity and willingness to bear children.<br />
The kid chooses to do it, nobody obliged her. Scarifications are a beauty sign in the tribes. This is the tradition in Surma tribe.<br />
But for years now, the kids who go to school or who convert to christian, are told not to do it anymore. The men say the lack of scars on the skins make them looking ugly.<br />
The skin of the tribes in this area has a special reaction to cutting: the cicatrisation creates raising scars. Ash and certain organic saps might be added to a wound to make the scarring more prominent and or embellished.<br />
Not far from the Surma area, the Bodi women also make scars, some even have coil scarifications on the shoulders. It is very painful as they use some metal to do this, like when they do it to their cows to mark them on the fur and the skin! Pain seems unknown in the area.<br />
I met Ana who lives in the small village of Hana Mursi. She now hides her scarifications she had at 12, as she has gone to Arba Minch town to study at the Police school. People wearing scarifications are seen as « primitives » by many urban ethiopians and they suffer from this. She is proud to introduce me to her best friend, a bodi teenager who has made a heart on her a
    ExPix_Scary_Scarifications20.jpg
  • Scary Scarifications<br />
<br />
Seeing a scarification ceremony in the Surma tribe from the Omo valley in Ethiopia is a tough time. Not for the girl who is going to be scarified but for the foreigner who needs to see blood running, flies going into the wounds, under a hard sun. The girl, who was 12, did NOT say any word during the ten minutes ceremony, and did NOT show any pain. Her mother used a spine to pull the skin and a razor blade to cut the skin. <br />
At the end, i asked her if it was not too hard to have her skin cut with a razor blade, and she answered that she was close to collapse! It was incredible as she did not show any sign of pain on her face. It would be a shame for the family she confessed. A girl's eagerness to tolerate pain is also an indication of her emotional maturity and willingness to bear children.<br />
The kid chooses to do it, nobody obliged her. Scarifications are a beauty sign in the tribes. This is the tradition in Surma tribe.<br />
But for years now, the kids who go to school or who convert to christian, are told not to do it anymore. The men say the lack of scars on the skins make them looking ugly.<br />
The skin of the tribes in this area has a special reaction to cutting: the cicatrisation creates raising scars. Ash and certain organic saps might be added to a wound to make the scarring more prominent and or embellished.<br />
Not far from the Surma area, the Bodi women also make scars, some even have coil scarifications on the shoulders. It is very painful as they use some metal to do this, like when they do it to their cows to mark them on the fur and the skin! Pain seems unknown in the area.<br />
I met Ana who lives in the small village of Hana Mursi. She now hides her scarifications she had at 12, as she has gone to Arba Minch town to study at the Police school. People wearing scarifications are seen as « primitives » by many urban ethiopians and they suffer from this. She is proud to introduce me to her best friend, a bodi teenager who has made a heart on her a
    ExPix_Scary_Scarifications25.jpg
  • Scary Scarifications<br />
<br />
Seeing a scarification ceremony in the Surma tribe from the Omo valley in Ethiopia is a tough time. Not for the girl who is going to be scarified but for the foreigner who needs to see blood running, flies going into the wounds, under a hard sun. The girl, who was 12, did NOT say any word during the ten minutes ceremony, and did NOT show any pain. Her mother used a spine to pull the skin and a razor blade to cut the skin. <br />
At the end, i asked her if it was not too hard to have her skin cut with a razor blade, and she answered that she was close to collapse! It was incredible as she did not show any sign of pain on her face. It would be a shame for the family she confessed. A girl's eagerness to tolerate pain is also an indication of her emotional maturity and willingness to bear children.<br />
The kid chooses to do it, nobody obliged her. Scarifications are a beauty sign in the tribes. This is the tradition in Surma tribe.<br />
But for years now, the kids who go to school or who convert to christian, are told not to do it anymore. The men say the lack of scars on the skins make them looking ugly.<br />
The skin of the tribes in this area has a special reaction to cutting: the cicatrisation creates raising scars. Ash and certain organic saps might be added to a wound to make the scarring more prominent and or embellished.<br />
Not far from the Surma area, the Bodi women also make scars, some even have coil scarifications on the shoulders. It is very painful as they use some metal to do this, like when they do it to their cows to mark them on the fur and the skin! Pain seems unknown in the area.<br />
I met Ana who lives in the small village of Hana Mursi. She now hides her scarifications she had at 12, as she has gone to Arba Minch town to study at the Police school. People wearing scarifications are seen as « primitives » by many urban ethiopians and they suffer from this. She is proud to introduce me to her best friend, a bodi teenager who has made a heart on her a
    ExPix_Scary_Scarifications28.jpg
  • Scary Scarifications<br />
<br />
Seeing a scarification ceremony in the Surma tribe from the Omo valley in Ethiopia is a tough time. Not for the girl who is going to be scarified but for the foreigner who needs to see blood running, flies going into the wounds, under a hard sun. The girl, who was 12, did NOT say any word during the ten minutes ceremony, and did NOT show any pain. Her mother used a spine to pull the skin and a razor blade to cut the skin. <br />
At the end, i asked her if it was not too hard to have her skin cut with a razor blade, and she answered that she was close to collapse! It was incredible as she did not show any sign of pain on her face. It would be a shame for the family she confessed. A girl's eagerness to tolerate pain is also an indication of her emotional maturity and willingness to bear children.<br />
The kid chooses to do it, nobody obliged her. Scarifications are a beauty sign in the tribes. This is the tradition in Surma tribe.<br />
But for years now, the kids who go to school or who convert to christian, are told not to do it anymore. The men say the lack of scars on the skins make them looking ugly.<br />
The skin of the tribes in this area has a special reaction to cutting: the cicatrisation creates raising scars. Ash and certain organic saps might be added to a wound to make the scarring more prominent and or embellished.<br />
Not far from the Surma area, the Bodi women also make scars, some even have coil scarifications on the shoulders. It is very painful as they use some metal to do this, like when they do it to their cows to mark them on the fur and the skin! Pain seems unknown in the area.<br />
I met Ana who lives in the small village of Hana Mursi. She now hides her scarifications she had at 12, as she has gone to Arba Minch town to study at the Police school. People wearing scarifications are seen as « primitives » by many urban ethiopians and they suffer from this. She is proud to introduce me to her best friend, a bodi teenager who has made a heart on her a
    ExPix_Scary_Scarifications03.jpg
  • Scary Scarifications<br />
<br />
Seeing a scarification ceremony in the Surma tribe from the Omo valley in Ethiopia is a tough time. Not for the girl who is going to be scarified but for the foreigner who needs to see blood running, flies going into the wounds, under a hard sun. The girl, who was 12, did NOT say any word during the ten minutes ceremony, and did NOT show any pain. Her mother used a spine to pull the skin and a razor blade to cut the skin. <br />
At the end, i asked her if it was not too hard to have her skin cut with a razor blade, and she answered that she was close to collapse! It was incredible as she did not show any sign of pain on her face. It would be a shame for the family she confessed. A girl's eagerness to tolerate pain is also an indication of her emotional maturity and willingness to bear children.<br />
The kid chooses to do it, nobody obliged her. Scarifications are a beauty sign in the tribes. This is the tradition in Surma tribe.<br />
But for years now, the kids who go to school or who convert to christian, are told not to do it anymore. The men say the lack of scars on the skins make them looking ugly.<br />
The skin of the tribes in this area has a special reaction to cutting: the cicatrisation creates raising scars. Ash and certain organic saps might be added to a wound to make the scarring more prominent and or embellished.<br />
Not far from the Surma area, the Bodi women also make scars, some even have coil scarifications on the shoulders. It is very painful as they use some metal to do this, like when they do it to their cows to mark them on the fur and the skin! Pain seems unknown in the area.<br />
I met Ana who lives in the small village of Hana Mursi. She now hides her scarifications she had at 12, as she has gone to Arba Minch town to study at the Police school. People wearing scarifications are seen as « primitives » by many urban ethiopians and they suffer from this. She is proud to introduce me to her best friend, a bodi teenager who has made a heart on her a
    ExPix_Scary_Scarifications06.jpg
  • Scary Scarifications<br />
<br />
Seeing a scarification ceremony in the Surma tribe from the Omo valley in Ethiopia is a tough time. Not for the girl who is going to be scarified but for the foreigner who needs to see blood running, flies going into the wounds, under a hard sun. The girl, who was 12, did NOT say any word during the ten minutes ceremony, and did NOT show any pain. Her mother used a spine to pull the skin and a razor blade to cut the skin. <br />
At the end, i asked her if it was not too hard to have her skin cut with a razor blade, and she answered that she was close to collapse! It was incredible as she did not show any sign of pain on her face. It would be a shame for the family she confessed. A girl's eagerness to tolerate pain is also an indication of her emotional maturity and willingness to bear children.<br />
The kid chooses to do it, nobody obliged her. Scarifications are a beauty sign in the tribes. This is the tradition in Surma tribe.<br />
But for years now, the kids who go to school or who convert to christian, are told not to do it anymore. The men say the lack of scars on the skins make them looking ugly.<br />
The skin of the tribes in this area has a special reaction to cutting: the cicatrisation creates raising scars. Ash and certain organic saps might be added to a wound to make the scarring more prominent and or embellished.<br />
Not far from the Surma area, the Bodi women also make scars, some even have coil scarifications on the shoulders. It is very painful as they use some metal to do this, like when they do it to their cows to mark them on the fur and the skin! Pain seems unknown in the area.<br />
I met Ana who lives in the small village of Hana Mursi. She now hides her scarifications she had at 12, as she has gone to Arba Minch town to study at the Police school. People wearing scarifications are seen as « primitives » by many urban ethiopians and they suffer from this. She is proud to introduce me to her best friend, a bodi teenager who has made a heart on her a
    ExPix_Scary_Scarifications09.jpg
  • Scary Scarifications<br />
<br />
Seeing a scarification ceremony in the Surma tribe from the Omo valley in Ethiopia is a tough time. Not for the girl who is going to be scarified but for the foreigner who needs to see blood running, flies going into the wounds, under a hard sun. The girl, who was 12, did NOT say any word during the ten minutes ceremony, and did NOT show any pain. Her mother used a spine to pull the skin and a razor blade to cut the skin. <br />
At the end, i asked her if it was not too hard to have her skin cut with a razor blade, and she answered that she was close to collapse! It was incredible as she did not show any sign of pain on her face. It would be a shame for the family she confessed. A girl's eagerness to tolerate pain is also an indication of her emotional maturity and willingness to bear children.<br />
The kid chooses to do it, nobody obliged her. Scarifications are a beauty sign in the tribes. This is the tradition in Surma tribe.<br />
But for years now, the kids who go to school or who convert to christian, are told not to do it anymore. The men say the lack of scars on the skins make them looking ugly.<br />
The skin of the tribes in this area has a special reaction to cutting: the cicatrisation creates raising scars. Ash and certain organic saps might be added to a wound to make the scarring more prominent and or embellished.<br />
Not far from the Surma area, the Bodi women also make scars, some even have coil scarifications on the shoulders. It is very painful as they use some metal to do this, like when they do it to their cows to mark them on the fur and the skin! Pain seems unknown in the area.<br />
I met Ana who lives in the small village of Hana Mursi. She now hides her scarifications she had at 12, as she has gone to Arba Minch town to study at the Police school. People wearing scarifications are seen as « primitives » by many urban ethiopians and they suffer from this. She is proud to introduce me to her best friend, a bodi teenager who has made a heart on her a
    ExPix_Scary_Scarifications10.jpg
  • Scary Scarifications<br />
<br />
Seeing a scarification ceremony in the Surma tribe from the Omo valley in Ethiopia is a tough time. Not for the girl who is going to be scarified but for the foreigner who needs to see blood running, flies going into the wounds, under a hard sun. The girl, who was 12, did NOT say any word during the ten minutes ceremony, and did NOT show any pain. Her mother used a spine to pull the skin and a razor blade to cut the skin. <br />
At the end, i asked her if it was not too hard to have her skin cut with a razor blade, and she answered that she was close to collapse! It was incredible as she did not show any sign of pain on her face. It would be a shame for the family she confessed. A girl's eagerness to tolerate pain is also an indication of her emotional maturity and willingness to bear children.<br />
The kid chooses to do it, nobody obliged her. Scarifications are a beauty sign in the tribes. This is the tradition in Surma tribe.<br />
But for years now, the kids who go to school or who convert to christian, are told not to do it anymore. The men say the lack of scars on the skins make them looking ugly.<br />
The skin of the tribes in this area has a special reaction to cutting: the cicatrisation creates raising scars. Ash and certain organic saps might be added to a wound to make the scarring more prominent and or embellished.<br />
Not far from the Surma area, the Bodi women also make scars, some even have coil scarifications on the shoulders. It is very painful as they use some metal to do this, like when they do it to their cows to mark them on the fur and the skin! Pain seems unknown in the area.<br />
I met Ana who lives in the small village of Hana Mursi. She now hides her scarifications she had at 12, as she has gone to Arba Minch town to study at the Police school. People wearing scarifications are seen as « primitives » by many urban ethiopians and they suffer from this. She is proud to introduce me to her best friend, a bodi teenager who has made a heart on her a
    ExPix_Scary_Scarifications13.jpg
  • Scary Scarifications<br />
<br />
Seeing a scarification ceremony in the Surma tribe from the Omo valley in Ethiopia is a tough time. Not for the girl who is going to be scarified but for the foreigner who needs to see blood running, flies going into the wounds, under a hard sun. The girl, who was 12, did NOT say any word during the ten minutes ceremony, and did NOT show any pain. Her mother used a spine to pull the skin and a razor blade to cut the skin. <br />
At the end, i asked her if it was not too hard to have her skin cut with a razor blade, and she answered that she was close to collapse! It was incredible as she did not show any sign of pain on her face. It would be a shame for the family she confessed. A girl's eagerness to tolerate pain is also an indication of her emotional maturity and willingness to bear children.<br />
The kid chooses to do it, nobody obliged her. Scarifications are a beauty sign in the tribes. This is the tradition in Surma tribe.<br />
But for years now, the kids who go to school or who convert to christian, are told not to do it anymore. The men say the lack of scars on the skins make them looking ugly.<br />
The skin of the tribes in this area has a special reaction to cutting: the cicatrisation creates raising scars. Ash and certain organic saps might be added to a wound to make the scarring more prominent and or embellished.<br />
Not far from the Surma area, the Bodi women also make scars, some even have coil scarifications on the shoulders. It is very painful as they use some metal to do this, like when they do it to their cows to mark them on the fur and the skin! Pain seems unknown in the area.<br />
I met Ana who lives in the small village of Hana Mursi. She now hides her scarifications she had at 12, as she has gone to Arba Minch town to study at the Police school. People wearing scarifications are seen as « primitives » by many urban ethiopians and they suffer from this. She is proud to introduce me to her best friend, a bodi teenager who has made a heart on her a
    ExPix_Scary_Scarifications14.jpg
  • Scary Scarifications<br />
<br />
Seeing a scarification ceremony in the Surma tribe from the Omo valley in Ethiopia is a tough time. Not for the girl who is going to be scarified but for the foreigner who needs to see blood running, flies going into the wounds, under a hard sun. The girl, who was 12, did NOT say any word during the ten minutes ceremony, and did NOT show any pain. Her mother used a spine to pull the skin and a razor blade to cut the skin. <br />
At the end, i asked her if it was not too hard to have her skin cut with a razor blade, and she answered that she was close to collapse! It was incredible as she did not show any sign of pain on her face. It would be a shame for the family she confessed. A girl's eagerness to tolerate pain is also an indication of her emotional maturity and willingness to bear children.<br />
The kid chooses to do it, nobody obliged her. Scarifications are a beauty sign in the tribes. This is the tradition in Surma tribe.<br />
But for years now, the kids who go to school or who convert to christian, are told not to do it anymore. The men say the lack of scars on the skins make them looking ugly.<br />
The skin of the tribes in this area has a special reaction to cutting: the cicatrisation creates raising scars. Ash and certain organic saps might be added to a wound to make the scarring more prominent and or embellished.<br />
Not far from the Surma area, the Bodi women also make scars, some even have coil scarifications on the shoulders. It is very painful as they use some metal to do this, like when they do it to their cows to mark them on the fur and the skin! Pain seems unknown in the area.<br />
I met Ana who lives in the small village of Hana Mursi. She now hides her scarifications she had at 12, as she has gone to Arba Minch town to study at the Police school. People wearing scarifications are seen as « primitives » by many urban ethiopians and they suffer from this. She is proud to introduce me to her best friend, a bodi teenager who has made a heart on her a
