tribal marks
Cultural skin patterns
Tribal marks are permanent scars or patterns cut or burned into the skin, traditionally used by African ethnic groups to indicate lineage, community membership, or social status.
The marks typically appear on the face—cheeks, forehead, or temples—and are made during childhood.
Once universal in many societies, the practice has declined but remains culturally significant: His tribal marks identified him as Yoruba.
The term sometimes extends to similar practices in other cultures or to any visible sign of group belonging.
- scarificationIntentional shallow skin cuts
- body modificationAltering your physical appearance permanently
- cicatrixHealed wound tissue
- lineageDescent from progenitors
- family lineageRecord of ancestors
facial scars · ancestry · ritual · identity · ethnic identity · facial · scars · heritage · cultural heritage · initiation · coming of age · clan · ethnic · patterns · incisions · tradition · Yoruba · adornment
- African traditionsinitiation ceremonies, naming ceremony, ancestral worship, rites of passage, healing rituals
- body modificationtattoo, body modification, tattoos, piercing, tattooing
- mystic symbolssigil, pentagram, glyph, rune, sigils
- West African culturekente cloth, fufu, voodoo, griots, talking drums
- YorubaOyo Empire, orisha, orishas, Lagos, talking drums
- body markstilak, bindi, tikka, vibhuti, ash cross
tribal markstemporary tattoos
Removable body art
body paint · henna · face paint · makeup · costume jewelry
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