body decoration

Facial and body hair was often plucked out with tweezers, and both face and hair were painted. Red pigment was frequently used to paint the body. Both sexes tattooed their bodies, sometimes all over, and some continue this tradition today; bright red and black were the colours…

…of all was the human body, which received both removable and permanent decorations, including scarification, enhanced by treatment to raise keloid welts, in New Guinea and tattooing with needles and pigments elsewhere.

…the New Guinea Highlands is body decoration. Although decoration usually involves an individual’s entire body, the main focus is the head, which is adorned with a great variety of hats and wigs. The most striking materials used are feathers. The area is famous for its many species of birds of…

…to wear certain colours or decorations. Sometimes each item of adornment represents a specific achievement, so that the more decorations a man wears, the better, braver, or more powerful he is shown to be.