|
Lister Haig Hunter
Scarification of the Body for Beauty
Tembu - Vamba Umzimba African Tattoos
Photo Set D

Lister Hunter - Umtata Agencies - Tourists
Paradise
Lister Haig Hunter
was born in South Africa in 1919. After WW 2 and up until his death in 1981, he
traded in Umtata, the capital of the former Transkei. He dealt in
traditional herbal medicines known locally as
Muthi or Muti, as
well as curios and ethnic artifacts, the latter sold to foreign visitors. His
close association with his native clientele helped develop his keen interest in tribal
customs, which led him to the pursuit of photography. The two passions came together at "Umtata Agencies - Tourists Paradise - Indlu Ya Mayeza". There he
sold postcards to tourists which he produced in Durban
from his photographic collections. He also sold slides that detailed the customs of
his photographic studies. To
learn more about Lister Hunters life, business or postcards
click here.
Each Slide Set A-G, has
a dedicated page.
Click a thumb to enter the section or category.
Lister Hunter compiled his slide collections into seven
sets totaling 163 ethnic
studies of isiXhosa speakers. The
majority of the slides were taken between Umtata and Elliotdale in
the Eastern Cape. The seven sets were labeled A to G.
Gallery Ezakwantu
digitalized the slide collection. It is the Hunter family wish to share the fantastic imagery and information
assembled. The photographs and accompanied data are Copyright Protected
- © - by the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA).
This is Set "D".
Scarification of the Body for Beauty
Amasumpa - Amantsumpa - Bumps
The following imagery and text was authored by
Lister Haig Hunter
SCARIFICATION OF THE BODY FOR BEAUTY
(THMBU GIRLS)
VAMBA UMZIMBA
COMPRISING SLIDES NOS 83 - 98
Travelling through the Transkei in South Africa, one very
often sees a young maiden with her tummy full of scars of equal size, which run
from between her breasts down to the navel, and horizontally across the sides of
her tummy, while many bear the scars on their backs as well.
Investigation proved beyond doubt that this custom is
carried out by most young Tembu girls for the sake of beautifying the body. The
operators, elderly women, are experts at the job, performing the operation
whenever a young maiden requests it as described in the following manner: -
83.

Two maidens seated upon the ground, have designs drawn
upon their skins by the operator, using any small stick which works like a
pencil upon the dark skin.
84.

The designs completed.
85.

Operation begins by lifting the skin with a needle at
quarter inch intervals, then slitting the skin with a blade.
86.

Operation in progress. Note black bleeds very little
compared to the front.
87.

A close-up of needle lifting skin.
88.

A 11 ½ cm. close-up of
the actual cut.
89.

Showing the front nearly complete.
90.

Operation continues, showing back and front.
91.

Operation completed.
92.

Dry blood being washed away.
93.

The cuts visible immediately after washing.
94.

Fresh cow dung is smeared over the cuts, sealing them from
the air, thereby ensuring no ill effects.
95.

Close-up showing new cuts as cow dung is applied.
96.

Four days later. Note the scabs which have formed.
97.

Scabs are all removed which ensures the skin growing
together in a manner forming the blobs upon the body which, when healed, they
maintain is very beautiful.
98.

The body beautiful when fully healed.
PER SET - R4.80
(Circa 1960 Price)
End of Set D - Tattoo
Each set A-G, has
a dedicated page.
Click a thumb to enter the section or category.
More here including Scarification - Piercing -
Stretching - Filing - Deforming - Mutilation
Ethnographic Photographs -
Ethnic Photographs - Ethnographic Photography
Ethnographische Fotografien -
Völkerkundliche Aufnahmen - Ethnographische Fotographien
We hope you
have enjoyed this page dedicated to the life long work of African enthusiast
Lister Hunter.
*
|