Spoken history passed down from generation to generation inddicates that tribal marks date back to the slave trade era, when Europeans captured people from what is today Nigeria. Tribal marks are more than art; they are intentional scarification that have deep cultural significance in many societies.
Back in the day, clans and families gave themselves marks on the face for identification, so it could be easy to recognise each other. The inscription which is done by burning or cutting of the skin during childhood also held stories of pain, recantation and beauty, giving them a sense of belonging.
To some scarification such as the “Obanje” marking was a means to keep mischievous children alive, as a part of the spiritual healing process.
Users of tribal marks
Tribal marks are not significantly attached to the Yorubas only, but also popular among different tribes across Nigeria and Africa. Different scarifications are identified with different tribes, having different meanings. For instance, Nupe tribal marks are to the Nupe people of Kwara and Kogi states, while the Pele tribal marks are general with the Yorubas, with the Owu popular among the people of Abeokuta in Ogun state.
In the same vein, the Igbos of south-eastern Nigeria are known for their ancient tribal marking called “Nsibidi”. Other African tribes that use tribal marks include the Fulani (mostly found in northern Nigeria and huge swathes of West and Central Africa), the Dinka people in the East and West Banks of River Nile, the Nuer people in Southwestern Ethiopia and South Sudan.
Changing world: Tattoos
As the world is changing, it seems that in every split second, humanity reinvents itself. Tribal marks have, it must be said, reinvented into tattoos. After a Bill for an Act to provide for the prohibition of Facial Mutilation was passed in Nigeria in 2017, the Offence, Prosecution, Punishment and protection against the practice received legal backing, officially confining scarification to history.
In the wake of that official ban, supported by evolving times and civilization, tattoos are now taking over as tribal marks fade away. Interestingly, Tattoos, whose origins are mainly foreign to African culture, have gained popularity within Nigeria and environs, becoming a more contemporary form of body modification and a trendy social ritual.
Choosing tattoos over tribal marks
With the advent of modernization, it is no news that people would choose tattoos over tribal marks. However, there are places and people that have held on to these traditional practices that make them unique, notwithstanding the opinions of the society.
Adetutu Alabi, a Nigerian face model who has turned her tribal scars into a beauty movement, went viral after getting Rihanna’s attention to model for her Fenty Beauty brand. According to Adetutu, her tribal marks which is an African heritage is now her brand and a platform for motivating people with scars and skin disorder. Growing up, people like Adetutu suffer stigmatization and bullying from the society and battle with self-esteem.
Personal testimonies
Tabitha Ahmed, a 31-year-old woman from a royal family in Gbayi, said she got her tribal marks when she was seven days old .
“My clan holds a particular title called Kwaso. The mark is to differentiate from which clan of royal family I am from,” she said.. “Each royal family has a unique mark for identification.”
She said growing up, she never really faced stigmatization from people, but rather attracted curious questions about her origin. Blessing Gabriel Ojoma, an Igala woman, said she cannot give her children the marks even though hers was done for cultural reasons.
The mark on her face, she explained, easily gives away her tribal identity without people needing to ask. “For that, I’m happy,” she declared; “But the mark has made me less beautiful, and that worries me,” Mrs Ojoma complained. There is, however, another good side to tribal marks in the Igala culture, according to her. They are used in healing or protecting children from convulsion.
Attendant health risks
The espoused cultural preferences notwithstanding, there are inherent dangers to the practice of body inscription art, be it tribal markings or tattooing. The practice has been associated with health risks, including infections caused by the unhygienic tools and methods used.
Although tattoos, unlike tribal markings, are done in more sterile and professional settings, they also engender health risks of their own, such as transmission of blood-borne diseases, keloid scaring, allergic reactions and, in some cases, complicated MRI.
While some people have no doubt tried to preserve their culture by getting tattoos that reflect their tribal roots, the transition from tribal marks to tattoos nevertheless mirrors the evolving dynamics of cultural aesthetics, beauty standards and the understanding of health and safety in body modification practice.
Source: Radio Nigeria