    ExPix_Scary_Scarifications17.jpg
  • Scary Scarifications<br />
<br />
Seeing a scarification ceremony in the Surma tribe from the Omo valley in Ethiopia is a tough time. Not for the girl who is going to be scarified but for the foreigner who needs to see blood running, flies going into the wounds, under a hard sun. The girl, who was 12, did NOT say any word during the ten minutes ceremony, and did NOT show any pain. Her mother used a spine to pull the skin and a razor blade to cut the skin. <br />
At the end, i asked her if it was not too hard to have her skin cut with a razor blade, and she answered that she was close to collapse! It was incredible as she did not show any sign of pain on her face. It would be a shame for the family she confessed. A girl's eagerness to tolerate pain is also an indication of her emotional maturity and willingness to bear children.<br />
The kid chooses to do it, nobody obliged her. Scarifications are a beauty sign in the tribes. This is the tradition in Surma tribe.<br />
But for years now, the kids who go to school or who convert to christian, are told not to do it anymore. The men say the lack of scars on the skins make them looking ugly.<br />
The skin of the tribes in this area has a special reaction to cutting: the cicatrisation creates raising scars. Ash and certain organic saps might be added to a wound to make the scarring more prominent and or embellished.<br />
Not far from the Surma area, the Bodi women also make scars, some even have coil scarifications on the shoulders. It is very painful as they use some metal to do this, like when they do it to their cows to mark them on the fur and the skin! Pain seems unknown in the area.<br />
I met Ana who lives in the small village of Hana Mursi. She now hides her scarifications she had at 12, as she has gone to Arba Minch town to study at the Police school. People wearing scarifications are seen as « primitives » by many urban ethiopians and they suffer from this. She is proud to introduce me to her best friend, a bodi teenager who has made a heart on her a
    ExPix_Scary_Scarifications23.jpg
  • Scary Scarifications<br />
<br />
Seeing a scarification ceremony in the Surma tribe from the Omo valley in Ethiopia is a tough time. Not for the girl who is going to be scarified but for the foreigner who needs to see blood running, flies going into the wounds, under a hard sun. The girl, who was 12, did NOT say any word during the ten minutes ceremony, and did NOT show any pain. Her mother used a spine to pull the skin and a razor blade to cut the skin. <br />
At the end, i asked her if it was not too hard to have her skin cut with a razor blade, and she answered that she was close to collapse! It was incredible as she did not show any sign of pain on her face. It would be a shame for the family she confessed. A girl's eagerness to tolerate pain is also an indication of her emotional maturity and willingness to bear children.<br />
The kid chooses to do it, nobody obliged her. Scarifications are a beauty sign in the tribes. This is the tradition in Surma tribe.<br />
But for years now, the kids who go to school or who convert to christian, are told not to do it anymore. The men say the lack of scars on the skins make them looking ugly.<br />
The skin of the tribes in this area has a special reaction to cutting: the cicatrisation creates raising scars. Ash and certain organic saps might be added to a wound to make the scarring more prominent and or embellished.<br />
Not far from the Surma area, the Bodi women also make scars, some even have coil scarifications on the shoulders. It is very painful as they use some metal to do this, like when they do it to their cows to mark them on the fur and the skin! Pain seems unknown in the area.<br />
I met Ana who lives in the small village of Hana Mursi. She now hides her scarifications she had at 12, as she has gone to Arba Minch town to study at the Police school. People wearing scarifications are seen as « primitives » by many urban ethiopians and they suffer from this. She is proud to introduce me to her best friend, a bodi teenager who has made a heart on her a
    ExPix_Scary_Scarifications27.jpg
  • Scary Scarifications<br />
<br />
Seeing a scarification ceremony in the Surma tribe from the Omo valley in Ethiopia is a tough time. Not for the girl who is going to be scarified but for the foreigner who needs to see blood running, flies going into the wounds, under a hard sun. The girl, who was 12, did NOT say any word during the ten minutes ceremony, and did NOT show any pain. Her mother used a spine to pull the skin and a razor blade to cut the skin. <br />
At the end, i asked her if it was not too hard to have her skin cut with a razor blade, and she answered that she was close to collapse! It was incredible as she did not show any sign of pain on her face. It would be a shame for the family she confessed. A girl's eagerness to tolerate pain is also an indication of her emotional maturity and willingness to bear children.<br />
The kid chooses to do it, nobody obliged her. Scarifications are a beauty sign in the tribes. This is the tradition in Surma tribe.<br />
But for years now, the kids who go to school or who convert to christian, are told not to do it anymore. The men say the lack of scars on the skins make them looking ugly.<br />
The skin of the tribes in this area has a special reaction to cutting: the cicatrisation creates raising scars. Ash and certain organic saps might be added to a wound to make the scarring more prominent and or embellished.<br />
Not far from the Surma area, the Bodi women also make scars, some even have coil scarifications on the shoulders. It is very painful as they use some metal to do this, like when they do it to their cows to mark them on the fur and the skin! Pain seems unknown in the area.<br />
I met Ana who lives in the small village of Hana Mursi. She now hides her scarifications she had at 12, as she has gone to Arba Minch town to study at the Police school. People wearing scarifications are seen as « primitives » by many urban ethiopians and they suffer from this. She is proud to introduce me to her best friend, a bodi teenager who has made a heart on her a
    ExPix_Scary_Scarifications29.jpg
  • Scary Scarifications<br />
<br />
Seeing a scarification ceremony in the Surma tribe from the Omo valley in Ethiopia is a tough time. Not for the girl who is going to be scarified but for the foreigner who needs to see blood running, flies going into the wounds, under a hard sun. The girl, who was 12, did NOT say any word during the ten minutes ceremony, and did NOT show any pain. Her mother used a spine to pull the skin and a razor blade to cut the skin. <br />
At the end, i asked her if it was not too hard to have her skin cut with a razor blade, and she answered that she was close to collapse! It was incredible as she did not show any sign of pain on her face. It would be a shame for the family she confessed. A girl's eagerness to tolerate pain is also an indication of her emotional maturity and willingness to bear children.<br />
The kid chooses to do it, nobody obliged her. Scarifications are a beauty sign in the tribes. This is the tradition in Surma tribe.<br />
But for years now, the kids who go to school or who convert to christian, are told not to do it anymore. The men say the lack of scars on the skins make them looking ugly.<br />
The skin of the tribes in this area has a special reaction to cutting: the cicatrisation creates raising scars. Ash and certain organic saps might be added to a wound to make the scarring more prominent and or embellished.<br />
Not far from the Surma area, the Bodi women also make scars, some even have coil scarifications on the shoulders. It is very painful as they use some metal to do this, like when they do it to their cows to mark them on the fur and the skin! Pain seems unknown in the area.<br />
I met Ana who lives in the small village of Hana Mursi. She now hides her scarifications she had at 12, as she has gone to Arba Minch town to study at the Police school. People wearing scarifications are seen as « primitives » by many urban ethiopians and they suffer from this. She is proud to introduce me to her best friend, a bodi teenager who has made a heart on her a
    ExPix_Scary_Scarifications01.jpg
  • Scary Scarifications<br />
<br />
Seeing a scarification ceremony in the Surma tribe from the Omo valley in Ethiopia is a tough time. Not for the girl who is going to be scarified but for the foreigner who needs to see blood running, flies going into the wounds, under a hard sun. The girl, who was 12, did NOT say any word during the ten minutes ceremony, and did NOT show any pain. Her mother used a spine to pull the skin and a razor blade to cut the skin. <br />
At the end, i asked her if it was not too hard to have her skin cut with a razor blade, and she answered that she was close to collapse! It was incredible as she did not show any sign of pain on her face. It would be a shame for the family she confessed. A girl's eagerness to tolerate pain is also an indication of her emotional maturity and willingness to bear children.<br />
The kid chooses to do it, nobody obliged her. Scarifications are a beauty sign in the tribes. This is the tradition in Surma tribe.<br />
But for years now, the kids who go to school or who convert to christian, are told not to do it anymore. The men say the lack of scars on the skins make them looking ugly.<br />
The skin of the tribes in this area has a special reaction to cutting: the cicatrisation creates raising scars. Ash and certain organic saps might be added to a wound to make the scarring more prominent and or embellished.<br />
Not far from the Surma area, the Bodi women also make scars, some even have coil scarifications on the shoulders. It is very painful as they use some metal to do this, like when they do it to their cows to mark them on the fur and the skin! Pain seems unknown in the area.<br />
I met Ana who lives in the small village of Hana Mursi. She now hides her scarifications she had at 12, as she has gone to Arba Minch town to study at the Police school. People wearing scarifications are seen as « primitives » by many urban ethiopians and they suffer from this. She is proud to introduce me to her best friend, a bodi teenager who has made a heart on her a
    ExPix_Scary_Scarifications02.jpg
  • Scary Scarifications<br />
<br />
Seeing a scarification ceremony in the Surma tribe from the Omo valley in Ethiopia is a tough time. Not for the girl who is going to be scarified but for the foreigner who needs to see blood running, flies going into the wounds, under a hard sun. The girl, who was 12, did NOT say any word during the ten minutes ceremony, and did NOT show any pain. Her mother used a spine to pull the skin and a razor blade to cut the skin. <br />
At the end, i asked her if it was not too hard to have her skin cut with a razor blade, and she answered that she was close to collapse! It was incredible as she did not show any sign of pain on her face. It would be a shame for the family she confessed. A girl's eagerness to tolerate pain is also an indication of her emotional maturity and willingness to bear children.<br />
The kid chooses to do it, nobody obliged her. Scarifications are a beauty sign in the tribes. This is the tradition in Surma tribe.<br />
But for years now, the kids who go to school or who convert to christian, are told not to do it anymore. The men say the lack of scars on the skins make them looking ugly.<br />
The skin of the tribes in this area has a special reaction to cutting: the cicatrisation creates raising scars. Ash and certain organic saps might be added to a wound to make the scarring more prominent and or embellished.<br />
Not far from the Surma area, the Bodi women also make scars, some even have coil scarifications on the shoulders. It is very painful as they use some metal to do this, like when they do it to their cows to mark them on the fur and the skin! Pain seems unknown in the area.<br />
I met Ana who lives in the small village of Hana Mursi. She now hides her scarifications she had at 12, as she has gone to Arba Minch town to study at the Police school. People wearing scarifications are seen as « primitives » by many urban ethiopians and they suffer from this. She is proud to introduce me to her best friend, a bodi teenager who has made a heart on her a
    ExPix_Scary_Scarifications11.jpg
  • Scary Scarifications<br />
<br />
Seeing a scarification ceremony in the Surma tribe from the Omo valley in Ethiopia is a tough time. Not for the girl who is going to be scarified but for the foreigner who needs to see blood running, flies going into the wounds, under a hard sun. The girl, who was 12, did NOT say any word during the ten minutes ceremony, and did NOT show any pain. Her mother used a spine to pull the skin and a razor blade to cut the skin. <br />
At the end, i asked her if it was not too hard to have her skin cut with a razor blade, and she answered that she was close to collapse! It was incredible as she did not show any sign of pain on her face. It would be a shame for the family she confessed. A girl's eagerness to tolerate pain is also an indication of her emotional maturity and willingness to bear children.<br />
The kid chooses to do it, nobody obliged her. Scarifications are a beauty sign in the tribes. This is the tradition in Surma tribe.<br />
But for years now, the kids who go to school or who convert to christian, are told not to do it anymore. The men say the lack of scars on the skins make them looking ugly.<br />
The skin of the tribes in this area has a special reaction to cutting: the cicatrisation creates raising scars. Ash and certain organic saps might be added to a wound to make the scarring more prominent and or embellished.<br />
Not far from the Surma area, the Bodi women also make scars, some even have coil scarifications on the shoulders. It is very painful as they use some metal to do this, like when they do it to their cows to mark them on the fur and the skin! Pain seems unknown in the area.<br />
I met Ana who lives in the small village of Hana Mursi. She now hides her scarifications she had at 12, as she has gone to Arba Minch town to study at the Police school. People wearing scarifications are seen as « primitives » by many urban ethiopians and they suffer from this. She is proud to introduce me to her best friend, a bodi teenager who has made a heart on her a
    ExPix_Scary_Scarifications19.jpg
  • Scary Scarifications<br />
<br />
Seeing a scarification ceremony in the Surma tribe from the Omo valley in Ethiopia is a tough time. Not for the girl who is going to be scarified but for the foreigner who needs to see blood running, flies going into the wounds, under a hard sun. The girl, who was 12, did NOT say any word during the ten minutes ceremony, and did NOT show any pain. Her mother used a spine to pull the skin and a razor blade to cut the skin. <br />
At the end, i asked her if it was not too hard to have her skin cut with a razor blade, and she answered that she was close to collapse! It was incredible as she did not show any sign of pain on her face. It would be a shame for the family she confessed. A girl's eagerness to tolerate pain is also an indication of her emotional maturity and willingness to bear children.<br />
The kid chooses to do it, nobody obliged her. Scarifications are a beauty sign in the tribes. This is the tradition in Surma tribe.<br />
But for years now, the kids who go to school or who convert to christian, are told not to do it anymore. The men say the lack of scars on the skins make them looking ugly.<br />
The skin of the tribes in this area has a special reaction to cutting: the cicatrisation creates raising scars. Ash and certain organic saps might be added to a wound to make the scarring more prominent and or embellished.<br />
Not far from the Surma area, the Bodi women also make scars, some even have coil scarifications on the shoulders. It is very painful as they use some metal to do this, like when they do it to their cows to mark them on the fur and the skin! Pain seems unknown in the area.<br />
I met Ana who lives in the small village of Hana Mursi. She now hides her scarifications she had at 12, as she has gone to Arba Minch town to study at the Police school. People wearing scarifications are seen as « primitives » by many urban ethiopians and they suffer from this. She is proud to introduce me to her best friend, a bodi teenager who has made a heart on her a
    ExPix_Scary_Scarifications21.jpg
  • Scary Scarifications<br />
<br />
Seeing a scarification ceremony in the Surma tribe from the Omo valley in Ethiopia is a tough time. Not for the girl who is going to be scarified but for the foreigner who needs to see blood running, flies going into the wounds, under a hard sun. The girl, who was 12, did NOT say any word during the ten minutes ceremony, and did NOT show any pain. Her mother used a spine to pull the skin and a razor blade to cut the skin. <br />
At the end, i asked her if it was not too hard to have her skin cut with a razor blade, and she answered that she was close to collapse! It was incredible as she did not show any sign of pain on her face. It would be a shame for the family she confessed. A girl's eagerness to tolerate pain is also an indication of her emotional maturity and willingness to bear children.<br />
The kid chooses to do it, nobody obliged her. Scarifications are a beauty sign in the tribes. This is the tradition in Surma tribe.<br />
But for years now, the kids who go to school or who convert to christian, are told not to do it anymore. The men say the lack of scars on the skins make them looking ugly.<br />
The skin of the tribes in this area has a special reaction to cutting: the cicatrisation creates raising scars. Ash and certain organic saps might be added to a wound to make the scarring more prominent and or embellished.<br />
Not far from the Surma area, the Bodi women also make scars, some even have coil scarifications on the shoulders. It is very painful as they use some metal to do this, like when they do it to their cows to mark them on the fur and the skin! Pain seems unknown in the area.<br />
I met Ana who lives in the small village of Hana Mursi. She now hides her scarifications she had at 12, as she has gone to Arba Minch town to study at the Police school. People wearing scarifications are seen as « primitives » by many urban ethiopians and they suffer from this. She is proud to introduce me to her best friend, a bodi teenager who has made a heart on her a
    ExPix_Scary_Scarifications33.jpg
  • Scary Scarifications<br />
<br />
Seeing a scarification ceremony in the Surma tribe from the Omo valley in Ethiopia is a tough time. Not for the girl who is going to be scarified but for the foreigner who needs to see blood running, flies going into the wounds, under a hard sun. The girl, who was 12, did NOT say any word during the ten minutes ceremony, and did NOT show any pain. Her mother used a spine to pull the skin and a razor blade to cut the skin. <br />
At the end, i asked her if it was not too hard to have her skin cut with a razor blade, and she answered that she was close to collapse! It was incredible as she did not show any sign of pain on her face. It would be a shame for the family she confessed. A girl's eagerness to tolerate pain is also an indication of her emotional maturity and willingness to bear children.<br />
