Little girl from the Arbore tribe in a field of flowers. Omo Valley, Southern Ethiopia, 2013
Piercing and lip plates are a strong part of the Suri culture. At the point of puberty most women have their bottom teeth removed in order to get their lower lip pierced. Once the lip is pierced, it is then stretched and a lip plate is then placed in the hole of the piercing. Having a lip plate is a sign of beauty; a common academic thought is that the bigger the plate, the more cattle the woman is worth for her bride price, though this is negated by some.[13] It is still unknown why and how lip plates came to be used. One theory says lips plates were used to discourage slave owners from taking the women who had them. In recent years, some young women are refusing to have their lips pierced. Southen Ethiopia, 2017
Older woman from the Nyangatom tribe. Omo valley, southern Ethiopia, 2013.
![Piercing and lip plates are a strong part of the Suri culture. At the point of puberty most women have their bottom teeth removed in order to get their lower lip pierced. Once the lip is pierced, it is then stretched and a lip plate is then placed in the hole of the piercing. Having a lip plate is a sign of beauty; a common academic thought is that the bigger the plate, the more cattle the woman is worth for her bride price, though this is negated by some.[13]
It is still unknown why and how lip plates came to be used. One theory says lips plates were used to discourage slave owners from taking the women who had them. In recent years, some young women are refusing to have their lips pierced.
Southen Ethiopia, 2017](https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-PV8LkqB/0/L/i-PV8LkqB-L.jpg)
