History Main / SavagePiercings

* Parodied in the ''AmericanDad'' episode "Stanny Slickers II: The Legend of Ollie's Gold", where Stan's future dream sequence depicts Hayley as getting so much piercings, she looks like an African tribesman, complete with lip plate.

* Parodied in the ''AmericanDad'' episode "Stanny Slickers II: The Legend of Ollie's Gold", where Stan's dream sequence depicts Hayley as getting so much piercing, she looks like an African tribesman, complete with lip plate.
* The men in ''MikeLuAndOg'' have rings through their noses, while the Cuzzlewitz clan have bones through them.

* In ''{{Apocalypto}}'' most of the tribesmen and women had piercings of some description. There were wooden and jade studs, as well as more complicated, ornate pieces.

Let's say, there's a hero from the western world meeting a tribe of savages somewhere in DarkestAfrica, or another part of the world far from western civilization. How do we depict that these people are savages? By showing that they're pierced.

This is kind of TruthInTelevision, since many real tribes use various forms of body modification as part of their culture. Before piercing became mainstream in TheNineties, in the western world it was common only among certain subcultures, except for the accepted form: earrings (women only). So someone wearing rings through his or her nose (or lips, or belly buttons, or nipples, or [[MontyPythonsFlyingCircus naughty bits]]) must be a savage. Bonus points if we aren't talking about metal rings, but pieces of wood, or worse, bones. These bones often (especially in comics and animation) will more look like the standard doggie bones, implying that these savages aren't even sophisticated enough to use tools. (In reality, stone age humans were capable of making quite delicate carved objects.)

[[AC:{{Anime and Manga}}]]
* ''[[Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventure Jojo's Bizarre Adventure]]'' gives us a subversion with the Pillar Men. They are ancient beings from a long-dead civilization and are fully decked out with piercings and loincloths. However, their intellect far surpasses modern-day humans, as they can become fluent in new languages just by listening to them for a few seconds, and they can expertly disassemble guns, despite not knowing what they are.

* In ''{{Apocalypto}}'' most of the tribesmen and women had piercings of some description. There were wooden and jade studs, as well as more complicated, ornate pieces.
* Spoofed in ''WesternAnimation/{{Madagascar}}: Escape 2 Africa''. When the other giraffes make Melman their {{witch doctor}}, they present him with the requisite nose bone. "Don't worry, it's a clip-on."
* Among the many self-mutilations common to the savage Reavers in ''{{Serenity}}'' are bits of metal, bone, etc. inserted into the skin. The same is true of ''{{Firefly}}'', the television series on which the movie is based, but you get a much better look in the movie.

[[AC:Literature]]

* There are several southern African nations in which lip plates are, or were, the custom for women.
** Ironically, it's thought that some of the more extreme versions may have come about [[NewerThanTheyThink to deter interest from slavers.]]
*** That theory has largely been debunked. There are just different standards for beauty, apart from a handful of basics, like symmetric features.

* Sulik the tribal in ''{{Fallout}} 2''.

* ''[[JojosBizarreAdventure Jojo's Bizarre Adventure]]'' gives us a subversion with the Pillar Men. They are ancient beings from a long-dead civilization and are fully decked out with piercings and loincloths. However, their intellect far surpasses modern-day humans, as they can become fluent in new languages just by listening to them for a few seconds, and they can expertly disassemble guns, despite not knowing what they are.

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* Spoofed on ''{{Madagascar Escape 2 Africa}}''. When the other giraffes make Melman their {{witch doctor}}, they present him with the requisite nose bone. "Don't worry, it's a clip-on."

** Ironically, it's thought that some of the more extreme versions may have come about [[NewerThanTheyThink to deter interest from slavers.]]

* ''[[JojosBizarreAdventure Jojo's Bizarre Adventure]]'' gives us a bit of a subversion with the Pillar Men. They are ancient beings from a long-dead civilization and are fully decked out with piercings and loincloths. However, their intellect far surpasses modern-day humans, as they can become fluent in new languages just by listening to them for a few seconds, and they can expertly disassemble guns, despite not knowing what they are.

This is kind of TruthInTelevision, since many real tribes use various forms of body modification as part of their culture. Before piercing became mainstream in TheNineties, in the western world it was common only among certain subcultures, except for the accepted form: earrings (women only). So someone wearing rings through his or her nose (or lips, or belly buttons, or nipples, or [[MontyPython naughty bits]]) must be a savage. Bonus points if we aren't talking about metal rings, but pieces of wood, or worse, bones. These bones often (especially in comics and animation) will more look like the standard doggie bones, implying that these savages aren't even sophisticated enough to use tools. (In reality, stone age humans were capable of making quite delicate carved objects.)

