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 lions
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 to Filan Kalonji
is a young mother and wife of the
village chief in the old days she would
have endured tooth toiling 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
Colombia’s case 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 pain in whatever life
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 polanyi’s
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
task is soon 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 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 Lions that’s
what matters most