Teeth-filing as a Mark of Beauty and Belonging in 19th Century Africa

Posted on 05/03/2012
This blog follows on Gamblers House interesting Blog about Filed Teeth at Cahokia :
One of the distinctive characteristics of Cahokia and its area of strong influence is the
prevalence of filed teeth in many human burials. Filing of teeth as a cultural practice was
common in Mexico for thousands of years before the Spanish conquest, but further north it is
very rare and found mostly at Cahokia and sites in the immediately surrounding area.
The following blog provides the kind of information that is available on teeth-filing in Africa, as described by
19th century explorers. A following blog will focus on analysis of this and related practices.

Colonial explorers of the 19th century were both amazed and generally repulsed by the variety of body
scarifications and adornment that were practiced throughout sub-Saharan Africa. Tattooing and teeth-filing
seem to have been the most common, with nose and ear plugs, and hair styling, also an important indicator of
ethnicity and relative social status.
Descriptions of these practices played an important part in both popularizing the books written by the
explorers, as well as providing yet more rationale for colonial intervention in the continent. For example, one
of the many descriptions of bodily scarifications by Richard Burton states that:
the population about Nkulu seemed to be a very mixed race. Some were ultra-negro, of the
dead dull-black type, prognathous and long-headed like apes; others were of the red variety,
with hair and eyes of a brownish tinge, and a few had features which if whitewashed could
hardly be distinguished from Europeans.
The tattoo was remarkable as amongst the tribes of the lower Zambeze [River in south-central
Africa]. There were waistcoats, epaulettes, braces and cross-belts of huge welts, and raised
polished lumps which must have cost not a little suffering; the skin is pinched up between the
fingers and sawn across with a bluntish knife, the deeper the better; various plants are used as
styptics, and the proper size of the cicatrice is maintained by constant pressure, which makes
the flesh protrude from the wound.
The teeth were as barbarously mutilated as the skin; these had all the incisors sharp-tipped;
those chipped a chevron-shaped hole in the two upper or lower frontals, and not a few seemed
to attempt converting the whole denture into molars.
Burton, Richard Two Trips to Gorilla Land and the Cataracts of the Congo Volume
2, 1876
DIANABUJA'S BLOG: Africa, The Middle East, Agriculture, History and Culture
Ambling through the present and past
with thoughts about the future
Tribespeople of Bopoto, Northern Congo with sharpened teeth (c. 1912) Sir Harry Hamilton
Johnston
The views of Sir Samuel Baker, on the other hand, were amongst the more reasonable by way of descriptions
and explanations:
It is difficult to explain real beauty. A defect in one country is a desideratum in another. Scars
upon the face are, in Europe, a blemish; but here [in central Africa] and in the Arab countries
no beauty can be perfect until the cheeks or temples have been gashed.
The Arabs [of eastern Sudan]make three gashes upon each cheek, and rub the wounds with salt
and a kind of porridge (asida) to produce proud-flesh; thus every female slave captured by the
slave-hunters is marked to prove her identity and to improve her charms. Each tribe has its
peculiar fashion as to the position and form of the cicatrix.
Baker, Samuel In the heart of Africa, 1861
David Livingston, too, provided less spectacular descriptions of these practices, and as a researcher noted, He
states things as he sees them, and notes that the Africans are, like all other men, a curious mixture of good and
evil (Alan R. Light, 1997) :
The people who came with Sheakondo to our bivouac had their teeth filed to a point by way of
beautifying them, though those which were left untouched were always the whitest; they are
generally tattooed in various parts, but chiefly on the abdomen: the skin is raised in small
elevated cicatrices, each nearly half an inch long and a quarter of an inch in diameter, so that a
number of them may constitute a star, or other device. The dark color of the skin prevents any
coloring matter being deposited in these figures, but they love much to have the whole surface
of their bodies anointed with a comfortable varnish of oil.
Livingstone, David Missionary Travels and Researches in Southern Africa, 1857
Filed teeth of Queen Moari, Livingston, Last
Journals, vol 1, 1866-68
Henry Barth, as well, described local practices in west Africa in a more reasonable way:
But besides the Sugurti there happened to be just then present in the village some Budduma,
handsome, slender, and intelligent people, their whole attire consisting in a leathern apron and
a string of white beads round the neck, which, together with their white teeth, produces a
beautiful contrast with the jet-black skin.
Barth, Henry Travels and discoveries in North and Central Africa, 1890
Henry Morton Stanley, a previous newspaper reporter before heading of to Africa to discover Livingstone,
wrote texts that were guaranteed to thrill readers of the time and to confirm the need for European
intervention:
. The Wahyeya are also partial to ochre, black paints, and a composition of black mud, which
they mould into the form of a plate, and attach to the back part of the head. Their upper teeth