* Spoofed on ''{{Madagascar Escape 2 Africa}}''. When the other giraffes make Melman their witch doctor, they present him with the requisite nose bone. "Don't worry, it's a clip-on."

Let's say, there's a hero from the western world meeting a tribe of savages somewhere in DarkestAfrica, or another part of the world far from western civilization. How do we depict that these people are savages?

By showing that they're pierced. This is kind of TruthInTelevision, since many real tribes use various forms of body modification as part of their culture. But before piercing became mainstream in TheNineties, in the western world it was common only among certain subcultures. Except for the accepted form: Earrings (women only). And that's why someone wearing rings through his or her nose (or lips, or belly buttons, or nipples, or [[MontyPython naughty bits]]) must be a savage. Bonus points if we aren't talking about metal rings, but pieces of wood, or worse, bones. And these bones often (especially in comics and animation) will more look like the standard doggie bones, implying that these savages aren't even sophisticated enough to use tools. (In reality, stone age humans were capable of making quite delicate carved objects.)

* There are several southern African nations in which lip plates are, or were, the custom for women. This is as good a place as any to mention that, contrary to popular misconception, there is no "Ubangi tribe" especially known for lip plates. That idea originated back when circuses used to feature African women wearing lip plates as a [[ValuesDissonance sideshow attraction]]. A Ringling Brothers press agent admitted he [[TheyJustDidntCare took the name "Ubangi" from a map]]. TheOtherWiki has an article on [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lip_plate lip plates]].
* Note that ''no'' tribe of 'savages' has pierced some of the [[IfYouKnowWhatIMean organs]] that a few modern people do.
** Er, no. If it can be pierced, it was probably pierced in some culture somewhere.

* Note that ''no'' tribe of 'savages' has pierced some of the [[IfYouKnowWhatIMean organs]] that a few modern people do.

** There are several southern African nations in which lip plates are, or were, the custom for women. This is as good a place as any to mention that, contrary to popular misconception, there is no "Ubangi tribe" especially known for lip plates. That idea originated back when circuses used to feature African women wearing lip plates as a [[ValuesDissonance sideshow attraction]]. A Ringling Brothers press agent admitted he [[TheyJustDidntCare took the name "Ubangi" from a map]]. TheOtherWiki has an article on [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lip_plate lip plates]].

* Trolls in the ''WarCraft'' universe have bone piercings (they're mostly Jamaican-accented, SoYeah).

* The most recent example I can think of is in ''PiratesOfTheCaribbean'', when Jack is caught by these guys.

* Sideshow Mel from ''TheSimpsons'' has a bone in his ''hair'', I guess to suggest savagery but not make the AnimatedActor get an actual piercing.

* Those tribes that have these huge wooden disks inserted into their lower lip for whatever reason (anyone know the one I'm talking about?). The correct term is "lip plates", apparently.
** There are several southern African nations in which this is, or was, the custom for women. This is as good a place as any to mention that, contrary to popular misconception, there is no "Ubangi tribe" especially known for lip plates. That idea originated back when circuses used to feature African women wearing lip plates as a [[ValuesDissonance sideshow attraction]]. A Ringling Brothers press agent admitted he [[TheyJustDidntCare took the name "Ubangi" from a map]]. TheOtherWiki has an article on [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lip_plate lip plates]].
* Let us note that ''no'' tribe of 'savages' has pierced some of the [[IfYouKnowWhatIMean organs]] that modern Americans do!

By showing that they're pierced. This is kind of TruthInTelevision, since many real tribes use various forms of body modification as part of their culture. But before piercing became mainstream in TheNineties, in the western world it was common only among certain subcultures. Except for the accepted form: Earrings (women only). And that's why someone wearing rings through his or her nose (or lips, or belly buttons, or nipples, or [[MontyPython naughty bits]]) must be a savage. Bonus points if we aren't talking about metal rings, but pieces of wood, or worse, bones. And these bones often (especially in comics and animation) will more look like the standard doggie bones, know what I mean. Implying that these savages aren't even sophisticated enough to use tools. (In reality, stone age humans were capable of making quite delicate carved objects.)