The Nation
There is a popular phrase that “beauty is in the eyes of the beholder”. People all around the world have defined beauty by their own terms and in their own culture. What seems to be the normal standard of beauty in one part of the world, might be repulsive in another part.
Here are five different standards of beauty from people in different part of the globe:
MAURITANIA (Obesity): Contrary to the beauty ideals of the western world that presents beauty to be in the form of thin (almost malnourished), curvy and tall men or women, people in Mauritania practice what is called “Leblouh”. Although leblouh is fast becoming abolished, it is a practice of force-feeding young girls so that they can become fat, almost to the point of obesity. This is done in the belief that she will become much more desirable to suitors because of her obese weight. It is believed that, the bigger a woman is, the more beautiful she is. Stories have been heard of girls who most times in the process of taking substances to gain weight and become more desirable lose their lives.
JAPAN (Vampire teeth): Japanese women spend fortunes to have their canines carved cat-like fangs. This is no wonder because Japan is the home of artificial beauty where people spend fortunes in “perfecting’ their looks. In a country where you are mostly judged by your looks, having canines that pierce your lower lips to the point of almost drawing out drops of blood, stands you out. This look is referred to as “Yeaba” and it is meant to signify youthfulness and natural beauty and of cause women who have over time, through history and myth done ridiculous things just acquire everlasting beauty and youthfulness are at the higher percentages of the acquirers
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NIGERIA (Gap tooth and dimples): The gap-tooth and dimples have been one of the best beauty standards if judged by a Nigerian. Although scientists have tried to prove that dimples and gaptooth are in fact a body defection, it never ceases to be referred to as the African beauty spot. Dimples are the indentations that are formed on the face of a person when he smiles or talks. Many non-Nigerians have undergone surgery to correct this defection, much to the utter dismay of most Nigerians because they will never comprehend for the life of them, why someone will choose to be “unbeautiful’
ETHIOPIA: (Lip Plate): While Nigerians give tribal marks and Westerners do tattoos, some Africans in Surma and Mursi of Ethiopia have a body modification called ‘Labret’. This is a practice of making a piercing on the lower lips or ears and stretching it to expand till it can fit in a sizable flat plate. While this might look excruciating, the women who wear it say they feel no pain. The Labret is practiced to signify maturity, fertility and a woman’s eligibility for marriage. Once a girl is at the ripe age of 15, one of the females of the tribe members inserts a wooden stick into her lips and from there, the expansion process begins. In recent times however, girls are given the opportunity to choose if they want to be pierced or not.
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