The kid chooses to do it, nobody obliged her. Scarifications are a beauty sign in the tribes. This is the tradition in Surma tribe.<br />
But for years now, the kids who go to school or who convert to christian, are told not to do it anymore. The men say the lack of scars on the skins make them looking ugly.<br />
The skin of the tribes in this area has a special reaction to cutting: the cicatrisation creates raising scars. Ash and certain organic saps might be added to a wound to make the scarring more prominent and or embellished.<br />
Not far from the Surma area, the Bodi women also make scars, some even have coil scarifications on the shoulders. It is very painful as they use some metal to do this, like when they do it to their cows to mark them on the fur and the skin! Pain seems unknown in the area.<br />
I met Ana who lives in the small village of Hana Mursi. She now hides her scarifications she had at 12, as she has gone to Arba Minch town to study at the Police school. People wearing scarifications are seen as « primitives » by many urban ethiopians and they suffer from this. She is proud to introduce me to her best friend, a bodi teenager who has made a heart on her a
    ExPix_Scary_Scarifications18.jpg
  • Scary Scarifications<br />
<br />
Seeing a scarification ceremony in the Surma tribe from the Omo valley in Ethiopia is a tough time. Not for the girl who is going to be scarified but for the foreigner who needs to see blood running, flies going into the wounds, under a hard sun. The girl, who was 12, did NOT say any word during the ten minutes ceremony, and did NOT show any pain. Her mother used a spine to pull the skin and a razor blade to cut the skin. <br />
At the end, i asked her if it was not too hard to have her skin cut with a razor blade, and she answered that she was close to collapse! It was incredible as she did not show any sign of pain on her face. It would be a shame for the family she confessed. A girl's eagerness to tolerate pain is also an indication of her emotional maturity and willingness to bear children.<br />
The kid chooses to do it, nobody obliged her. Scarifications are a beauty sign in the tribes. This is the tradition in Surma tribe.<br />
But for years now, the kids who go to school or who convert to christian, are told not to do it anymore. The men say the lack of scars on the skins make them looking ugly.<br />
The skin of the tribes in this area has a special reaction to cutting: the cicatrisation creates raising scars. Ash and certain organic saps might be added to a wound to make the scarring more prominent and or embellished.<br />
Not far from the Surma area, the Bodi women also make scars, some even have coil scarifications on the shoulders. It is very painful as they use some metal to do this, like when they do it to their cows to mark them on the fur and the skin! Pain seems unknown in the area.<br />
I met Ana who lives in the small village of Hana Mursi. She now hides her scarifications she had at 12, as she has gone to Arba Minch town to study at the Police school. People wearing scarifications are seen as « primitives » by many urban ethiopians and they suffer from this. She is proud to introduce me to her best friend, a bodi teenager who has made a heart on her a
    ExPix_Scary_Scarifications30.jpg
  • Scary Scarifications<br />
<br />
Seeing a scarification ceremony in the Surma tribe from the Omo valley in Ethiopia is a tough time. Not for the girl who is going to be scarified but for the foreigner who needs to see blood running, flies going into the wounds, under a hard sun. The girl, who was 12, did NOT say any word during the ten minutes ceremony, and did NOT show any pain. Her mother used a spine to pull the skin and a razor blade to cut the skin. <br />
At the end, i asked her if it was not too hard to have her skin cut with a razor blade, and she answered that she was close to collapse! It was incredible as she did not show any sign of pain on her face. It would be a shame for the family she confessed. A girl's eagerness to tolerate pain is also an indication of her emotional maturity and willingness to bear children.<br />
The kid chooses to do it, nobody obliged her. Scarifications are a beauty sign in the tribes. This is the tradition in Surma tribe.<br />
But for years now, the kids who go to school or who convert to christian, are told not to do it anymore. The men say the lack of scars on the skins make them looking ugly.<br />
The skin of the tribes in this area has a special reaction to cutting: the cicatrisation creates raising scars. Ash and certain organic saps might be added to a wound to make the scarring more prominent and or embellished.<br />
Not far from the Surma area, the Bodi women also make scars, some even have coil scarifications on the shoulders. It is very painful as they use some metal to do this, like when they do it to their cows to mark them on the fur and the skin! Pain seems unknown in the area.<br />
I met Ana who lives in the small village of Hana Mursi. She now hides her scarifications she had at 12, as she has gone to Arba Minch town to study at the Police school. People wearing scarifications are seen as « primitives » by many urban ethiopians and they suffer from this. She is proud to introduce me to her best friend, a bodi teenager who has made a heart on her a
    ExPix_Scary_Scarifications05.jpg
  • Scary Scarifications<br />
<br />
Seeing a scarification ceremony in the Surma tribe from the Omo valley in Ethiopia is a tough time. Not for the girl who is going to be scarified but for the foreigner who needs to see blood running, flies going into the wounds, under a hard sun. The girl, who was 12, did NOT say any word during the ten minutes ceremony, and did NOT show any pain. Her mother used a spine to pull the skin and a razor blade to cut the skin. <br />
At the end, i asked her if it was not too hard to have her skin cut with a razor blade, and she answered that she was close to collapse! It was incredible as she did not show any sign of pain on her face. It would be a shame for the family she confessed. A girl's eagerness to tolerate pain is also an indication of her emotional maturity and willingness to bear children.<br />
The kid chooses to do it, nobody obliged her. Scarifications are a beauty sign in the tribes. This is the tradition in Surma tribe.<br />
But for years now, the kids who go to school or who convert to christian, are told not to do it anymore. The men say the lack of scars on the skins make them looking ugly.<br />
The skin of the tribes in this area has a special reaction to cutting: the cicatrisation creates raising scars. Ash and certain organic saps might be added to a wound to make the scarring more prominent and or embellished.<br />
Not far from the Surma area, the Bodi women also make scars, some even have coil scarifications on the shoulders. It is very painful as they use some metal to do this, like when they do it to their cows to mark them on the fur and the skin! Pain seems unknown in the area.<br />
I met Ana who lives in the small village of Hana Mursi. She now hides her scarifications she had at 12, as she has gone to Arba Minch town to study at the Police school. People wearing scarifications are seen as « primitives » by many urban ethiopians and they suffer from this. She is proud to introduce me to her best friend, a bodi teenager who has made a heart on her a
    ExPix_Scary_Scarifications26.jpg
  • Are these the world's most painful tattoos? Ethiopian and Sudanese tribes show off their intricate raised patterns created using THORNS<br />
<br />
From delicate swirls of raised flesh to intricate dotted patterns, the scars that decorate the bodies of Ethiopia's Bodi, Mursi and Surma tribes are more than just the sign of an old injury.<br />
<br />
For these aren't just any scars: They're an elaborate part of local culture and signify everything from beauty to adulthood or even, in some cases, are simply a mark of belonging.<br />
<br />
But Ethiopian tribes aren't the only ones to embrace scarification. In Uganda, the Karamojong are famous for their elaborate scar patterns, while across Ethiopia's border with Sudan, Nuer men bear scarred foreheads and consider getting them a key part of the transition from boy to man. Now the stunning scar markings of Ethiopia and Sudan are the subject of an incredible set of photographs by French snapper, Eric Lafforgue, who travelled through the country observing cutting ceremonies and meeting the locals.<br />
<br />
During a visit to the Surma tribe, who live in the country's remote Omo Valley, he witnessed a scarification ceremony, which involved creating the patterns using thorns and a razor.<br />
<br />
'The12-year-old girl who was being cut didn't say a word during the 10-minute ceremony and refused to show any pain,' he revealed. 'Her mother used a thorn to pull the skin out and a razor blade to cut the skin.<br />
<br />
'At the end, I asked her whether having her skin cut had been tough and she replied that she was close to collapse. It was incredible as she didn't show any sign of pain on her face during the ceremony as that would have been seen as shameful for the family.'<br />
<br />
What's more, he explained, despite the pain, the girl herself initiated the ceremony as Surma girls aren't obliged to take part. 'Scars are a sign of beauty within the tribe,' he added.<br />
<br />
'Children who go to school or convert to Christianity don't do it but the others see the ability to cope with pain as a sign that t
    Exclusivepix_worlds_most_painful_tat...jpg
  • Are these the world's most painful tattoos? Ethiopian and Sudanese tribes show off their intricate raised patterns created using THORNS<br />
<br />
From delicate swirls of raised flesh to intricate dotted patterns, the scars that decorate the bodies of Ethiopia's Bodi, Mursi and Surma tribes are more than just the sign of an old injury.<br />
<br />
For these aren't just any scars: They're an elaborate part of local culture and signify everything from beauty to adulthood or even, in some cases, are simply a mark of belonging.<br />
<br />
But Ethiopian tribes aren't the only ones to embrace scarification. In Uganda, the Karamojong are famous for their elaborate scar patterns, while across Ethiopia's border with Sudan, Nuer men bear scarred foreheads and consider getting them a key part of the transition from boy to man. Now the stunning scar markings of Ethiopia and Sudan are the subject of an incredible set of photographs by French snapper, Eric Lafforgue, who travelled through the country observing cutting ceremonies and meeting the locals.<br />
<br />
During a visit to the Surma tribe, who live in the country's remote Omo Valley, he witnessed a scarification ceremony, which involved creating the patterns using thorns and a razor.<br />
<br />
'The12-year-old girl who was being cut didn't say a word during the 10-minute ceremony and refused to show any pain,' he revealed. 'Her mother used a thorn to pull the skin out and a razor blade to cut the skin.<br />
<br />
'At the end, I asked her whether having her skin cut had been tough and she replied that she was close to collapse. It was incredible as she didn't show any sign of pain on her face during the ceremony as that would have been seen as shameful for the family.'<br />
<br />
What's more, he explained, despite the pain, the girl herself initiated the ceremony as Surma girls aren't obliged to take part. 'Scars are a sign of beauty within the tribe,' he added.<br />
<br />
'Children who go to school or convert to Christianity don't do it but the others see the ability to cope with pain as a sign that t
    Exclusivepix_worlds_most_painful_tat...jpg
  • Are these the world's most painful tattoos? Ethiopian and Sudanese tribes show off their intricate raised patterns created using THORNS<br />
<br />
From delicate swirls of raised flesh to intricate dotted patterns, the scars that decorate the bodies of Ethiopia's Bodi, Mursi and Surma tribes are more than just the sign of an old injury.<br />
<br />
For these aren't just any scars: They're an elaborate part of local culture and signify everything from beauty to adulthood or even, in some cases, are simply a mark of belonging.<br />
<br />
But Ethiopian tribes aren't the only ones to embrace scarification. In Uganda, the Karamojong are famous for their elaborate scar patterns, while across Ethiopia's border with Sudan, Nuer men bear scarred foreheads and consider getting them a key part of the transition from boy to man. Now the stunning scar markings of Ethiopia and Sudan are the subject of an incredible set of photographs by French snapper, Eric Lafforgue, who travelled through the country observing cutting ceremonies and meeting the locals.<br />
<br />
During a visit to the Surma tribe, who live in the country's remote Omo Valley, he witnessed a scarification ceremony, which involved creating the patterns using thorns and a razor.<br />
<br />
'The12-year-old girl who was being cut didn't say a word during the 10-minute ceremony and refused to show any pain,' he revealed. 'Her mother used a thorn to pull the skin out and a razor blade to cut the skin.<br />
<br />
'At the end, I asked her whether having her skin cut had been tough and she replied that she was close to collapse. It was incredible as she didn't show any sign of pain on her face during the ceremony as that would have been seen as shameful for the family.'<br />
<br />
What's more, he explained, despite the pain, the girl herself initiated the ceremony as Surma girls aren't obliged to take part. 'Scars are a sign of beauty within the tribe,' he added.<br />
<br />
'Children who go to school or convert to Christianity don't do it but the others see the ability to cope with pain as a sign that t
    Exclusivepix_worlds_most_painful_tat...jpg
  • Are these the world's most painful tattoos? Ethiopian and Sudanese tribes show off their intricate raised patterns created using THORNS<br />
<br />
From delicate swirls of raised flesh to intricate dotted patterns, the scars that decorate the bodies of Ethiopia's Bodi, Mursi and Surma tribes are more than just the sign of an old injury.<br />
<br />
For these aren't just any scars: They're an elaborate part of local culture and signify everything from beauty to adulthood or even, in some cases, are simply a mark of belonging.<br />
<br />
But Ethiopian tribes aren't the only ones to embrace scarification. In Uganda, the Karamojong are famous for their elaborate scar patterns, while across Ethiopia's border with Sudan, Nuer men bear scarred foreheads and consider getting them a key part of the transition from boy to man. Now the stunning scar markings of Ethiopia and Sudan are the subject of an incredible set of photographs by French snapper, Eric Lafforgue, who travelled through the country observing cutting ceremonies and meeting the locals.<br />
<br />
During a visit to the Surma tribe, who live in the country's remote Omo Valley, he witnessed a scarification ceremony, which involved creating the patterns using thorns and a razor.<br />
<br />
'The12-year-old girl who was being cut didn't say a word during the 10-minute ceremony and refused to show any pain,' he revealed. 'Her mother used a thorn to pull the skin out and a razor blade to cut the skin.<br />
<br />
'At the end, I asked her whether having her skin cut had been tough and she replied that she was close to collapse. It was incredible as she didn't show any sign of pain on her face during the ceremony as that would have been seen as shameful for the family.'<br />
<br />
What's more, he explained, despite the pain, the girl herself initiated the ceremony as Surma girls aren't obliged to take part. 'Scars are a sign of beauty within the tribe,' he added.<br />
<br />
'Children who go to school or convert to Christianity don't do it but the others see the ability to cope with pain as a sign that t
    Exclusivepix_worlds_most_painful_tat...jpg
  • Are these the world's most painful tattoos? Ethiopian and Sudanese tribes show off their intricate raised patterns created using THORNS<br />
<br />
From delicate swirls of raised flesh to intricate dotted patterns, the scars that decorate the bodies of Ethiopia's Bodi, Mursi and Surma tribes are more than just the sign of an old injury.<br />
<br />
For these aren't just any scars: They're an elaborate part of local culture and signify everything from beauty to adulthood or even, in some cases, are simply a mark of belonging.<br />
<br />
But Ethiopian tribes aren't the only ones to embrace scarification. In Uganda, the Karamojong are famous for their elaborate scar patterns, while across Ethiopia's border with Sudan, Nuer men bear scarred foreheads and consider getting them a key part of the transition from boy to man. Now the stunning scar markings of Ethiopia and Sudan are the subject of an incredible set of photographs by French snapper, Eric Lafforgue, who travelled through the country observing cutting ceremonies and meeting the locals.<br />
<br />
During a visit to the Surma tribe, who live in the country's remote Omo Valley, he witnessed a scarification ceremony, which involved creating the patterns using thorns and a razor.<br />
<br />
'The12-year-old girl who was being cut didn't say a word during the 10-minute ceremony and refused to show any pain,' he revealed. 'Her mother used a thorn to pull the skin out and a razor blade to cut the skin.<br />
<br />
'At the end, I asked her whether having her skin cut had been tough and she replied that she was close to collapse. It was incredible as she didn't show any sign of pain on her face during the ceremony as that would have been seen as shameful for the family.'<br />
<br />
What's more, he explained, despite the pain, the girl herself initiated the ceremony as Surma girls aren't obliged to take part. 'Scars are a sign of beauty within the tribe,' he added.<br />
<br />
'Children who go to school or convert to Christianity don't do it but the others see the ability to cope with pain as a sign that t
    Exclusivepix_worlds_most_painful_tat...jpg
  • Are these the world's most painful tattoos? Ethiopian and Sudanese tribes show off their intricate raised patterns created using THORNS<br />
<br />
From delicate swirls of raised flesh to intricate dotted patterns, the scars that decorate the bodies of Ethiopia's Bodi, Mursi and Surma tribes are more than just the sign of an old injury.<br />
<br />
For these aren't just any scars: They're an elaborate part of local culture and signify everything from beauty to adulthood or even, in some cases, are simply a mark of belonging.<br />
<br />
But Ethiopian tribes aren't the only ones to embrace scarification. In Uganda, the Karamojong are famous for their elaborate scar patterns, while across Ethiopia's border with Sudan, Nuer men bear scarred foreheads and consider getting them a key part of the transition from boy to man. Now the stunning scar markings of Ethiopia and Sudan are the subject of an incredible set of photographs by French snapper, Eric Lafforgue, who travelled through the country observing cutting ceremonies and meeting the locals.<br />
<br />
During a visit to the Surma tribe, who live in the country's remote Omo Valley, he witnessed a scarification ceremony, which involved creating the patterns using thorns and a razor.<br />
<br />
'The12-year-old girl who was being cut didn't say a word during the 10-minute ceremony and refused to show any pain,' he revealed. 'Her mother used a thorn to pull the skin out and a razor blade to cut the skin.<br />
<br />
'At the end, I asked her whether having her skin cut had been tough and she replied that she was close to collapse. It was incredible as she didn't show any sign of pain on her face during the ceremony as that would have been seen as shameful for the family.'<br />
