Teeth Chiseling | National Geographic

here in the remote Sumatran archipelago
a people called the Mentawai ins
conjured up ideals of beauty that are
more than skin-deep for them beauty is a
matter of maintaining balance between
body and soul at the dawn of time
according to legend the mental liens
split into spirits and humans but humans
will rejoin the spirit world if their
souls are not happy a soul not pleased
with its body will leave causing the
person to die permanent decorations such
as tattoos are one way to beautify the
body and keep the spirit from wandering
but a rarer and equally painful practice
is tooth filing Kalonji
is a young mother and wife of the
village chief in the old days she would
have endured tooth filing at puberty but
the same outside influences that brought
t-shirts and cigarettes to the tribe
deluded men Hawaiian customs which once
even included head honey
today the tooth filing rite of passage
is optional at least for some in Pilates
kiss her husband had a lot to do with
her decision he’s the acting village
chief and in line for the permanent
position he’s thinking a more beautiful
wife would be more in keeping with his
new stature so I asked her to do it and
I am sure that she will be more
beautiful afterwards I don’t know what
to expect but when they do it I will
just let them sharpen my teeth in the
morning the Mentawai and villagers
gather with anticipation and the uma or
communal house to witness the rare tooth
filing ritual
for Pallonji fear and excitement blend
into a day she’ll never forget I am not
worried about the payment what it was I
think about that I won’t get more beauty
as his clan feast
the shaman sharpens his tools for the
main event when the chisel gets sharp it
will be less painful for the person who
is getting their teeth vile and it will
be an easier job for me as well for
outsiders using crude implements for
dental surgery and without anesthetic
would be out of the question
the procedure will also damage Pilates
teeth shortening their life
the shamans aim is true although he’s
only performed tooth filing once before
with the spirits guiding his hand the
tasks assumed completed along he bites
on green bananas to dull the pain
relieved and happy she shows off her
beautiful new smile now that my teeth
are sharp I look more beautiful for my
husband so he won’t leave me
it’s almost maybe when she’s tired of me
she will get a new husband now that
she’s beautiful now the chief has a wife
worthy of his new stature and as for
belonging she’s happy with her new
adornment her soul is back in balance
and here among the mental liens that’s
what matters most