Post #12: Communicatoin

Today's blog focus on communication, more specifically body modification and what it means in a Brazilian Canela Culture and in an American culture. For the Canela people of Brazil, modifying or adorning the body, "enhahnces appearance, signals changes in social identity and expresses culturally prescribed values. Men and women recieve different body modifications or "cosmetic treatments". For example, socially responsible men are expected to be open to listening to what the elders and chiefs have to say, but first they must have their ears opened physically and symbolically. This occurs between the ages of 10 and 15 in the shade outside their mothers house. Once their ears are pierced, the hair around their ears is cut and the rest is placed in a ponytail. THis is done by their uncle and a specialist in ear piercing. After a series of steps the boy is placed in a corner of his mothers house and follows dietary restrictions similar to those during a postpardum couvade. This is a symbol of maturation. As well the stretching of the ear lobes, is more appealing to women, and makes them more handsome to young women. The more women like them, the more they watch how they act, for example they would act less foolishly. A mans piercing then, "indicates that he is a tribesman of the highest caliber".

However it is important to recognize that nowadays amongst the Canela people this rarely occurs due to the fact that other Brazilians do not understand why they would do something that causes pain. I thought the following quote was extremely sad: ""Most Brazilians treat us like beasts, they call us "people who don't know." They don't understand why we would do something that causes pain in the ear, and so this practice then becomes ugly. It's primarily the word of the Brazilian people -- we listen to it very much. We have to change in such a way that the Brazilian people like us because if we don't, we will always live amidst violence. I believe this very strongly. "

In American culture, tattooing and piercing is open to virtually everyone. Piercings can vary on the body from the nose, navel, ears, eyebrows, lips etc. Tattooing aswell can vary around the body and in size. The site itself does not specify what age, sex, social group, group identity or even social status one has to be to get a "body modification". It is safe to say (as stated above) that it is open to everyone. When one is recieving that tattoo or body piercing it is done in the parlor either in the open where all other customers and staff can see or if one prefers more privacy, it can be done alone in a room. These tattoos and piercings express something different for everyone individually.