The+Muris+and+Surma+women,kacie,gina,dina&jamielynn

The Surma and Mursi women of Eithiopia have a very different outlook of beauty than we do. Many of the things they are accustomed to we would find incredibley ridicuouls. Throughout this paper we will be taking a closer look at body art, lip plates and their perception of beauty.
 * Thesis statement.**

- lip plates are worn by The surma and Mursi women in there 20's. -the plates are out in about 6months prior to the engagment. -the lower lip will be cut into which a small wooden or clay disk is inserted. - As time passes the plates will get bigger until the desired size is achieved. - The lip plates are symbolic to the Surman and Mursi women. - The bigger the lip plates the higher the bride price. - These lip plates should be worn at all times except for private meals,when sleeping and when no men are around. -there are 3 theories as to why women were these,Some say it is a strategic measure taken by the Surma fore fathers to discourage the Arab slave traders who were looking for unblemished slave girls. The second suggestion is related to the belief of the Surma/Mursi people themselves. These people believe evil spirits possess a person entering by way of his mouth. So lip plates are taken as a preventive measure. The third and most likely theory is to declare social status of the girl's family by showing the number of cattle expected for her hand in marriage. -made from red or black mud or wood, -re produced into different sizes -The shape varies from circular to trapezoidal, - some plates have hollow-centered, and with decorative incisions. - some lip plates are up to 5 inches in diamter, - a growing number of women nrefrain from this lip plates thingg- - the bigger the lip plate the moree cattle the women iw worth. -The Suri pride themselves on their scars and how many they carry. Women perform [|scarification] by slicing their skin with a razor blade after lifting it with a thorn. After the skin is sliced the piece of skin left over is left to eventually scar -These rituals which are extremely painful are said by some anthropologists are a type of controlled violence; a way of getting the younger tribe members use to seeing blood and feeling pain. It’s also a way of adapting these young children to their violent environment
 * Lip Plates:**

- the surma and muris people have been known to paint there bodies white for some occasions. -popular amongst children, is painting of imaginative patterns on their faces and bodies with the help of white fossil lime.
 * Body art:**