<br />
What's more, he explained, despite the pain, the girl herself initiated the ceremony as Surma girls aren't obliged to take part. 'Scars are a sign of beauty within the tribe,' he added.<br />
<br />
'Children who go to school or convert to Christianity don't do it but the others see the ability to cope with pain as a sign that t
    Exclusivepix_worlds_most_painful_tat...jpg
  • Are these the world's most painful tattoos? Ethiopian and Sudanese tribes show off their intricate raised patterns created using THORNS<br />
<br />
From delicate swirls of raised flesh to intricate dotted patterns, the scars that decorate the bodies of Ethiopia's Bodi, Mursi and Surma tribes are more than just the sign of an old injury.<br />
<br />
For these aren't just any scars: They're an elaborate part of local culture and signify everything from beauty to adulthood or even, in some cases, are simply a mark of belonging.<br />
<br />
But Ethiopian tribes aren't the only ones to embrace scarification. In Uganda, the Karamojong are famous for their elaborate scar patterns, while across Ethiopia's border with Sudan, Nuer men bear scarred foreheads and consider getting them a key part of the transition from boy to man. Now the stunning scar markings of Ethiopia and Sudan are the subject of an incredible set of photographs by French snapper, Eric Lafforgue, who travelled through the country observing cutting ceremonies and meeting the locals.<br />
<br />
During a visit to the Surma tribe, who live in the country's remote Omo Valley, he witnessed a scarification ceremony, which involved creating the patterns using thorns and a razor.<br />
<br />
'The12-year-old girl who was being cut didn't say a word during the 10-minute ceremony and refused to show any pain,' he revealed. 'Her mother used a thorn to pull the skin out and a razor blade to cut the skin.<br />
<br />
'At the end, I asked her whether having her skin cut had been tough and she replied that she was close to collapse. It was incredible as she didn't show any sign of pain on her face during the ceremony as that would have been seen as shameful for the family.'<br />
<br />
What's more, he explained, despite the pain, the girl herself initiated the ceremony as Surma girls aren't obliged to take part. 'Scars are a sign of beauty within the tribe,' he added.<br />
<br />
'Children who go to school or convert to Christianity don't do it but the others see the ability to cope with pain as a sign that t
    Exclusivepix_worlds_most_painful_tat...jpg
  • Are these the world's most painful tattoos? Ethiopian and Sudanese tribes show off their intricate raised patterns created using THORNS<br />
<br />
From delicate swirls of raised flesh to intricate dotted patterns, the scars that decorate the bodies of Ethiopia's Bodi, Mursi and Surma tribes are more than just the sign of an old injury.<br />
<br />
For these aren't just any scars: They're an elaborate part of local culture and signify everything from beauty to adulthood or even, in some cases, are simply a mark of belonging.<br />
<br />
But Ethiopian tribes aren't the only ones to embrace scarification. In Uganda, the Karamojong are famous for their elaborate scar patterns, while across Ethiopia's border with Sudan, Nuer men bear scarred foreheads and consider getting them a key part of the transition from boy to man. Now the stunning scar markings of Ethiopia and Sudan are the subject of an incredible set of photographs by French snapper, Eric Lafforgue, who travelled through the country observing cutting ceremonies and meeting the locals.<br />
<br />
During a visit to the Surma tribe, who live in the country's remote Omo Valley, he witnessed a scarification ceremony, which involved creating the patterns using thorns and a razor.<br />
<br />
'The12-year-old girl who was being cut didn't say a word during the 10-minute ceremony and refused to show any pain,' he revealed. 'Her mother used a thorn to pull the skin out and a razor blade to cut the skin.<br />
<br />
'At the end, I asked her whether having her skin cut had been tough and she replied that she was close to collapse. It was incredible as she didn't show any sign of pain on her face during the ceremony as that would have been seen as shameful for the family.'<br />
<br />
What's more, he explained, despite the pain, the girl herself initiated the ceremony as Surma girls aren't obliged to take part. 'Scars are a sign of beauty within the tribe,' he added.<br />
<br />
'Children who go to school or convert to Christianity don't do it but the others see the ability to cope with pain as a sign that t
    Exclusivepix_worlds_most_painful_tat...jpg
  • Are these the world's most painful tattoos? Ethiopian and Sudanese tribes show off their intricate raised patterns created using THORNS<br />
<br />
From delicate swirls of raised flesh to intricate dotted patterns, the scars that decorate the bodies of Ethiopia's Bodi, Mursi and Surma tribes are more than just the sign of an old injury.<br />
<br />
For these aren't just any scars: They're an elaborate part of local culture and signify everything from beauty to adulthood or even, in some cases, are simply a mark of belonging.<br />
<br />
But Ethiopian tribes aren't the only ones to embrace scarification. In Uganda, the Karamojong are famous for their elaborate scar patterns, while across Ethiopia's border with Sudan, Nuer men bear scarred foreheads and consider getting them a key part of the transition from boy to man. Now the stunning scar markings of Ethiopia and Sudan are the subject of an incredible set of photographs by French snapper, Eric Lafforgue, who travelled through the country observing cutting ceremonies and meeting the locals.<br />
<br />
During a visit to the Surma tribe, who live in the country's remote Omo Valley, he witnessed a scarification ceremony, which involved creating the patterns using thorns and a razor.<br />
<br />
'The12-year-old girl who was being cut didn't say a word during the 10-minute ceremony and refused to show any pain,' he revealed. 'Her mother used a thorn to pull the skin out and a razor blade to cut the skin.<br />
<br />
'At the end, I asked her whether having her skin cut had been tough and she replied that she was close to collapse. It was incredible as she didn't show any sign of pain on her face during the ceremony as that would have been seen as shameful for the family.'<br />
<br />
What's more, he explained, despite the pain, the girl herself initiated the ceremony as Surma girls aren't obliged to take part. 'Scars are a sign of beauty within the tribe,' he added.<br />
<br />
'Children who go to school or convert to Christianity don't do it but the others see the ability to cope with pain as a sign that t
    Exclusivepix_worlds_most_painful_tat...jpg
  • Are these the world's most painful tattoos? Ethiopian and Sudanese tribes show off their intricate raised patterns created using THORNS<br />
<br />
From delicate swirls of raised flesh to intricate dotted patterns, the scars that decorate the bodies of Ethiopia's Bodi, Mursi and Surma tribes are more than just the sign of an old injury.<br />
<br />
For these aren't just any scars: They're an elaborate part of local culture and signify everything from beauty to adulthood or even, in some cases, are simply a mark of belonging.<br />
<br />
But Ethiopian tribes aren't the only ones to embrace scarification. In Uganda, the Karamojong are famous for their elaborate scar patterns, while across Ethiopia's border with Sudan, Nuer men bear scarred foreheads and consider getting them a key part of the transition from boy to man. Now the stunning scar markings of Ethiopia and Sudan are the subject of an incredible set of photographs by French snapper, Eric Lafforgue, who travelled through the country observing cutting ceremonies and meeting the locals.<br />
<br />
During a visit to the Surma tribe, who live in the country's remote Omo Valley, he witnessed a scarification ceremony, which involved creating the patterns using thorns and a razor.<br />
<br />
'The12-year-old girl who was being cut didn't say a word during the 10-minute ceremony and refused to show any pain,' he revealed. 'Her mother used a thorn to pull the skin out and a razor blade to cut the skin.<br />
<br />
'At the end, I asked her whether having her skin cut had been tough and she replied that she was close to collapse. It was incredible as she didn't show any sign of pain on her face during the ceremony as that would have been seen as shameful for the family.'<br />
<br />
What's more, he explained, despite the pain, the girl herself initiated the ceremony as Surma girls aren't obliged to take part. 'Scars are a sign of beauty within the tribe,' he added.<br />
<br />
'Children who go to school or convert to Christianity don't do it but the others see the ability to cope with pain as a sign that t
    Exclusivepix_worlds_most_painful_tat...jpg
  • Are these the world's most painful tattoos? Ethiopian and Sudanese tribes show off their intricate raised patterns created using THORNS<br />
<br />
From delicate swirls of raised flesh to intricate dotted patterns, the scars that decorate the bodies of Ethiopia's Bodi, Mursi and Surma tribes are more than just the sign of an old injury.<br />
<br />
For these aren't just any scars: They're an elaborate part of local culture and signify everything from beauty to adulthood or even, in some cases, are simply a mark of belonging.<br />
<br />
But Ethiopian tribes aren't the only ones to embrace scarification. In Uganda, the Karamojong are famous for their elaborate scar patterns, while across Ethiopia's border with Sudan, Nuer men bear scarred foreheads and consider getting them a key part of the transition from boy to man. Now the stunning scar markings of Ethiopia and Sudan are the subject of an incredible set of photographs by French snapper, Eric Lafforgue, who travelled through the country observing cutting ceremonies and meeting the locals.<br />
<br />
During a visit to the Surma tribe, who live in the country's remote Omo Valley, he witnessed a scarification ceremony, which involved creating the patterns using thorns and a razor.<br />
<br />
'The12-year-old girl who was being cut didn't say a word during the 10-minute ceremony and refused to show any pain,' he revealed. 'Her mother used a thorn to pull the skin out and a razor blade to cut the skin.<br />
<br />
'At the end, I asked her whether having her skin cut had been tough and she replied that she was close to collapse. It was incredible as she didn't show any sign of pain on her face during the ceremony as that would have been seen as shameful for the family.'<br />
<br />
What's more, he explained, despite the pain, the girl herself initiated the ceremony as Surma girls aren't obliged to take part. 'Scars are a sign of beauty within the tribe,' he added.<br />
<br />
'Children who go to school or convert to Christianity don't do it but the others see the ability to cope with pain as a sign that t
    Exclusivepix_worlds_most_painful_tat...jpg
  • Are these the world's most painful tattoos? Ethiopian and Sudanese tribes show off their intricate raised patterns created using THORNS<br />
<br />
From delicate swirls of raised flesh to intricate dotted patterns, the scars that decorate the bodies of Ethiopia's Bodi, Mursi and Surma tribes are more than just the sign of an old injury.<br />
<br />
For these aren't just any scars: They're an elaborate part of local culture and signify everything from beauty to adulthood or even, in some cases, are simply a mark of belonging.<br />
<br />
But Ethiopian tribes aren't the only ones to embrace scarification. In Uganda, the Karamojong are famous for their elaborate scar patterns, while across Ethiopia's border with Sudan, Nuer men bear scarred foreheads and consider getting them a key part of the transition from boy to man. Now the stunning scar markings of Ethiopia and Sudan are the subject of an incredible set of photographs by French snapper, Eric Lafforgue, who travelled through the country observing cutting ceremonies and meeting the locals.<br />
<br />
During a visit to the Surma tribe, who live in the country's remote Omo Valley, he witnessed a scarification ceremony, which involved creating the patterns using thorns and a razor.<br />
<br />
'The12-year-old girl who was being cut didn't say a word during the 10-minute ceremony and refused to show any pain,' he revealed. 'Her mother used a thorn to pull the skin out and a razor blade to cut the skin.<br />
<br />
'At the end, I asked her whether having her skin cut had been tough and she replied that she was close to collapse. It was incredible as she didn't show any sign of pain on her face during the ceremony as that would have been seen as shameful for the family.'<br />
<br />
What's more, he explained, despite the pain, the girl herself initiated the ceremony as Surma girls aren't obliged to take part. 'Scars are a sign of beauty within the tribe,' he added.<br />
<br />
'Children who go to school or convert to Christianity don't do it but the others see the ability to cope with pain as a sign that t
    Exclusivepix_worlds_most_painful_tat...jpg
  • Are these the world's most painful tattoos? Ethiopian and Sudanese tribes show off their intricate raised patterns created using THORNS<br />
<br />
From delicate swirls of raised flesh to intricate dotted patterns, the scars that decorate the bodies of Ethiopia's Bodi, Mursi and Surma tribes are more than just the sign of an old injury.<br />
<br />
For these aren't just any scars: They're an elaborate part of local culture and signify everything from beauty to adulthood or even, in some cases, are simply a mark of belonging.<br />
<br />
But Ethiopian tribes aren't the only ones to embrace scarification. In Uganda, the Karamojong are famous for their elaborate scar patterns, while across Ethiopia's border with Sudan, Nuer men bear scarred foreheads and consider getting them a key part of the transition from boy to man. Now the stunning scar markings of Ethiopia and Sudan are the subject of an incredible set of photographs by French snapper, Eric Lafforgue, who travelled through the country observing cutting ceremonies and meeting the locals.<br />
<br />
During a visit to the Surma tribe, who live in the country's remote Omo Valley, he witnessed a scarification ceremony, which involved creating the patterns using thorns and a razor.<br />
<br />
'The12-year-old girl who was being cut didn't say a word during the 10-minute ceremony and refused to show any pain,' he revealed. 'Her mother used a thorn to pull the skin out and a razor blade to cut the skin.<br />
<br />
'At the end, I asked her whether having her skin cut had been tough and she replied that she was close to collapse. It was incredible as she didn't show any sign of pain on her face during the ceremony as that would have been seen as shameful for the family.'<br />
<br />
What's more, he explained, despite the pain, the girl herself initiated the ceremony as Surma girls aren't obliged to take part. 'Scars are a sign of beauty within the tribe,' he added.<br />
<br />
'Children who go to school or convert to Christianity don't do it but the others see the ability to cope with pain as a sign that t
    Exclusivepix_worlds_most_painful_tat...jpg
  • Are these the world's most painful tattoos? Ethiopian and Sudanese tribes show off their intricate raised patterns created using THORNS<br />
<br />
From delicate swirls of raised flesh to intricate dotted patterns, the scars that decorate the bodies of Ethiopia's Bodi, Mursi and Surma tribes are more than just the sign of an old injury.<br />
<br />
For these aren't just any scars: They're an elaborate part of local culture and signify everything from beauty to adulthood or even, in some cases, are simply a mark of belonging.<br />
<br />
But Ethiopian tribes aren't the only ones to embrace scarification. In Uganda, the Karamojong are famous for their elaborate scar patterns, while across Ethiopia's border with Sudan, Nuer men bear scarred foreheads and consider getting them a key part of the transition from boy to man. Now the stunning scar markings of Ethiopia and Sudan are the subject of an incredible set of photographs by French snapper, Eric Lafforgue, who travelled through the country observing cutting ceremonies and meeting the locals.<br />
<br />
During a visit to the Surma tribe, who live in the country's remote Omo Valley, he witnessed a scarification ceremony, which involved creating the patterns using thorns and a razor.<br />
<br />
'The12-year-old girl who was being cut didn't say a word during the 10-minute ceremony and refused to show any pain,' he revealed. 'Her mother used a thorn to pull the skin out and a razor blade to cut the skin.<br />
<br />
'At the end, I asked her whether having her skin cut had been tough and she replied that she was close to collapse. It was incredible as she didn't show any sign of pain on her face during the ceremony as that would have been seen as shameful for the family.'<br />
<br />
What's more, he explained, despite the pain, the girl herself initiated the ceremony as Surma girls aren't obliged to take part. 'Scars are a sign of beauty within the tribe,' he added.<br />
<br />
'Children who go to school or convert to Christianity don't do it but the others see the ability to cope with pain as a sign that t
    Exclusivepix_worlds_most_painful_tat...jpg
  • Are these the world's most painful tattoos? Ethiopian and Sudanese tribes show off their intricate raised patterns created using THORNS<br />
<br />
From delicate swirls of raised flesh to intricate dotted patterns, the scars that decorate the bodies of Ethiopia's Bodi, Mursi and Surma tribes are more than just the sign of an old injury.<br />
<br />
For these aren't just any scars: They're an elaborate part of local culture and signify everything from beauty to adulthood or even, in some cases, are simply a mark of belonging.<br />
<br />
But Ethiopian tribes aren't the only ones to embrace scarification. In Uganda, the Karamojong are famous for their elaborate scar patterns, while across Ethiopia's border with Sudan, Nuer men bear scarred foreheads and consider getting them a key part of the transition from boy to man. Now the stunning scar markings of Ethiopia and Sudan are the subject of an incredible set of photographs by French snapper, Eric Lafforgue, who travelled through the country observing cutting ceremonies and meeting the locals.<br />
<br />
During a visit to the Surma tribe, who live in the country's remote Omo Valley, he witnessed a scarification ceremony, which involved creating the patterns using thorns and a razor.<br />
<br />
'The12-year-old girl who was being cut didn't say a word during the 10-minute ceremony and refused to show any pain,' he revealed. 'Her mother used a thorn to pull the skin out and a razor blade to cut the skin.<br />
<br />
'At the end, I asked her whether having her skin cut had been tough and she replied that she was close to collapse. It was incredible as she didn't show any sign of pain on her face during the ceremony as that would have been seen as shameful for the family.'<br />
<br />
What's more, he explained, despite the pain, the girl herself initiated the ceremony as Surma girls aren't obliged to take part. 'Scars are a sign of beauty within the tribe,' he added.<br />
<br />
'Children who go to school or convert to Christianity don't do it but the others see the ability to cope with pain as a sign that t
    Exclusivepix_worlds_most_painful_tat...jpg
  • Are these the world's most painful tattoos? Ethiopian and Sudanese tribes show off their intricate raised patterns created using THORNS<br />