are filed. out of regard to custom/ they say, and not from any taste for human flesh.
When questioned as to whether it was their custom to eat of the flesh of people slain in battle,
they were positive in their denial, and protested great repugnance to such a diet, though they
eat the flesh of all animals except that of dogs.
The savages were not unpleasant to look at, though the prejudices of our people made them
declare that they smelled the flesh of dead men when they caught hold of their legs and upset
them in the road ! Each mans upper row of teeth was filed, and on their foreheads were two
curved rows of tattoo-marks; the temples were also punctured.
Katembo questioned them, and they confessed that they lay in wait for man-meat
It was very curious to watch this transition from one tribal peculiarity and custom to
another. It was evident that these tribes never traded with those above. I doubt whether the
people of Urangi and Eubunga are cannibals, though we obtained proof sufficient that human
life is not a subject of concern with them, and the necklaces of human teeth which they wore
were by no means assuring they provoked morbid ideas.
As for Frank and myself, our behaviour was characterized by an angelic benignity worthy
of canonization. I sat smiling in the midst of a tattooed group, remarkable for their filed teeth
and ugly gashed bodies, and bearing in their hands fearfully dangerous-looking naked knives or
swords, with which the crowd might have hacked me to pieces before I could have even divined
their intentions
Mubarik Bombey, who served with
Livingstone, Speke and Stanley, the
latter having this to say of him "at his
first appearance, I was favourably
impressed with Bombay, though his
face was rugged, his mouth large, his
eyes small, and his nose flat. Source:
Royal Geographic Society.
Stanley, Henry Morton Through the Dark Continent, 1876
Speke, whose adventures were before those of Stanley, had this to say about Mubarik Bombey:
The man of quaintest aspect in it is Sidi Mabarak Bombay. He is of the Wahiyow tribe, who
make the best slaves in Eastern Africa. His breed is that of the true woolly-headed negro,
though he does not represent a good specimen of them physically, being somewhat smaller in
his general proportions than those one generally sees as stokers in our steamers that traverse
the Indian Ocean. His head, though woodeny, like a barbers block, is lit up by a humorous little
pair of pig-like eyes, set in a generous benign-looking countenance, which, strange to say, does
not belie him, for his good conduct and honesty of purpose are without parallel.
His muzzle projects dog-monkey fashion, and is adorned with a regular set of sharp-pointed
alligator teeth, which he presents to full view as constantly as his very ticklish risible faculties
become excited.
Speke, John H. - What Led To the Discovery of the Source Of The Nile, 1864
In addition to filing teeth, extraction of several teeth either above or in the lower jaw was wide-spread in sub-
Saharan Africa:
To-day we slaughtered and cooked two cows for the journey the remaining three and one
goat having been lost in the Luajerri and gave the women of the place beads in return for
their hospitality. They are nearly all Wanyoro, having been captured in that country by king
Mtesa and given to Mlondo.
They said their teeth were extracted, four to six lower incisors, when they were young, because
no Myoro would allow a person to drink from his cup unless he conformed to that custom. The
same law exists in Usoga. they showed me the place they assigned for your camp when you
come over there.
Speke, John H. What Led To the Discovery of the Source Of The Nile, 1864
In west Africa, the Lander brothers attempted to discover Timbuctoo as well as the course of the Niger River.
Their narratives are less bellocost than those of East African explorers:
[In Houssa Land] The chiefs eldest son was with them during the greater part of this day.
The manners of this young man were reserved, but respectful. He was a great admirer of the
English, and had obtained a smattering of their language. Although his appearance was
extremely boyish, he had already three wives, and was the father of two children.
His front teeth were filed to a point, after the manner of the Logos people; but, notwithstanding
this disadvantage, his features bore less marks of ferocity than they had observed in the
countenance of any one of his countrymen, while his general deportment was infinitely more
pleasing and humble than theirs.
When asked whether, if it were in his power to do so, he would injure the travellers, or any
European, who might hereafter visit Badagry, he made no reply, but silently approached their
seat, and falling on his knees at their feet, he pressed Richard Lander with eagerness to his soft
naked bosom, and affectionately kissed his hand. No language or expression could have been
half so eloquent.
Huish, Robert - Landers Travels: The Travels of Richard and John Lander into the
Interior of Africa, 1836
These practices now seem to be abandoned, except, perhaps, in a few locations cf. photos below that were
taken in Angola of two young women I am trying to find out their source.
Until recent times, scarifications of the body and teeth-filing were widespread across the continent, and can be
explained both in order to enhance beauty as well as to identify ethnic group. As well, perhaps, as a part of
attaining adulthood.
There are a few other aspects of
these practices that Ill take up
in another blog.
Related articles

