Galerie Ezakwantu

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Central and Southern African Tribal Art

 

 

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African Lip Plugs

We share with you pictures of African lip plugs, or labrets, which were in fashion prior to European contact in Africa. Their  original purpose may  have been to deform, affording women a sort of protection from Arab slavers. David Livingstone asked a chief the reason for them and in surprise the chief answered; for beauty! They are the only beautiful things women have. Men have beards, women have none. What kind of person would she be without Pelele ? She would not be a woman at all.

 

Sometime after birth, mothers would pierce a child’s lip with a thorn. The holes were enlarged with stalks of grass until they were about two centimeters in diameter and large enough to insert a plug. In some tribal areas, the stretching of one or both lips continued throughout  life, by inserting ever larger plugs. Lip tissue would elongate and conform to the shape of the implanted objects. Sometimes the lower incisor teeth were extracted to make room for the base of the plug or plate.

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African lip plugs are found in round or trapezoid shapes of various sizes.

There were also rings, as well as simple carved balls fitted with a flat base that could be inserted into the lower lip.

A variety of materials were used in the manufacture of lip plugs, including wood, ivory, clay, bone, shiny metal, shell and sometimes crystal.

In southern Chad , lip plugs might exceed 6 inches. Llarge sized plugs afforded greater status to the wearer.

From east to west, coast to coast, but dependant on the tribal group, both men and women used lip plugs. 

 

Images provided as a service to viewers.

 

Follow this link to learn more about Southern Angolan Coiffeurs.

 

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Galerie Ezakwantu

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