<br />
From delicate swirls of raised flesh to intricate dotted patterns, the scars that decorate the bodies of Ethiopia's Bodi, Mursi and Surma tribes are more than just the sign of an old injury.<br />
<br />
For these aren't just any scars: They're an elaborate part of local culture and signify everything from beauty to adulthood or even, in some cases, are simply a mark of belonging.<br />
<br />
But Ethiopian tribes aren't the only ones to embrace scarification. In Uganda, the Karamojong are famous for their elaborate scar patterns, while across Ethiopia's border with Sudan, Nuer men bear scarred foreheads and consider getting them a key part of the transition from boy to man. Now the stunning scar markings of Ethiopia and Sudan are the subject of an incredible set of photographs by French snapper, Eric Lafforgue, who travelled through the country observing cutting ceremonies and meeting the locals.<br />
<br />
During a visit to the Surma tribe, who live in the country's remote Omo Valley, he witnessed a scarification ceremony, which involved creating the patterns using thorns and a razor.<br />
<br />
'The12-year-old girl who was being cut didn't say a word during the 10-minute ceremony and refused to show any pain,' he revealed. 'Her mother used a thorn to pull the skin out and a razor blade to cut the skin.<br />
<br />
'At the end, I asked her whether having her skin cut had been tough and she replied that she was close to collapse. It was incredible as she didn't show any sign of pain on her face during the ceremony as that would have been seen as shameful for the family.'<br />
<br />
What's more, he explained, despite the pain, the girl herself initiated the ceremony as Surma girls aren't obliged to take part. 'Scars are a sign of beauty within the tribe,' he added.<br />
<br />
'Children who go to school or convert to Christianity don't do it but the others see the ability to cope with pain as a sign that t
    Exclusivepix_worlds_most_painful_tat...jpg
  • Are these the world's most painful tattoos? Ethiopian and Sudanese tribes show off their intricate raised patterns created using THORNS<br />
<br />
From delicate swirls of raised flesh to intricate dotted patterns, the scars that decorate the bodies of Ethiopia's Bodi, Mursi and Surma tribes are more than just the sign of an old injury.<br />
<br />
For these aren't just any scars: They're an elaborate part of local culture and signify everything from beauty to adulthood or even, in some cases, are simply a mark of belonging.<br />
<br />
But Ethiopian tribes aren't the only ones to embrace scarification. In Uganda, the Karamojong are famous for their elaborate scar patterns, while across Ethiopia's border with Sudan, Nuer men bear scarred foreheads and consider getting them a key part of the transition from boy to man. Now the stunning scar markings of Ethiopia and Sudan are the subject of an incredible set of photographs by French snapper, Eric Lafforgue, who travelled through the country observing cutting ceremonies and meeting the locals.<br />
<br />
During a visit to the Surma tribe, who live in the country's remote Omo Valley, he witnessed a scarification ceremony, which involved creating the patterns using thorns and a razor.<br />
<br />
'The12-year-old girl who was being cut didn't say a word during the 10-minute ceremony and refused to show any pain,' he revealed. 'Her mother used a thorn to pull the skin out and a razor blade to cut the skin.<br />
<br />
'At the end, I asked her whether having her skin cut had been tough and she replied that she was close to collapse. It was incredible as she didn't show any sign of pain on her face during the ceremony as that would have been seen as shameful for the family.'<br />
<br />
What's more, he explained, despite the pain, the girl herself initiated the ceremony as Surma girls aren't obliged to take part. 'Scars are a sign of beauty within the tribe,' he added.<br />
<br />
'Children who go to school or convert to Christianity don't do it but the others see the ability to cope with pain as a sign that t
    Exclusivepix_worlds_most_painful_tat...jpg
  • Are these the world's most painful tattoos? Ethiopian and Sudanese tribes show off their intricate raised patterns created using THORNS<br />
<br />
From delicate swirls of raised flesh to intricate dotted patterns, the scars that decorate the bodies of Ethiopia's Bodi, Mursi and Surma tribes are more than just the sign of an old injury.<br />
<br />
For these aren't just any scars: They're an elaborate part of local culture and signify everything from beauty to adulthood or even, in some cases, are simply a mark of belonging.<br />
<br />
But Ethiopian tribes aren't the only ones to embrace scarification. In Uganda, the Karamojong are famous for their elaborate scar patterns, while across Ethiopia's border with Sudan, Nuer men bear scarred foreheads and consider getting them a key part of the transition from boy to man. Now the stunning scar markings of Ethiopia and Sudan are the subject of an incredible set of photographs by French snapper, Eric Lafforgue, who travelled through the country observing cutting ceremonies and meeting the locals.<br />
<br />
During a visit to the Surma tribe, who live in the country's remote Omo Valley, he witnessed a scarification ceremony, which involved creating the patterns using thorns and a razor.<br />
<br />
'The12-year-old girl who was being cut didn't say a word during the 10-minute ceremony and refused to show any pain,' he revealed. 'Her mother used a thorn to pull the skin out and a razor blade to cut the skin.<br />
<br />
'At the end, I asked her whether having her skin cut had been tough and she replied that she was close to collapse. It was incredible as she didn't show any sign of pain on her face during the ceremony as that would have been seen as shameful for the family.'<br />
<br />
What's more, he explained, despite the pain, the girl herself initiated the ceremony as Surma girls aren't obliged to take part. 'Scars are a sign of beauty within the tribe,' he added.<br />
<br />
'Children who go to school or convert to Christianity don't do it but the others see the ability to cope with pain as a sign that t
    Exclusivepix_worlds_most_painful_tat...jpg
  • Are these the world's most painful tattoos? Ethiopian and Sudanese tribes show off their intricate raised patterns created using THORNS<br />
<br />
From delicate swirls of raised flesh to intricate dotted patterns, the scars that decorate the bodies of Ethiopia's Bodi, Mursi and Surma tribes are more than just the sign of an old injury.<br />
<br />
For these aren't just any scars: They're an elaborate part of local culture and signify everything from beauty to adulthood or even, in some cases, are simply a mark of belonging.<br />
<br />
But Ethiopian tribes aren't the only ones to embrace scarification. In Uganda, the Karamojong are famous for their elaborate scar patterns, while across Ethiopia's border with Sudan, Nuer men bear scarred foreheads and consider getting them a key part of the transition from boy to man. Now the stunning scar markings of Ethiopia and Sudan are the subject of an incredible set of photographs by French snapper, Eric Lafforgue, who travelled through the country observing cutting ceremonies and meeting the locals.<br />
<br />
During a visit to the Surma tribe, who live in the country's remote Omo Valley, he witnessed a scarification ceremony, which involved creating the patterns using thorns and a razor.<br />
<br />
'The12-year-old girl who was being cut didn't say a word during the 10-minute ceremony and refused to show any pain,' he revealed. 'Her mother used a thorn to pull the skin out and a razor blade to cut the skin.<br />
<br />
'At the end, I asked her whether having her skin cut had been tough and she replied that she was close to collapse. It was incredible as she didn't show any sign of pain on her face during the ceremony as that would have been seen as shameful for the family.'<br />
<br />
What's more, he explained, despite the pain, the girl herself initiated the ceremony as Surma girls aren't obliged to take part. 'Scars are a sign of beauty within the tribe,' he added.<br />
<br />
'Children who go to school or convert to Christianity don't do it but the others see the ability to cope with pain as a sign that t
    Exclusivepix_worlds_most_painful_tat...jpg
  • Are these the world's most painful tattoos? Ethiopian and Sudanese tribes show off their intricate raised patterns created using THORNS<br />
<br />
From delicate swirls of raised flesh to intricate dotted patterns, the scars that decorate the bodies of Ethiopia's Bodi, Mursi and Surma tribes are more than just the sign of an old injury.<br />
<br />
For these aren't just any scars: They're an elaborate part of local culture and signify everything from beauty to adulthood or even, in some cases, are simply a mark of belonging.<br />
<br />
But Ethiopian tribes aren't the only ones to embrace scarification. In Uganda, the Karamojong are famous for their elaborate scar patterns, while across Ethiopia's border with Sudan, Nuer men bear scarred foreheads and consider getting them a key part of the transition from boy to man. Now the stunning scar markings of Ethiopia and Sudan are the subject of an incredible set of photographs by French snapper, Eric Lafforgue, who travelled through the country observing cutting ceremonies and meeting the locals.<br />
<br />
During a visit to the Surma tribe, who live in the country's remote Omo Valley, he witnessed a scarification ceremony, which involved creating the patterns using thorns and a razor.<br />
<br />
'The12-year-old girl who was being cut didn't say a word during the 10-minute ceremony and refused to show any pain,' he revealed. 'Her mother used a thorn to pull the skin out and a razor blade to cut the skin.<br />
<br />
'At the end, I asked her whether having her skin cut had been tough and she replied that she was close to collapse. It was incredible as she didn't show any sign of pain on her face during the ceremony as that would have been seen as shameful for the family.'<br />
<br />
What's more, he explained, despite the pain, the girl herself initiated the ceremony as Surma girls aren't obliged to take part. 'Scars are a sign of beauty within the tribe,' he added.<br />
<br />
'Children who go to school or convert to Christianity don't do it but the others see the ability to cope with pain as a sign that t
    Exclusivepix_worlds_most_painful_tat...jpg
  • Are these the world's most painful tattoos? Ethiopian and Sudanese tribes show off their intricate raised patterns created using THORNS<br />
<br />
From delicate swirls of raised flesh to intricate dotted patterns, the scars that decorate the bodies of Ethiopia's Bodi, Mursi and Surma tribes are more than just the sign of an old injury.<br />
<br />
For these aren't just any scars: They're an elaborate part of local culture and signify everything from beauty to adulthood or even, in some cases, are simply a mark of belonging.<br />
<br />
But Ethiopian tribes aren't the only ones to embrace scarification. In Uganda, the Karamojong are famous for their elaborate scar patterns, while across Ethiopia's border with Sudan, Nuer men bear scarred foreheads and consider getting them a key part of the transition from boy to man. Now the stunning scar markings of Ethiopia and Sudan are the subject of an incredible set of photographs by French snapper, Eric Lafforgue, who travelled through the country observing cutting ceremonies and meeting the locals.<br />
<br />
During a visit to the Surma tribe, who live in the country's remote Omo Valley, he witnessed a scarification ceremony, which involved creating the patterns using thorns and a razor.<br />
<br />
'The12-year-old girl who was being cut didn't say a word during the 10-minute ceremony and refused to show any pain,' he revealed. 'Her mother used a thorn to pull the skin out and a razor blade to cut the skin.<br />
<br />
'At the end, I asked her whether having her skin cut had been tough and she replied that she was close to collapse. It was incredible as she didn't show any sign of pain on her face during the ceremony as that would have been seen as shameful for the family.'<br />
<br />
What's more, he explained, despite the pain, the girl herself initiated the ceremony as Surma girls aren't obliged to take part. 'Scars are a sign of beauty within the tribe,' he added.<br />
<br />
'Children who go to school or convert to Christianity don't do it but the others see the ability to cope with pain as a sign that t
    Exclusivepix_worlds_most_painful_tat...jpg
  • Are these the world's most painful tattoos? Ethiopian and Sudanese tribes show off their intricate raised patterns created using THORNS<br />
<br />
From delicate swirls of raised flesh to intricate dotted patterns, the scars that decorate the bodies of Ethiopia's Bodi, Mursi and Surma tribes are more than just the sign of an old injury.<br />
<br />
For these aren't just any scars: They're an elaborate part of local culture and signify everything from beauty to adulthood or even, in some cases, are simply a mark of belonging.<br />
<br />
But Ethiopian tribes aren't the only ones to embrace scarification. In Uganda, the Karamojong are famous for their elaborate scar patterns, while across Ethiopia's border with Sudan, Nuer men bear scarred foreheads and consider getting them a key part of the transition from boy to man. Now the stunning scar markings of Ethiopia and Sudan are the subject of an incredible set of photographs by French snapper, Eric Lafforgue, who travelled through the country observing cutting ceremonies and meeting the locals.<br />
<br />
During a visit to the Surma tribe, who live in the country's remote Omo Valley, he witnessed a scarification ceremony, which involved creating the patterns using thorns and a razor.<br />
<br />
'The12-year-old girl who was being cut didn't say a word during the 10-minute ceremony and refused to show any pain,' he revealed. 'Her mother used a thorn to pull the skin out and a razor blade to cut the skin.<br />
<br />
'At the end, I asked her whether having her skin cut had been tough and she replied that she was close to collapse. It was incredible as she didn't show any sign of pain on her face during the ceremony as that would have been seen as shameful for the family.'<br />
<br />
What's more, he explained, despite the pain, the girl herself initiated the ceremony as Surma girls aren't obliged to take part. 'Scars are a sign of beauty within the tribe,' he added.<br />
<br />
'Children who go to school or convert to Christianity don't do it but the others see the ability to cope with pain as a sign that t
    Exclusivepix_worlds_most_painful_tat...jpg
  • Are these the world's most painful tattoos? Ethiopian and Sudanese tribes show off their intricate raised patterns created using THORNS<br />
<br />
From delicate swirls of raised flesh to intricate dotted patterns, the scars that decorate the bodies of Ethiopia's Bodi, Mursi and Surma tribes are more than just the sign of an old injury.<br />
<br />
For these aren't just any scars: They're an elaborate part of local culture and signify everything from beauty to adulthood or even, in some cases, are simply a mark of belonging.<br />
<br />
But Ethiopian tribes aren't the only ones to embrace scarification. In Uganda, the Karamojong are famous for their elaborate scar patterns, while across Ethiopia's border with Sudan, Nuer men bear scarred foreheads and consider getting them a key part of the transition from boy to man. Now the stunning scar markings of Ethiopia and Sudan are the subject of an incredible set of photographs by French snapper, Eric Lafforgue, who travelled through the country observing cutting ceremonies and meeting the locals.<br />
<br />
During a visit to the Surma tribe, who live in the country's remote Omo Valley, he witnessed a scarification ceremony, which involved creating the patterns using thorns and a razor.<br />
<br />
'The12-year-old girl who was being cut didn't say a word during the 10-minute ceremony and refused to show any pain,' he revealed. 'Her mother used a thorn to pull the skin out and a razor blade to cut the skin.<br />
<br />
'At the end, I asked her whether having her skin cut had been tough and she replied that she was close to collapse. It was incredible as she didn't show any sign of pain on her face during the ceremony as that would have been seen as shameful for the family.'<br />
<br />
What's more, he explained, despite the pain, the girl herself initiated the ceremony as Surma girls aren't obliged to take part. 'Scars are a sign of beauty within the tribe,' he added.<br />
<br />
'Children who go to school or convert to Christianity don't do it but the others see the ability to cope with pain as a sign that t
    Exclusivepix_worlds_most_painful_tat...jpg
  • Are these the world's most painful tattoos? Ethiopian and Sudanese tribes show off their intricate raised patterns created using THORNS<br />
<br />
From delicate swirls of raised flesh to intricate dotted patterns, the scars that decorate the bodies of Ethiopia's Bodi, Mursi and Surma tribes are more than just the sign of an old injury.<br />
<br />
For these aren't just any scars: They're an elaborate part of local culture and signify everything from beauty to adulthood or even, in some cases, are simply a mark of belonging.<br />
<br />
But Ethiopian tribes aren't the only ones to embrace scarification. In Uganda, the Karamojong are famous for their elaborate scar patterns, while across Ethiopia's border with Sudan, Nuer men bear scarred foreheads and consider getting them a key part of the transition from boy to man. Now the stunning scar markings of Ethiopia and Sudan are the subject of an incredible set of photographs by French snapper, Eric Lafforgue, who travelled through the country observing cutting ceremonies and meeting the locals.<br />
<br />
During a visit to the Surma tribe, who live in the country's remote Omo Valley, he witnessed a scarification ceremony, which involved creating the patterns using thorns and a razor.<br />
<br />
'The12-year-old girl who was being cut didn't say a word during the 10-minute ceremony and refused to show any pain,' he revealed. 'Her mother used a thorn to pull the skin out and a razor blade to cut the skin.<br />
<br />
'At the end, I asked her whether having her skin cut had been tough and she replied that she was close to collapse. It was incredible as she didn't show any sign of pain on her face during the ceremony as that would have been seen as shameful for the family.'<br />
<br />
What's more, he explained, despite the pain, the girl herself initiated the ceremony as Surma girls aren't obliged to take part. 'Scars are a sign of beauty within the tribe,' he added.<br />
<br />
'Children who go to school or convert to Christianity don't do it but the others see the ability to cope with pain as a sign that t
    Exclusivepix_worlds_most_painful_tat...jpg
  • Are these the world's most painful tattoos? Ethiopian and Sudanese tribes show off their intricate raised patterns created using THORNS<br />
<br />
From delicate swirls of raised flesh to intricate dotted patterns, the scars that decorate the bodies of Ethiopia's Bodi, Mursi and Surma tribes are more than just the sign of an old injury.<br />
<br />
For these aren't just any scars: They're an elaborate part of local culture and signify everything from beauty to adulthood or even, in some cases, are simply a mark of belonging.<br />
<br />
