Body scarification or body modification was an integral part of African culture that

helped distinguish one person from the other in ancient Africa and is still a part of
many African cultures in modern times. For the ancient African, names were not
enough identification. For them, body scarification served a more important role in
helping to identify where a person is from and from which particular household, sub-
ethnic group or ethnic group he belonged to.
The term body scarification is a western ideology used to describe the intentional
branding of humans through burning, etching, scratching or marking of symbols or
words into the skin. To the ancient African, it was not known as body scarification
and certainly did not carry any negativity. Due to the negative connotation that
comes with the term body scarification, especially when discussing within the
parameters of Africa, many scholars have opted for the term body modification which
carries less of a negative or primitive effect.

Baka people of Cameroon

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One of the most intriguing body modification practices was the teeth sharpening
ritual that prevailed in parts of Africa, particularly, central Africa, eastern and
southern Africa in the early 18th century. Although they also modified the body with
tribal marks, which is more popular in West Africa, for many ethnic groups in Central
and southern Africa, tattooing and teeth sharpening were more prevalent with the
latter being the most popular.

The teeth sharpening ritual is most popular among the Makonde people in southeast
Tanzania and northern Mozambique, the majority of ethnic groups in the Democratic
Republic of Congo including the Bopoto and the Zappo Zap people. Some tribes in
the Central African Republic, the Bemba of Zambia, and even the Yao of Malawi and
parts of Zambia also practised the teeth sharpening ritual.
Teeth sharpening was done for various reasons among these tribes. For some, the
ritual was done to initiate young boys and girls who had reached puberty into
adulthood. For these people, it was done during the adulthood rites of passage
mainly because at that age they would be able to endure the pain to show that they
were indeed ready for adulthood this was mainly among tribes in Congo and the
Central African Republic and Gabon.
For other tribes, the teeth sharpening ritual was a general part of their custom and
any person belonging to such a tribe was expected to have sharpened teeth at an
expected age. In parts of Sudan, where indigenous tribes existed, the teeth
sharpening ritual was also done for spiritual protection especially when one was
seeking spiritual strength or chosen as a spiritual leader.

Ota Benga, Congolese Pygmy displayed in Zoos in the USA

Other reasons for the teeth sharpening trend is for men to look like animals such as
the crocodile as a sign of masculinity. This is a common belief among the Pare
people in Tanzania. Among the Upoto tribespeople in central Congo, the teeth
sharpening ritual was done according to sexes. Men filed only one tooth while
women filed more than one, especially before marriage. One of the most popular
Congolese to have his teeth sharpened in ancient Africa is Ota Benga who was
taken from his home and into zoos in the USA to be displayed.
Several other tribes like the Makonde people performed the teeth sharpening ritual to
make their people more beautiful. Among these people, more women had their teeth
sharpened and were a symbol of beauty.
 An Ethiopian woman with sharpened teeth

The teeth sharpening ritual was not done by just anybody as it required great skill
and patience to prevent injuring a person while the ritual happened. The sharpening
was done by chosen men or women who were believed to be born with the skill
gifted to them by the gods and they were able to train chosen people to help them.

With the introduction of education and westernisation, the teeth sharpening ritual
died down during the 20th century but is still practised among small indigenous
groups in parts of Central Africa who refuse to have contact with modern society