Rate This
StumbleUpon
4 Like Tweet 2 submit Share
0 0
About diana buja
A recent group photo at a training course for veterinarians and vet technicians here in Burundi. I discuss in French with some
Kirundi and have also a Kirundi translator to help with technical aspects ... Blog entries throughout this site are about Africa, as
well as about the Middle East and life in general - reflecting over 35 years of work and research in Africa and the Middle East
Come and join me!
View all posts by diana buja
Explorers of the Nile The Triumph and Tragedy of a Great Victorian Adventure By Tim Jeal Book
Review (nytimes.com)
Cuisines and Crops of Africa Imagining Cannibalism in the 19th Century and Now
(dianabuja.wordpress.com)
Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mytripsmypics/5102125985/
Rate this:
Why not share this? -
Google+
diana buja
This entry was posted in Africa-General, Burton and Speke, Colonialism, Dark Continent, European explorers, Explorers & exploration, Social Life and tagged Africa, Arab,
Central Africa, David Livingstone, Henrich Barth, Henry Morton Stanley, John Speke, Richard & John Lander, Richard Francis Burton, Samuel Baker. Bookmark the permalink.
5 Responses to Teeth-filing as a Mark of Beauty and Belonging in 19th Century Africa
About these ads
Occasionally , some of y our v isitors may see an adv ertisement here.
Tell me more | Dismiss this message
Press This

Share
Digg
Print

Email

Print & PDF

Follow 2
Reblog Like
Be the f irst to like this.

Related
Sex in the Jungle: Experiences of Victorian
Explorers
Life and Livestock in the Arid Areas of
Somiland, 1850's
Sex in the Jungle: Experiences of Victorian
Explorers
In "Africa-Central" In "Africa-East" In "Africa-General"

burton keyguard electronic says:

28/02/2014 at 4:43 pm
Thanks for finally talking about >Teeth-filing as
a Mark of Beauty and Belonging in 19th Century Africa | DIANABUJAS BLOG: Africa,
The Middle East, Agriculture, History and Culture <Loved it!
Reply
Like this
Pingback: 2013 in review | DIANABUJA'S BLOG: Africa, The Middle East, Agriculture, History and Culture
DIANABUJA'S BLOG: Africa, The Middle East, Agriculture, History and Culture

dianabuja says:
04/03/2014 at 8:03 am
Thanks to you, too!
Reply
Like this

Greg Laden says:

01/10/2012 at 9:12 pm
The people of Central Africa who make their teeth pointy today do not file them. This is done with percussion. Frankly, I
doubt that the practice involves filing very often. Files are not common in traditional tool kids, and grinding (the closes thing)
would not do well on teeth.
Reply
Like this

dianabuja says:
02/10/2012 at 11:15 am
Thanks for your input. Pre-modern files made of obsidian are not difficult. Dont have the references right here,
though. Filing is depected being used in premodern central America. Filing is a generic term and other terms
include chisling, chipping, modification, sharpening, mutilation, notching, etc. In all my years living-working in
central Africa (based in Burundi) have not seen (or heard of) teeth modification. But then again, the Congo is huge
and there are many ethnic groups.
Reply
Like this
The Twenty Ten Theme. Blog at WordPress.com.