But Ethiopian tribes aren't the only ones to embrace scarification. In Uganda, the Karamojong are famous for their elaborate scar patterns, while across Ethiopia's border with Sudan, Nuer men bear scarred foreheads and consider getting them a key part of the transition from boy to man. Now the stunning scar markings of Ethiopia and Sudan are the subject of an incredible set of photographs by French snapper, Eric Lafforgue, who travelled through the country observing cutting ceremonies and meeting the locals.<br />
<br />
During a visit to the Surma tribe, who live in the country's remote Omo Valley, he witnessed a scarification ceremony, which involved creating the patterns using thorns and a razor.<br />
<br />
'The12-year-old girl who was being cut didn't say a word during the 10-minute ceremony and refused to show any pain,' he revealed. 'Her mother used a thorn to pull the skin out and a razor blade to cut the skin.<br />
<br />
'At the end, I asked her whether having her skin cut had been tough and she replied that she was close to collapse. It was incredible as she didn't show any sign of pain on her face during the ceremony as that would have been seen as shameful for the family.'<br />
<br />
What's more, he explained, despite the pain, the girl herself initiated the ceremony as Surma girls aren't obliged to take part. 'Scars are a sign of beauty within the tribe,' he added.<br />
<br />
'Children who go to school or convert to Christianity don't do it but the others see the ability to cope with pain as a sign that t
    Exclusivepix_worlds_most_painful_tat...jpg
  • Are these the world's most painful tattoos? Ethiopian and Sudanese tribes show off their intricate raised patterns created using THORNS<br />
<br />
From delicate swirls of raised flesh to intricate dotted patterns, the scars that decorate the bodies of Ethiopia's Bodi, Mursi and Surma tribes are more than just the sign of an old injury.<br />
<br />
For these aren't just any scars: They're an elaborate part of local culture and signify everything from beauty to adulthood or even, in some cases, are simply a mark of belonging.<br />
<br />
But Ethiopian tribes aren't the only ones to embrace scarification. In Uganda, the Karamojong are famous for their elaborate scar patterns, while across Ethiopia's border with Sudan, Nuer men bear scarred foreheads and consider getting them a key part of the transition from boy to man. Now the stunning scar markings of Ethiopia and Sudan are the subject of an incredible set of photographs by French snapper, Eric Lafforgue, who travelled through the country observing cutting ceremonies and meeting the locals.<br />
<br />
During a visit to the Surma tribe, who live in the country's remote Omo Valley, he witnessed a scarification ceremony, which involved creating the patterns using thorns and a razor.<br />
<br />
'The12-year-old girl who was being cut didn't say a word during the 10-minute ceremony and refused to show any pain,' he revealed. 'Her mother used a thorn to pull the skin out and a razor blade to cut the skin.<br />
<br />
'At the end, I asked her whether having her skin cut had been tough and she replied that she was close to collapse. It was incredible as she didn't show any sign of pain on her face during the ceremony as that would have been seen as shameful for the family.'<br />
<br />
What's more, he explained, despite the pain, the girl herself initiated the ceremony as Surma girls aren't obliged to take part. 'Scars are a sign of beauty within the tribe,' he added.<br />
<br />
'Children who go to school or convert to Christianity don't do it but the others see the ability to cope with pain as a sign that t
    Exclusivepix_worlds_most_painful_tat...jpg
  • Are these the world's most painful tattoos? Ethiopian and Sudanese tribes show off their intricate raised patterns created using THORNS<br />
<br />
From delicate swirls of raised flesh to intricate dotted patterns, the scars that decorate the bodies of Ethiopia's Bodi, Mursi and Surma tribes are more than just the sign of an old injury.<br />
<br />
For these aren't just any scars: They're an elaborate part of local culture and signify everything from beauty to adulthood or even, in some cases, are simply a mark of belonging.<br />
<br />
But Ethiopian tribes aren't the only ones to embrace scarification. In Uganda, the Karamojong are famous for their elaborate scar patterns, while across Ethiopia's border with Sudan, Nuer men bear scarred foreheads and consider getting them a key part of the transition from boy to man. Now the stunning scar markings of Ethiopia and Sudan are the subject of an incredible set of photographs by French snapper, Eric Lafforgue, who travelled through the country observing cutting ceremonies and meeting the locals.<br />
<br />
During a visit to the Surma tribe, who live in the country's remote Omo Valley, he witnessed a scarification ceremony, which involved creating the patterns using thorns and a razor.<br />
<br />
'The12-year-old girl who was being cut didn't say a word during the 10-minute ceremony and refused to show any pain,' he revealed. 'Her mother used a thorn to pull the skin out and a razor blade to cut the skin.<br />
<br />
'At the end, I asked her whether having her skin cut had been tough and she replied that she was close to collapse. It was incredible as she didn't show any sign of pain on her face during the ceremony as that would have been seen as shameful for the family.'<br />
<br />
What's more, he explained, despite the pain, the girl herself initiated the ceremony as Surma girls aren't obliged to take part. 'Scars are a sign of beauty within the tribe,' he added.<br />
<br />
'Children who go to school or convert to Christianity don't do it but the others see the ability to cope with pain as a sign that t
    Exclusivepix_worlds_most_painful_tat...jpg
  • Are these the world's most painful tattoos? Ethiopian and Sudanese tribes show off their intricate raised patterns created using THORNS<br />
<br />
From delicate swirls of raised flesh to intricate dotted patterns, the scars that decorate the bodies of Ethiopia's Bodi, Mursi and Surma tribes are more than just the sign of an old injury.<br />
<br />
For these aren't just any scars: They're an elaborate part of local culture and signify everything from beauty to adulthood or even, in some cases, are simply a mark of belonging.<br />
<br />
But Ethiopian tribes aren't the only ones to embrace scarification. In Uganda, the Karamojong are famous for their elaborate scar patterns, while across Ethiopia's border with Sudan, Nuer men bear scarred foreheads and consider getting them a key part of the transition from boy to man. Now the stunning scar markings of Ethiopia and Sudan are the subject of an incredible set of photographs by French snapper, Eric Lafforgue, who travelled through the country observing cutting ceremonies and meeting the locals.<br />
<br />
During a visit to the Surma tribe, who live in the country's remote Omo Valley, he witnessed a scarification ceremony, which involved creating the patterns using thorns and a razor.<br />
<br />
'The12-year-old girl who was being cut didn't say a word during the 10-minute ceremony and refused to show any pain,' he revealed. 'Her mother used a thorn to pull the skin out and a razor blade to cut the skin.<br />
<br />
'At the end, I asked her whether having her skin cut had been tough and she replied that she was close to collapse. It was incredible as she didn't show any sign of pain on her face during the ceremony as that would have been seen as shameful for the family.'<br />
<br />
What's more, he explained, despite the pain, the girl herself initiated the ceremony as Surma girls aren't obliged to take part. 'Scars are a sign of beauty within the tribe,' he added.<br />
<br />
'Children who go to school or convert to Christianity don't do it but the others see the ability to cope with pain as a sign that t
    Exclusivepix_worlds_most_painful_tat...jpg
  • Are these the world's most painful tattoos? Ethiopian and Sudanese tribes show off their intricate raised patterns created using THORNS<br />
<br />
From delicate swirls of raised flesh to intricate dotted patterns, the scars that decorate the bodies of Ethiopia's Bodi, Mursi and Surma tribes are more than just the sign of an old injury.<br />
<br />
For these aren't just any scars: They're an elaborate part of local culture and signify everything from beauty to adulthood or even, in some cases, are simply a mark of belonging.<br />
<br />
But Ethiopian tribes aren't the only ones to embrace scarification. In Uganda, the Karamojong are famous for their elaborate scar patterns, while across Ethiopia's border with Sudan, Nuer men bear scarred foreheads and consider getting them a key part of the transition from boy to man. Now the stunning scar markings of Ethiopia and Sudan are the subject of an incredible set of photographs by French snapper, Eric Lafforgue, who travelled through the country observing cutting ceremonies and meeting the locals.<br />
<br />
During a visit to the Surma tribe, who live in the country's remote Omo Valley, he witnessed a scarification ceremony, which involved creating the patterns using thorns and a razor.<br />
<br />
'The12-year-old girl who was being cut didn't say a word during the 10-minute ceremony and refused to show any pain,' he revealed. 'Her mother used a thorn to pull the skin out and a razor blade to cut the skin.<br />
<br />
'At the end, I asked her whether having her skin cut had been tough and she replied that she was close to collapse. It was incredible as she didn't show any sign of pain on her face during the ceremony as that would have been seen as shameful for the family.'<br />
<br />
What's more, he explained, despite the pain, the girl herself initiated the ceremony as Surma girls aren't obliged to take part. 'Scars are a sign of beauty within the tribe,' he added.<br />
<br />
'Children who go to school or convert to Christianity don't do it but the others see the ability to cope with pain as a sign that t
    Exclusivepix_worlds_most_painful_tat...jpg
  • Are these the world's most painful tattoos? Ethiopian and Sudanese tribes show off their intricate raised patterns created using THORNS<br />
<br />
From delicate swirls of raised flesh to intricate dotted patterns, the scars that decorate the bodies of Ethiopia's Bodi, Mursi and Surma tribes are more than just the sign of an old injury.<br />
<br />
For these aren't just any scars: They're an elaborate part of local culture and signify everything from beauty to adulthood or even, in some cases, are simply a mark of belonging.<br />
<br />
But Ethiopian tribes aren't the only ones to embrace scarification. In Uganda, the Karamojong are famous for their elaborate scar patterns, while across Ethiopia's border with Sudan, Nuer men bear scarred foreheads and consider getting them a key part of the transition from boy to man. Now the stunning scar markings of Ethiopia and Sudan are the subject of an incredible set of photographs by French snapper, Eric Lafforgue, who travelled through the country observing cutting ceremonies and meeting the locals.<br />
<br />
During a visit to the Surma tribe, who live in the country's remote Omo Valley, he witnessed a scarification ceremony, which involved creating the patterns using thorns and a razor.<br />
<br />
'The12-year-old girl who was being cut didn't say a word during the 10-minute ceremony and refused to show any pain,' he revealed. 'Her mother used a thorn to pull the skin out and a razor blade to cut the skin.<br />
<br />
'At the end, I asked her whether having her skin cut had been tough and she replied that she was close to collapse. It was incredible as she didn't show any sign of pain on her face during the ceremony as that would have been seen as shameful for the family.'<br />
<br />
What's more, he explained, despite the pain, the girl herself initiated the ceremony as Surma girls aren't obliged to take part. 'Scars are a sign of beauty within the tribe,' he added.<br />
<br />
'Children who go to school or convert to Christianity don't do it but the others see the ability to cope with pain as a sign that t
    Exclusivepix_worlds_most_painful_tat...jpg
  • Are these the world's most painful tattoos? Ethiopian and Sudanese tribes show off their intricate raised patterns created using THORNS<br />
<br />
From delicate swirls of raised flesh to intricate dotted patterns, the scars that decorate the bodies of Ethiopia's Bodi, Mursi and Surma tribes are more than just the sign of an old injury.<br />
<br />
For these aren't just any scars: They're an elaborate part of local culture and signify everything from beauty to adulthood or even, in some cases, are simply a mark of belonging.<br />
<br />
But Ethiopian tribes aren't the only ones to embrace scarification. In Uganda, the Karamojong are famous for their elaborate scar patterns, while across Ethiopia's border with Sudan, Nuer men bear scarred foreheads and consider getting them a key part of the transition from boy to man. Now the stunning scar markings of Ethiopia and Sudan are the subject of an incredible set of photographs by French snapper, Eric Lafforgue, who travelled through the country observing cutting ceremonies and meeting the locals.<br />
<br />
During a visit to the Surma tribe, who live in the country's remote Omo Valley, he witnessed a scarification ceremony, which involved creating the patterns using thorns and a razor.<br />
<br />
'The12-year-old girl who was being cut didn't say a word during the 10-minute ceremony and refused to show any pain,' he revealed. 'Her mother used a thorn to pull the skin out and a razor blade to cut the skin.<br />
<br />
'At the end, I asked her whether having her skin cut had been tough and she replied that she was close to collapse. It was incredible as she didn't show any sign of pain on her face during the ceremony as that would have been seen as shameful for the family.'<br />
<br />
What's more, he explained, despite the pain, the girl herself initiated the ceremony as Surma girls aren't obliged to take part. 'Scars are a sign of beauty within the tribe,' he added.<br />
<br />
'Children who go to school or convert to Christianity don't do it but the others see the ability to cope with pain as a sign that t
    Exclusivepix_worlds_most_painful_tat...jpg
  • Are these the world's most painful tattoos? Ethiopian and Sudanese tribes show off their intricate raised patterns created using THORNS<br />
<br />
From delicate swirls of raised flesh to intricate dotted patterns, the scars that decorate the bodies of Ethiopia's Bodi, Mursi and Surma tribes are more than just the sign of an old injury.<br />
<br />
For these aren't just any scars: They're an elaborate part of local culture and signify everything from beauty to adulthood or even, in some cases, are simply a mark of belonging.<br />
<br />
But Ethiopian tribes aren't the only ones to embrace scarification. In Uganda, the Karamojong are famous for their elaborate scar patterns, while across Ethiopia's border with Sudan, Nuer men bear scarred foreheads and consider getting them a key part of the transition from boy to man. Now the stunning scar markings of Ethiopia and Sudan are the subject of an incredible set of photographs by French snapper, Eric Lafforgue, who travelled through the country observing cutting ceremonies and meeting the locals.<br />
<br />
During a visit to the Surma tribe, who live in the country's remote Omo Valley, he witnessed a scarification ceremony, which involved creating the patterns using thorns and a razor.<br />
<br />
'The12-year-old girl who was being cut didn't say a word during the 10-minute ceremony and refused to show any pain,' he revealed. 'Her mother used a thorn to pull the skin out and a razor blade to cut the skin.<br />
<br />
'At the end, I asked her whether having her skin cut had been tough and she replied that she was close to collapse. It was incredible as she didn't show any sign of pain on her face during the ceremony as that would have been seen as shameful for the family.'<br />
<br />
What's more, he explained, despite the pain, the girl herself initiated the ceremony as Surma girls aren't obliged to take part. 'Scars are a sign of beauty within the tribe,' he added.<br />
<br />
'Children who go to school or convert to Christianity don't do it but the others see the ability to cope with pain as a sign that t
    Exclusivepix_worlds_most_painful_tat...jpg
  • Are these the world's most painful tattoos? Ethiopian and Sudanese tribes show off their intricate raised patterns created using THORNS<br />
<br />
From delicate swirls of raised flesh to intricate dotted patterns, the scars that decorate the bodies of Ethiopia's Bodi, Mursi and Surma tribes are more than just the sign of an old injury.<br />
<br />
For these aren't just any scars: They're an elaborate part of local culture and signify everything from beauty to adulthood or even, in some cases, are simply a mark of belonging.<br />
<br />
But Ethiopian tribes aren't the only ones to embrace scarification. In Uganda, the Karamojong are famous for their elaborate scar patterns, while across Ethiopia's border with Sudan, Nuer men bear scarred foreheads and consider getting them a key part of the transition from boy to man. Now the stunning scar markings of Ethiopia and Sudan are the subject of an incredible set of photographs by French snapper, Eric Lafforgue, who travelled through the country observing cutting ceremonies and meeting the locals.<br />
<br />
During a visit to the Surma tribe, who live in the country's remote Omo Valley, he witnessed a scarification ceremony, which involved creating the patterns using thorns and a razor.<br />
<br />
'The12-year-old girl who was being cut didn't say a word during the 10-minute ceremony and refused to show any pain,' he revealed. 'Her mother used a thorn to pull the skin out and a razor blade to cut the skin.<br />
<br />
'At the end, I asked her whether having her skin cut had been tough and she replied that she was close to collapse. It was incredible as she didn't show any sign of pain on her face during the ceremony as that would have been seen as shameful for the family.'<br />
<br />
What's more, he explained, despite the pain, the girl herself initiated the ceremony as Surma girls aren't obliged to take part. 'Scars are a sign of beauty within the tribe,' he added.<br />
<br />
'Children who go to school or convert to Christianity don't do it but the others see the ability to cope with pain as a sign that t
    Exclusivepix_worlds_most_painful_tat...jpg
  • Are these the world's most painful tattoos? Ethiopian and Sudanese tribes show off their intricate raised patterns created using THORNS<br />
<br />
From delicate swirls of raised flesh to intricate dotted patterns, the scars that decorate the bodies of Ethiopia's Bodi, Mursi and Surma tribes are more than just the sign of an old injury.<br />
<br />
For these aren't just any scars: They're an elaborate part of local culture and signify everything from beauty to adulthood or even, in some cases, are simply a mark of belonging.<br />
<br />
But Ethiopian tribes aren't the only ones to embrace scarification. In Uganda, the Karamojong are famous for their elaborate scar patterns, while across Ethiopia's border with Sudan, Nuer men bear scarred foreheads and consider getting them a key part of the transition from boy to man. Now the stunning scar markings of Ethiopia and Sudan are the subject of an incredible set of photographs by French snapper, Eric Lafforgue, who travelled through the country observing cutting ceremonies and meeting the locals.<br />
<br />
