Cut a Finger to Express The Pain and Sadness
by Some ethnic groups in Papua have a unique way to express their sadness. An extreme way. They will cut their finger if they sad.
What will you do if one of your family dead? Crying? Some people in Wamena and Baliem Jayawijaya, Papua, Indonesia, have an extreme tradition to express their pain and sadness because of death. The tradition is cutting a phalanx of finger.
They have opinion that death is disaster. Only by crying is not enough to face death of someone loved. There is something must do to avoid the next disaster. And the next calamity only can avoid by cutting a phalanx of finger.
So, if there is someone dead, one of the main families, usually a woman will cut a phalanx of her finger. A mother or a father will cut her/his a phalanx of finger if her/his child dead. The cutting a phalanx of finger symbolizes of sadness and pain because of losing someone loved.
For the tribes, fingers are symbol of harmony. If one of finger lost, the power will lost too. By cutting a phalanx of the finger, hoped the disaster on the family will go. The pain because of someone death will heal if wound of cut finger has recovered.
The tradition is rare now. It results from influence of religion that entered in those areas.
(The images from Google)
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Post Commentlapasan
On September 17, 2011 at 9:29 pm
Strange tribal practice.
galore
On September 17, 2011 at 10:28 pm
I’ll never do that.
dwisuka
On September 17, 2011 at 10:37 pm
@lapasan: yes, it’s
dwisuka
On September 17, 2011 at 10:41 pm
@galore: right. don’t do that!
juliachild
On September 18, 2011 at 12:26 am
Thanks for the update
dwisuka
On September 18, 2011 at 12:54 am
@juliachild: thanks for your comment
LCM Linda
On September 18, 2011 at 1:38 am
Terrible practice. I prefer to doing some positive rather than harming the body when sad things happened.
dwisuka
On September 18, 2011 at 2:20 am
@LCM Linda: I like your way to face sad things happened
Aroosa Gloomy
On September 18, 2011 at 2:39 am
My it’s really painful.How they do it.In this way one day they will not be having hand as they cut their fingers.
dwisuka
On September 18, 2011 at 2:49 am
@Aroosagloomy: but that’s their tradition. their belief
FX777222999
On September 18, 2011 at 3:52 am
Weird…
ittech
On September 18, 2011 at 4:43 am
yh weird
binyumanyun
On September 18, 2011 at 5:33 am
Hiii..ngeri..Very good post
bloggerzeal
On September 18, 2011 at 9:51 am
Really weird..
dwisuka
On September 18, 2011 at 8:55 pm
@FX777222999: yes, it is
thanks
@ittechil: thanks
@binyumanyun:
@bloggerzeal: right
yes me
On September 19, 2011 at 8:11 am
Interesting share here cheers
dwisuka
On September 19, 2011 at 8:20 pm
@yes me: thanks
rgreenfield
On September 19, 2011 at 10:43 pm
Ouch! Some traditions in other parts of the world are quite extreme. We express ourselves in different ways and this is the way these brave men and women express themselves. Thanks for sharing!
dwisuka
On September 20, 2011 at 2:23 am
@rgreenfield: Right. Some people have different way to express themselves. Thanks, I like your comment
naruto100
On September 20, 2011 at 3:34 am
oh.. That’s really scary and painful.
dwisuka
On September 20, 2011 at 6:40 pm
@naruto100: yes, but it’s their culture
Muhammad Fajar Marthias
On September 22, 2011 at 3:43 am
wah baru tahu nih, Really weird indeed…
dwisuka
On September 22, 2011 at 10:07 pm
@Muhammad Fajar Marthias: in Papua, bro
Kristie Claar
On September 24, 2011 at 8:20 am
great article
foxpete88
On September 25, 2011 at 10:22 am
very nice post..thanks
iva75cpb
On September 25, 2011 at 11:55 am
It’s very strange to me, honestly. But it’s part of their culture and we must respect it.
dwisuka
On September 25, 2011 at 7:04 pm
@Kristie Claar: thanks Kristie
@foxpete88: thanks
@iva75cpb: you right. We must respect the differences, including culture, whatever
aheed411
On September 27, 2011 at 6:18 am
Wow
Beautiful
dwisuka
On September 27, 2011 at 7:41 pm
@aheed411: thanks
tenraj
On October 11, 2011 at 10:54 pm
Really? great!
beingwell
On October 13, 2011 at 1:57 am
Heavy stuff!
beingwell
On November 22, 2011 at 10:34 pm
Revisiting, my friend.