Indonesian teenagers have their canine teeth filed flat as villagers hold them down ‘to ward off evil spirits’ in agonising religious ritual.
In a tradition that predates Hinduism’s arrival on the island in the 5th Century BC, a priest then uses a metal file to grind down their canine teeth so the teenager, who must stay silent throughout, can become ‘fully human.’
A cylinder of sugarcane is placed in the corner of the mouth to keep the jaws open before the filing begins. Girls and boys must pray for two days before the ritual is carried out in front of their friends and family, says French photographer Eric Lafforgue.
He said: ‘The atmosphere looks more like a movie set than a religious celebration. The teeth of gods and spirits are always pointed and long. They are likened to those of ferocious evils, wild animals, or dogs. It’s believed a Balinese may be denied entrance into heaven if the teeth are not filed because she might be mistaken for a wild creature.’
He said the ceremony starts in a temple with the ‘mebyakala’ – purification with holy water made by a leading priest aimed at ‘cleansing’ teenagers before their teeth are filed. ‘The aim of the ceremony is to symbolically ‘cut down’ on the six negative traits that are inherent in humans; lust, greed, wrath, pride, jealousy, and intoxication.
‘The teens show respect to her parents in front of the whole family and many end in tears.’ They have to go through the ceremony when a boy’s voice deepens or when a girl has her first period, Lafforgue says.
Before the filing begins, the priest utters religious verses before a ruby ring that is believed to have huge power is used to protect the teen from evil. The stone touches the teeth as the protection symbol, and the priest writes sacred inscriptions on their front teeth.
The canine teeth of a teenager are regarded by the Balinese villagers as animal fangs. It comes from the belief that there is good and evil present in every person and the ceremony will serve as a way to balance between both, Lafforgue said.
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