During a visit to the Surma tribe, who live in the country's remote Omo Valley, he witnessed a scarification ceremony, which involved creating the patterns using thorns and a razor.<br />
<br />
'The12-year-old girl who was being cut didn't say a word during the 10-minute ceremony and refused to show any pain,' he revealed. 'Her mother used a thorn to pull the skin out and a razor blade to cut the skin.<br />
<br />
'At the end, I asked her whether having her skin cut had been tough and she replied that she was close to collapse. It was incredible as she didn't show any sign of pain on her face during the ceremony as that would have been seen as shameful for the family.'<br />
<br />
What's more, he explained, despite the pain, the girl herself initiated the ceremony as Surma girls aren't obliged to take part. 'Scars are a sign of beauty within the tribe,' he added.<br />
<br />
'Children who go to school or convert to Christianity don't do it but the others see the ability to cope with pain as a sign that t
    Exclusivepix_worlds_most_painful_tat...jpg
  • Are these the world's most painful tattoos? Ethiopian and Sudanese tribes show off their intricate raised patterns created using THORNS<br />
<br />
From delicate swirls of raised flesh to intricate dotted patterns, the scars that decorate the bodies of Ethiopia's Bodi, Mursi and Surma tribes are more than just the sign of an old injury.<br />
<br />
For these aren't just any scars: They're an elaborate part of local culture and signify everything from beauty to adulthood or even, in some cases, are simply a mark of belonging.<br />
<br />
But Ethiopian tribes aren't the only ones to embrace scarification. In Uganda, the Karamojong are famous for their elaborate scar patterns, while across Ethiopia's border with Sudan, Nuer men bear scarred foreheads and consider getting them a key part of the transition from boy to man. Now the stunning scar markings of Ethiopia and Sudan are the subject of an incredible set of photographs by French snapper, Eric Lafforgue, who travelled through the country observing cutting ceremonies and meeting the locals.<br />
<br />
During a visit to the Surma tribe, who live in the country's remote Omo Valley, he witnessed a scarification ceremony, which involved creating the patterns using thorns and a razor.<br />
<br />
'The12-year-old girl who was being cut didn't say a word during the 10-minute ceremony and refused to show any pain,' he revealed. 'Her mother used a thorn to pull the skin out and a razor blade to cut the skin.<br />
<br />
'At the end, I asked her whether having her skin cut had been tough and she replied that she was close to collapse. It was incredible as she didn't show any sign of pain on her face during the ceremony as that would have been seen as shameful for the family.'<br />
<br />
What's more, he explained, despite the pain, the girl herself initiated the ceremony as Surma girls aren't obliged to take part. 'Scars are a sign of beauty within the tribe,' he added.<br />
<br />
'Children who go to school or convert to Christianity don't do it but the others see the ability to cope with pain as a sign that t
    Exclusivepix_worlds_most_painful_tat...jpg
  • Are these the world's most painful tattoos? Ethiopian and Sudanese tribes show off their intricate raised patterns created using THORNS<br />
<br />
From delicate swirls of raised flesh to intricate dotted patterns, the scars that decorate the bodies of Ethiopia's Bodi, Mursi and Surma tribes are more than just the sign of an old injury.<br />
<br />
For these aren't just any scars: They're an elaborate part of local culture and signify everything from beauty to adulthood or even, in some cases, are simply a mark of belonging.<br />
<br />
But Ethiopian tribes aren't the only ones to embrace scarification. In Uganda, the Karamojong are famous for their elaborate scar patterns, while across Ethiopia's border with Sudan, Nuer men bear scarred foreheads and consider getting them a key part of the transition from boy to man. Now the stunning scar markings of Ethiopia and Sudan are the subject of an incredible set of photographs by French snapper, Eric Lafforgue, who travelled through the country observing cutting ceremonies and meeting the locals.<br />
<br />
During a visit to the Surma tribe, who live in the country's remote Omo Valley, he witnessed a scarification ceremony, which involved creating the patterns using thorns and a razor.<br />
<br />
'The12-year-old girl who was being cut didn't say a word during the 10-minute ceremony and refused to show any pain,' he revealed. 'Her mother used a thorn to pull the skin out and a razor blade to cut the skin.<br />
<br />
'At the end, I asked her whether having her skin cut had been tough and she replied that she was close to collapse. It was incredible as she didn't show any sign of pain on her face during the ceremony as that would have been seen as shameful for the family.'<br />
<br />
What's more, he explained, despite the pain, the girl herself initiated the ceremony as Surma girls aren't obliged to take part. 'Scars are a sign of beauty within the tribe,' he added.<br />
<br />
'Children who go to school or convert to Christianity don't do it but the others see the ability to cope with pain as a sign that t
    Exclusivepix_worlds_most_painful_tat...jpg
  • Are these the world's most painful tattoos? Ethiopian and Sudanese tribes show off their intricate raised patterns created using THORNS<br />
<br />
From delicate swirls of raised flesh to intricate dotted patterns, the scars that decorate the bodies of Ethiopia's Bodi, Mursi and Surma tribes are more than just the sign of an old injury.<br />
<br />
For these aren't just any scars: They're an elaborate part of local culture and signify everything from beauty to adulthood or even, in some cases, are simply a mark of belonging.<br />
<br />
But Ethiopian tribes aren't the only ones to embrace scarification. In Uganda, the Karamojong are famous for their elaborate scar patterns, while across Ethiopia's border with Sudan, Nuer men bear scarred foreheads and consider getting them a key part of the transition from boy to man. Now the stunning scar markings of Ethiopia and Sudan are the subject of an incredible set of photographs by French snapper, Eric Lafforgue, who travelled through the country observing cutting ceremonies and meeting the locals.<br />
<br />
During a visit to the Surma tribe, who live in the country's remote Omo Valley, he witnessed a scarification ceremony, which involved creating the patterns using thorns and a razor.<br />
<br />
'The12-year-old girl who was being cut didn't say a word during the 10-minute ceremony and refused to show any pain,' he revealed. 'Her mother used a thorn to pull the skin out and a razor blade to cut the skin.<br />
<br />
'At the end, I asked her whether having her skin cut had been tough and she replied that she was close to collapse. It was incredible as she didn't show any sign of pain on her face during the ceremony as that would have been seen as shameful for the family.'<br />
<br />
What's more, he explained, despite the pain, the girl herself initiated the ceremony as Surma girls aren't obliged to take part. 'Scars are a sign of beauty within the tribe,' he added.<br />
<br />
'Children who go to school or convert to Christianity don't do it but the others see the ability to cope with pain as a sign that t
    Exclusivepix_worlds_most_painful_tat...jpg
  • Are these the world's most painful tattoos? Ethiopian and Sudanese tribes show off their intricate raised patterns created using THORNS<br />
<br />
From delicate swirls of raised flesh to intricate dotted patterns, the scars that decorate the bodies of Ethiopia's Bodi, Mursi and Surma tribes are more than just the sign of an old injury.<br />
<br />
For these aren't just any scars: They're an elaborate part of local culture and signify everything from beauty to adulthood or even, in some cases, are simply a mark of belonging.<br />
<br />
But Ethiopian tribes aren't the only ones to embrace scarification. In Uganda, the Karamojong are famous for their elaborate scar patterns, while across Ethiopia's border with Sudan, Nuer men bear scarred foreheads and consider getting them a key part of the transition from boy to man. Now the stunning scar markings of Ethiopia and Sudan are the subject of an incredible set of photographs by French snapper, Eric Lafforgue, who travelled through the country observing cutting ceremonies and meeting the locals.<br />
<br />
During a visit to the Surma tribe, who live in the country's remote Omo Valley, he witnessed a scarification ceremony, which involved creating the patterns using thorns and a razor.<br />
<br />
'The12-year-old girl who was being cut didn't say a word during the 10-minute ceremony and refused to show any pain,' he revealed. 'Her mother used a thorn to pull the skin out and a razor blade to cut the skin.<br />
<br />
'At the end, I asked her whether having her skin cut had been tough and she replied that she was close to collapse. It was incredible as she didn't show any sign of pain on her face during the ceremony as that would have been seen as shameful for the family.'<br />
<br />
What's more, he explained, despite the pain, the girl herself initiated the ceremony as Surma girls aren't obliged to take part. 'Scars are a sign of beauty within the tribe,' he added.<br />
<br />
'Children who go to school or convert to Christianity don't do it but the others see the ability to cope with pain as a sign that t
    Exclusivepix_worlds_most_painful_tat...jpg
  • Are these the world's most painful tattoos? Ethiopian and Sudanese tribes show off their intricate raised patterns created using THORNS<br />
<br />
From delicate swirls of raised flesh to intricate dotted patterns, the scars that decorate the bodies of Ethiopia's Bodi, Mursi and Surma tribes are more than just the sign of an old injury.<br />
<br />
For these aren't just any scars: They're an elaborate part of local culture and signify everything from beauty to adulthood or even, in some cases, are simply a mark of belonging.<br />
<br />
But Ethiopian tribes aren't the only ones to embrace scarification. In Uganda, the Karamojong are famous for their elaborate scar patterns, while across Ethiopia's border with Sudan, Nuer men bear scarred foreheads and consider getting them a key part of the transition from boy to man. Now the stunning scar markings of Ethiopia and Sudan are the subject of an incredible set of photographs by French snapper, Eric Lafforgue, who travelled through the country observing cutting ceremonies and meeting the locals.<br />
<br />
During a visit to the Surma tribe, who live in the country's remote Omo Valley, he witnessed a scarification ceremony, which involved creating the patterns using thorns and a razor.<br />
<br />
'The12-year-old girl who was being cut didn't say a word during the 10-minute ceremony and refused to show any pain,' he revealed. 'Her mother used a thorn to pull the skin out and a razor blade to cut the skin.<br />
<br />
'At the end, I asked her whether having her skin cut had been tough and she replied that she was close to collapse. It was incredible as she didn't show any sign of pain on her face during the ceremony as that would have been seen as shameful for the family.'<br />
<br />
What's more, he explained, despite the pain, the girl herself initiated the ceremony as Surma girls aren't obliged to take part. 'Scars are a sign of beauty within the tribe,' he added.<br />
<br />
'Children who go to school or convert to Christianity don't do it but the others see the ability to cope with pain as a sign that t
    Exclusivepix_worlds_most_painful_tat...jpg
  • Are these the world's most painful tattoos? Ethiopian and Sudanese tribes show off their intricate raised patterns created using THORNS<br />
<br />
From delicate swirls of raised flesh to intricate dotted patterns, the scars that decorate the bodies of Ethiopia's Bodi, Mursi and Surma tribes are more than just the sign of an old injury.<br />
<br />
For these aren't just any scars: They're an elaborate part of local culture and signify everything from beauty to adulthood or even, in some cases, are simply a mark of belonging.<br />
<br />
But Ethiopian tribes aren't the only ones to embrace scarification. In Uganda, the Karamojong are famous for their elaborate scar patterns, while across Ethiopia's border with Sudan, Nuer men bear scarred foreheads and consider getting them a key part of the transition from boy to man. Now the stunning scar markings of Ethiopia and Sudan are the subject of an incredible set of photographs by French snapper, Eric Lafforgue, who travelled through the country observing cutting ceremonies and meeting the locals.<br />
<br />
During a visit to the Surma tribe, who live in the country's remote Omo Valley, he witnessed a scarification ceremony, which involved creating the patterns using thorns and a razor.<br />
<br />
'The12-year-old girl who was being cut didn't say a word during the 10-minute ceremony and refused to show any pain,' he revealed. 'Her mother used a thorn to pull the skin out and a razor blade to cut the skin.<br />
<br />
'At the end, I asked her whether having her skin cut had been tough and she replied that she was close to collapse. It was incredible as she didn't show any sign of pain on her face during the ceremony as that would have been seen as shameful for the family.'<br />
<br />
What's more, he explained, despite the pain, the girl herself initiated the ceremony as Surma girls aren't obliged to take part. 'Scars are a sign of beauty within the tribe,' he added.<br />
<br />
'Children who go to school or convert to Christianity don't do it but the others see the ability to cope with pain as a sign that t
    Exclusivepix_worlds_most_painful_tat...jpg
  • Are these the world's most painful tattoos? Ethiopian and Sudanese tribes show off their intricate raised patterns created using THORNS<br />
<br />
From delicate swirls of raised flesh to intricate dotted patterns, the scars that decorate the bodies of Ethiopia's Bodi, Mursi and Surma tribes are more than just the sign of an old injury.<br />
<br />
For these aren't just any scars: They're an elaborate part of local culture and signify everything from beauty to adulthood or even, in some cases, are simply a mark of belonging.<br />
<br />
But Ethiopian tribes aren't the only ones to embrace scarification. In Uganda, the Karamojong are famous for their elaborate scar patterns, while across Ethiopia's border with Sudan, Nuer men bear scarred foreheads and consider getting them a key part of the transition from boy to man. Now the stunning scar markings of Ethiopia and Sudan are the subject of an incredible set of photographs by French snapper, Eric Lafforgue, who travelled through the country observing cutting ceremonies and meeting the locals.<br />
<br />
During a visit to the Surma tribe, who live in the country's remote Omo Valley, he witnessed a scarification ceremony, which involved creating the patterns using thorns and a razor.<br />
<br />
'The12-year-old girl who was being cut didn't say a word during the 10-minute ceremony and refused to show any pain,' he revealed. 'Her mother used a thorn to pull the skin out and a razor blade to cut the skin.<br />
<br />
'At the end, I asked her whether having her skin cut had been tough and she replied that she was close to collapse. It was incredible as she didn't show any sign of pain on her face during the ceremony as that would have been seen as shameful for the family.'<br />
<br />
What's more, he explained, despite the pain, the girl herself initiated the ceremony as Surma girls aren't obliged to take part. 'Scars are a sign of beauty within the tribe,' he added.<br />
<br />
'Children who go to school or convert to Christianity don't do it but the others see the ability to cope with pain as a sign that t
    Exclusivepix_worlds_most_painful_tat...jpg
  • Are these the world's most painful tattoos? Ethiopian and Sudanese tribes show off their intricate raised patterns created using THORNS<br />
<br />
From delicate swirls of raised flesh to intricate dotted patterns, the scars that decorate the bodies of Ethiopia's Bodi, Mursi and Surma tribes are more than just the sign of an old injury.<br />
<br />
For these aren't just any scars: They're an elaborate part of local culture and signify everything from beauty to adulthood or even, in some cases, are simply a mark of belonging.<br />
<br />
But Ethiopian tribes aren't the only ones to embrace scarification. In Uganda, the Karamojong are famous for their elaborate scar patterns, while across Ethiopia's border with Sudan, Nuer men bear scarred foreheads and consider getting them a key part of the transition from boy to man. Now the stunning scar markings of Ethiopia and Sudan are the subject of an incredible set of photographs by French snapper, Eric Lafforgue, who travelled through the country observing cutting ceremonies and meeting the locals.<br />
<br />
During a visit to the Surma tribe, who live in the country's remote Omo Valley, he witnessed a scarification ceremony, which involved creating the patterns using thorns and a razor.<br />
<br />
'The12-year-old girl who was being cut didn't say a word during the 10-minute ceremony and refused to show any pain,' he revealed. 'Her mother used a thorn to pull the skin out and a razor blade to cut the skin.<br />
<br />
'At the end, I asked her whether having her skin cut had been tough and she replied that she was close to collapse. It was incredible as she didn't show any sign of pain on her face during the ceremony as that would have been seen as shameful for the family.'<br />
<br />
What's more, he explained, despite the pain, the girl herself initiated the ceremony as Surma girls aren't obliged to take part. 'Scars are a sign of beauty within the tribe,' he added.<br />
<br />
'Children who go to school or convert to Christianity don't do it but the others see the ability to cope with pain as a sign that t
    Exclusivepix_worlds_most_painful_tat...jpg
  • Are these the world's most painful tattoos? Ethiopian and Sudanese tribes show off their intricate raised patterns created using THORNS<br />
<br />
From delicate swirls of raised flesh to intricate dotted patterns, the scars that decorate the bodies of Ethiopia's Bodi, Mursi and Surma tribes are more than just the sign of an old injury.<br />
<br />
For these aren't just any scars: They're an elaborate part of local culture and signify everything from beauty to adulthood or even, in some cases, are simply a mark of belonging.<br />
<br />
But Ethiopian tribes aren't the only ones to embrace scarification. In Uganda, the Karamojong are famous for their elaborate scar patterns, while across Ethiopia's border with Sudan, Nuer men bear scarred foreheads and consider getting them a key part of the transition from boy to man. Now the stunning scar markings of Ethiopia and Sudan are the subject of an incredible set of photographs by French snapper, Eric Lafforgue, who travelled through the country observing cutting ceremonies and meeting the locals.<br />
<br />
During a visit to the Surma tribe, who live in the country's remote Omo Valley, he witnessed a scarification ceremony, which involved creating the patterns using thorns and a razor.<br />
<br />
'The12-year-old girl who was being cut didn't say a word during the 10-minute ceremony and refused to show any pain,' he revealed. 'Her mother used a thorn to pull the skin out and a razor blade to cut the skin.<br />
<br />
'At the end, I asked her whether having her skin cut had been tough and she replied that she was close to collapse. It was incredible as she didn't show any sign of pain on her face during the ceremony as that would have been seen as shameful for the family.'<br />
