Tooth filing on Bali, Indonesia

A Brahman filing the teeth of a young man at a traditional tooth-filing ceremony in Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia, while female relatives hold the boy's arms and shoulder. The ceremony is a puberty rite, done after the girl has had her first menstruation or the boy's voice has broken, but can be saved until later in life, sometimes until the time of ones wedding. The six front teeth in the upper jaw are filed down to an even row, the purpose of which is to lessen six human vices, e g anger and sexual desire. Another reason is to make one look less like a fanged demon, thereby securing ones entry into the land of the dead after cremation. The boy wears ceremonial brocade clothing.

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Filename: 2963.jpg
Copyright: Copyright © 2000 Anders Ryman. All rights reserved.
Image Size: 5583x3703 / 15.1MB; Asia Asians Hindu Hinduism Horizontal Life Cycle Ritual One Person with Others Religion Rite of Passage Southeast Asia Tools brocade ceremony clothing accessories colorful comfort comforting cultural and ethnic dress ethnic clothing family festive clothing file hands human relationship male man opulence outfits puberty rite religious rite ritual supporting supportive tooth filing wealth youth
Contained in galleries: Rites of Life

A Brahman filing the teeth of a young man at a traditional tooth-filing ceremony in Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia, while female relatives hold the boy's arms and shoulder. The ceremony is a puberty rite, done after the girl has had her first menstruation or the boy's voice has broken, but can be saved until later in life, sometimes until the time of ones wedding. The six front teeth in the upper jaw are filed down to an even row, the purpose of which is to lessen six human vices, e g anger and sexual desire. Another reason is to make one look less like a fanged demon, thereby securing ones entry into the land of the dead after cremation. The boy wears ceremonial brocade clothing.