The lip plate is a form of body modification made from clay or wood) and inserted into a pierced hole in either the upper or lower lip, or both, thereby stretching it. Among the Surma and Mursi people of the lower Omo River valley in Ethiopia, about 6 to 12 months before marriage, a young woman has her lip pierced by her mother or one of her kinswomen, usually at around the age of 15 to 18.
The initial piercing is done as an incision of the lower lip of 1 to 2 cm length, and a simple wooden peg is inserted. After the wound has healed, which usually takes between two and three weeks, the peg is replaced with a slightly bigger one. At a diameter of about 4 cm, the first lip plate made of clay is inserted. Every woman crafts her own plate and takes pride in including some ornamentation. The final diameter ranges from about 8 cm to over 20 cm.
Research by National Geographic shows that, for Mursi and Surma women, the size of their lip plate indicates the number of cattle paid as the bride price. But, anthropologist Turton, who has studied the Mursi for 30 years, denies this.
It has thus been noted that reasons for wearing the plate vary with tribes. Sources in Chad claim that the plate’s size is a sign of social or economical importance. But, because of natural mechanical attributes of human skin, the plate’s size may often depend on the stage of stretching of the lip and the wishes of the wearer.
Elders of the Surma have alo confirmed that the plates are used among women as a form of initiation and to symbolize social maturity by indicating a girl’s eligibility to be a wife. The value of the ornamentation symbolises female strength and self-esteem.
This adornment has attracted thousands tourists to view the Mursi and Surma women. In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, African women wearing lip plates were brought to Europe and North America for exhibit in circuses and sideshows. Truly, the world has its fair share of wonders.
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