<br />
What's more, he explained, despite the pain, the girl herself initiated the ceremony as Surma girls aren't obliged to take part. 'Scars are a sign of beauty within the tribe,' he added.<br />
<br />
'Children who go to school or convert to Christianity don't do it but the others see the ability to cope with pain as a sign that t
    Exclusivepix_worlds_most_painful_tat...jpg
  • Are these the world's most painful tattoos? Ethiopian and Sudanese tribes show off their intricate raised patterns created using THORNS<br />
<br />
From delicate swirls of raised flesh to intricate dotted patterns, the scars that decorate the bodies of Ethiopia's Bodi, Mursi and Surma tribes are more than just the sign of an old injury.<br />
<br />
For these aren't just any scars: They're an elaborate part of local culture and signify everything from beauty to adulthood or even, in some cases, are simply a mark of belonging.<br />
<br />
But Ethiopian tribes aren't the only ones to embrace scarification. In Uganda, the Karamojong are famous for their elaborate scar patterns, while across Ethiopia's border with Sudan, Nuer men bear scarred foreheads and consider getting them a key part of the transition from boy to man. Now the stunning scar markings of Ethiopia and Sudan are the subject of an incredible set of photographs by French snapper, Eric Lafforgue, who travelled through the country observing cutting ceremonies and meeting the locals.<br />
<br />
During a visit to the Surma tribe, who live in the country's remote Omo Valley, he witnessed a scarification ceremony, which involved creating the patterns using thorns and a razor.<br />
<br />
'The12-year-old girl who was being cut didn't say a word during the 10-minute ceremony and refused to show any pain,' he revealed. 'Her mother used a thorn to pull the skin out and a razor blade to cut the skin.<br />
<br />
'At the end, I asked her whether having her skin cut had been tough and she replied that she was close to collapse. It was incredible as she didn't show any sign of pain on her face during the ceremony as that would have been seen as shameful for the family.'<br />
<br />
What's more, he explained, despite the pain, the girl herself initiated the ceremony as Surma girls aren't obliged to take part. 'Scars are a sign of beauty within the tribe,' he added.<br />
<br />
'Children who go to school or convert to Christianity don't do it but the others see the ability to cope with pain as a sign that t
    Exclusivepix_worlds_most_painful_tat...jpg
  • Are these the world's most painful tattoos? Ethiopian and Sudanese tribes show off their intricate raised patterns created using THORNS<br />
<br />
From delicate swirls of raised flesh to intricate dotted patterns, the scars that decorate the bodies of Ethiopia's Bodi, Mursi and Surma tribes are more than just the sign of an old injury.<br />
<br />
For these aren't just any scars: They're an elaborate part of local culture and signify everything from beauty to adulthood or even, in some cases, are simply a mark of belonging.<br />
<br />
But Ethiopian tribes aren't the only ones to embrace scarification. In Uganda, the Karamojong are famous for their elaborate scar patterns, while across Ethiopia's border with Sudan, Nuer men bear scarred foreheads and consider getting them a key part of the transition from boy to man. Now the stunning scar markings of Ethiopia and Sudan are the subject of an incredible set of photographs by French snapper, Eric Lafforgue, who travelled through the country observing cutting ceremonies and meeting the locals.<br />
<br />
During a visit to the Surma tribe, who live in the country's remote Omo Valley, he witnessed a scarification ceremony, which involved creating the patterns using thorns and a razor.<br />
<br />
'The12-year-old girl who was being cut didn't say a word during the 10-minute ceremony and refused to show any pain,' he revealed. 'Her mother used a thorn to pull the skin out and a razor blade to cut the skin.<br />
<br />
'At the end, I asked her whether having her skin cut had been tough and she replied that she was close to collapse. It was incredible as she didn't show any sign of pain on her face during the ceremony as that would have been seen as shameful for the family.'<br />
<br />
What's more, he explained, despite the pain, the girl herself initiated the ceremony as Surma girls aren't obliged to take part. 'Scars are a sign of beauty within the tribe,' he added.<br />
<br />
'Children who go to school or convert to Christianity don't do it but the others see the ability to cope with pain as a sign that t
    Exclusivepix_worlds_most_painful_tat...jpg
  • Are these the world's most painful tattoos? Ethiopian and Sudanese tribes show off their intricate raised patterns created using THORNS<br />
<br />
From delicate swirls of raised flesh to intricate dotted patterns, the scars that decorate the bodies of Ethiopia's Bodi, Mursi and Surma tribes are more than just the sign of an old injury.<br />
<br />
For these aren't just any scars: They're an elaborate part of local culture and signify everything from beauty to adulthood or even, in some cases, are simply a mark of belonging.<br />
<br />
But Ethiopian tribes aren't the only ones to embrace scarification. In Uganda, the Karamojong are famous for their elaborate scar patterns, while across Ethiopia's border with Sudan, Nuer men bear scarred foreheads and consider getting them a key part of the transition from boy to man. Now the stunning scar markings of Ethiopia and Sudan are the subject of an incredible set of photographs by French snapper, Eric Lafforgue, who travelled through the country observing cutting ceremonies and meeting the locals.<br />
<br />
During a visit to the Surma tribe, who live in the country's remote Omo Valley, he witnessed a scarification ceremony, which involved creating the patterns using thorns and a razor.<br />
<br />
'The12-year-old girl who was being cut didn't say a word during the 10-minute ceremony and refused to show any pain,' he revealed. 'Her mother used a thorn to pull the skin out and a razor blade to cut the skin.<br />
<br />
'At the end, I asked her whether having her skin cut had been tough and she replied that she was close to collapse. It was incredible as she didn't show any sign of pain on her face during the ceremony as that would have been seen as shameful for the family.'<br />
<br />
What's more, he explained, despite the pain, the girl herself initiated the ceremony as Surma girls aren't obliged to take part. 'Scars are a sign of beauty within the tribe,' he added.<br />
<br />
'Children who go to school or convert to Christianity don't do it but the others see the ability to cope with pain as a sign that t
    Exclusivepix_worlds_most_painful_tat...jpg
  • Are these the world's most painful tattoos? Ethiopian and Sudanese tribes show off their intricate raised patterns created using THORNS<br />
<br />
From delicate swirls of raised flesh to intricate dotted patterns, the scars that decorate the bodies of Ethiopia's Bodi, Mursi and Surma tribes are more than just the sign of an old injury.<br />
<br />
For these aren't just any scars: They're an elaborate part of local culture and signify everything from beauty to adulthood or even, in some cases, are simply a mark of belonging.<br />
<br />
But Ethiopian tribes aren't the only ones to embrace scarification. In Uganda, the Karamojong are famous for their elaborate scar patterns, while across Ethiopia's border with Sudan, Nuer men bear scarred foreheads and consider getting them a key part of the transition from boy to man. Now the stunning scar markings of Ethiopia and Sudan are the subject of an incredible set of photographs by French snapper, Eric Lafforgue, who travelled through the country observing cutting ceremonies and meeting the locals.<br />
<br />
During a visit to the Surma tribe, who live in the country's remote Omo Valley, he witnessed a scarification ceremony, which involved creating the patterns using thorns and a razor.<br />
<br />
'The12-year-old girl who was being cut didn't say a word during the 10-minute ceremony and refused to show any pain,' he revealed. 'Her mother used a thorn to pull the skin out and a razor blade to cut the skin.<br />
<br />
'At the end, I asked her whether having her skin cut had been tough and she replied that she was close to collapse. It was incredible as she didn't show any sign of pain on her face during the ceremony as that would have been seen as shameful for the family.'<br />
<br />
What's more, he explained, despite the pain, the girl herself initiated the ceremony as Surma girls aren't obliged to take part. 'Scars are a sign of beauty within the tribe,' he added.<br />
<br />
'Children who go to school or convert to Christianity don't do it but the others see the ability to cope with pain as a sign that t
    Exclusivepix_worlds_most_painful_tat...jpg
  • Are these the world's most painful tattoos? Ethiopian and Sudanese tribes show off their intricate raised patterns created using THORNS<br />
<br />
From delicate swirls of raised flesh to intricate dotted patterns, the scars that decorate the bodies of Ethiopia's Bodi, Mursi and Surma tribes are more than just the sign of an old injury.<br />
<br />
For these aren't just any scars: They're an elaborate part of local culture and signify everything from beauty to adulthood or even, in some cases, are simply a mark of belonging.<br />
<br />
But Ethiopian tribes aren't the only ones to embrace scarification. In Uganda, the Karamojong are famous for their elaborate scar patterns, while across Ethiopia's border with Sudan, Nuer men bear scarred foreheads and consider getting them a key part of the transition from boy to man. Now the stunning scar markings of Ethiopia and Sudan are the subject of an incredible set of photographs by French snapper, Eric Lafforgue, who travelled through the country observing cutting ceremonies and meeting the locals.<br />
<br />
During a visit to the Surma tribe, who live in the country's remote Omo Valley, he witnessed a scarification ceremony, which involved creating the patterns using thorns and a razor.<br />
<br />
'The12-year-old girl who was being cut didn't say a word during the 10-minute ceremony and refused to show any pain,' he revealed. 'Her mother used a thorn to pull the skin out and a razor blade to cut the skin.<br />
<br />
'At the end, I asked her whether having her skin cut had been tough and she replied that she was close to collapse. It was incredible as she didn't show any sign of pain on her face during the ceremony as that would have been seen as shameful for the family.'<br />
<br />
What's more, he explained, despite the pain, the girl herself initiated the ceremony as Surma girls aren't obliged to take part. 'Scars are a sign of beauty within the tribe,' he added.<br />
<br />
'Children who go to school or convert to Christianity don't do it but the others see the ability to cope with pain as a sign that t
    Exclusivepix_worlds_most_painful_tat...jpg
  • Are these the world's most painful tattoos? Ethiopian and Sudanese tribes show off their intricate raised patterns created using THORNS<br />
<br />
From delicate swirls of raised flesh to intricate dotted patterns, the scars that decorate the bodies of Ethiopia's Bodi, Mursi and Surma tribes are more than just the sign of an old injury.<br />
<br />
For these aren't just any scars: They're an elaborate part of local culture and signify everything from beauty to adulthood or even, in some cases, are simply a mark of belonging.<br />
<br />
But Ethiopian tribes aren't the only ones to embrace scarification. In Uganda, the Karamojong are famous for their elaborate scar patterns, while across Ethiopia's border with Sudan, Nuer men bear scarred foreheads and consider getting them a key part of the transition from boy to man. Now the stunning scar markings of Ethiopia and Sudan are the subject of an incredible set of photographs by French snapper, Eric Lafforgue, who travelled through the country observing cutting ceremonies and meeting the locals.<br />
<br />
During a visit to the Surma tribe, who live in the country's remote Omo Valley, he witnessed a scarification ceremony, which involved creating the patterns using thorns and a razor.<br />
<br />
'The12-year-old girl who was being cut didn't say a word during the 10-minute ceremony and refused to show any pain,' he revealed. 'Her mother used a thorn to pull the skin out and a razor blade to cut the skin.<br />
<br />
'At the end, I asked her whether having her skin cut had been tough and she replied that she was close to collapse. It was incredible as she didn't show any sign of pain on her face during the ceremony as that would have been seen as shameful for the family.'<br />
<br />
What's more, he explained, despite the pain, the girl herself initiated the ceremony as Surma girls aren't obliged to take part. 'Scars are a sign of beauty within the tribe,' he added.<br />
<br />
'Children who go to school or convert to Christianity don't do it but the others see the ability to cope with pain as a sign that t
    Exclusivepix_worlds_most_painful_tat...jpg
  • Are these the world's most painful tattoos? Ethiopian and Sudanese tribes show off their intricate raised patterns created using THORNS<br />
<br />
From delicate swirls of raised flesh to intricate dotted patterns, the scars that decorate the bodies of Ethiopia's Bodi, Mursi and Surma tribes are more than just the sign of an old injury.<br />
<br />
For these aren't just any scars: They're an elaborate part of local culture and signify everything from beauty to adulthood or even, in some cases, are simply a mark of belonging.<br />
<br />
But Ethiopian tribes aren't the only ones to embrace scarification. In Uganda, the Karamojong are famous for their elaborate scar patterns, while across Ethiopia's border with Sudan, Nuer men bear scarred foreheads and consider getting them a key part of the transition from boy to man. Now the stunning scar markings of Ethiopia and Sudan are the subject of an incredible set of photographs by French snapper, Eric Lafforgue, who travelled through the country observing cutting ceremonies and meeting the locals.<br />
<br />
During a visit to the Surma tribe, who live in the country's remote Omo Valley, he witnessed a scarification ceremony, which involved creating the patterns using thorns and a razor.<br />
<br />
'The12-year-old girl who was being cut didn't say a word during the 10-minute ceremony and refused to show any pain,' he revealed. 'Her mother used a thorn to pull the skin out and a razor blade to cut the skin.<br />
<br />
'At the end, I asked her whether having her skin cut had been tough and she replied that she was close to collapse. It was incredible as she didn't show any sign of pain on her face during the ceremony as that would have been seen as shameful for the family.'<br />
<br />
What's more, he explained, despite the pain, the girl herself initiated the ceremony as Surma girls aren't obliged to take part. 'Scars are a sign of beauty within the tribe,' he added.<br />
<br />
'Children who go to school or convert to Christianity don't do it but the others see the ability to cope with pain as a sign that t
    Exclusivepix_worlds_most_painful_tat...jpg
  • Are these the world's most painful tattoos? Ethiopian and Sudanese tribes show off their intricate raised patterns created using THORNS<br />
<br />
From delicate swirls of raised flesh to intricate dotted patterns, the scars that decorate the bodies of Ethiopia's Bodi, Mursi and Surma tribes are more than just the sign of an old injury.<br />
<br />
For these aren't just any scars: They're an elaborate part of local culture and signify everything from beauty to adulthood or even, in some cases, are simply a mark of belonging.<br />
<br />
But Ethiopian tribes aren't the only ones to embrace scarification. In Uganda, the Karamojong are famous for their elaborate scar patterns, while across Ethiopia's border with Sudan, Nuer men bear scarred foreheads and consider getting them a key part of the transition from boy to man. Now the stunning scar markings of Ethiopia and Sudan are the subject of an incredible set of photographs by French snapper, Eric Lafforgue, who travelled through the country observing cutting ceremonies and meeting the locals.<br />
<br />
During a visit to the Surma tribe, who live in the country's remote Omo Valley, he witnessed a scarification ceremony, which involved creating the patterns using thorns and a razor.<br />
<br />
'The12-year-old girl who was being cut didn't say a word during the 10-minute ceremony and refused to show any pain,' he revealed. 'Her mother used a thorn to pull the skin out and a razor blade to cut the skin.<br />
<br />
'At the end, I asked her whether having her skin cut had been tough and she replied that she was close to collapse. It was incredible as she didn't show any sign of pain on her face during the ceremony as that would have been seen as shameful for the family.'<br />
<br />
What's more, he explained, despite the pain, the girl herself initiated the ceremony as Surma girls aren't obliged to take part. 'Scars are a sign of beauty within the tribe,' he added.<br />
<br />
'Children who go to school or convert to Christianity don't do it but the others see the ability to cope with pain as a sign that t
    Exclusivepix_worlds_most_painful_tat...jpg
  • Are these the world's most painful tattoos? Ethiopian and Sudanese tribes show off their intricate raised patterns created using THORNS<br />
<br />
From delicate swirls of raised flesh to intricate dotted patterns, the scars that decorate the bodies of Ethiopia's Bodi, Mursi and Surma tribes are more than just the sign of an old injury.<br />
<br />
For these aren't just any scars: They're an elaborate part of local culture and signify everything from beauty to adulthood or even, in some cases, are simply a mark of belonging.<br />
<br />
But Ethiopian tribes aren't the only ones to embrace scarification. In Uganda, the Karamojong are famous for their elaborate scar patterns, while across Ethiopia's border with Sudan, Nuer men bear scarred foreheads and consider getting them a key part of the transition from boy to man. Now the stunning scar markings of Ethiopia and Sudan are the subject of an incredible set of photographs by French snapper, Eric Lafforgue, who travelled through the country observing cutting ceremonies and meeting the locals.<br />
<br />
During a visit to the Surma tribe, who live in the country's remote Omo Valley, he witnessed a scarification ceremony, which involved creating the patterns using thorns and a razor.<br />
<br />
'The12-year-old girl who was being cut didn't say a word during the 10-minute ceremony and refused to show any pain,' he revealed. 'Her mother used a thorn to pull the skin out and a razor blade to cut the skin.<br />
<br />
'At the end, I asked her whether having her skin cut had been tough and she replied that she was close to collapse. It was incredible as she didn't show any sign of pain on her face during the ceremony as that would have been seen as shameful for the family.'<br />
<br />
What's more, he explained, despite the pain, the girl herself initiated the ceremony as Surma girls aren't obliged to take part. 'Scars are a sign of beauty within the tribe,' he added.<br />
<br />
'Children who go to school or convert to Christianity don't do it but the others see the ability to cope with pain as a sign that t
    Exclusivepix_worlds_most_painful_tat...jpg
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