Modern primitive

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Scarification is one form of modern western body modification adopted from what adherents consider traditional cultures. Scarification by Lestyn Flye.jpg
Scarification is one form of modern western body modification adopted from what adherents consider traditional cultures.
Facial piercings and facial tattoos are popular among those who see themselves as outsiders to mainstream society. Arnizsanz.jpg
Facial piercings and facial tattoos are popular among those who see themselves as outsiders to mainstream society.

Modern primitives or urban primitives are people in developed, or modern nations who engage in body modification rituals and practices inspired by the ceremonies, rites of passage, or bodily ornamentation in what they consider traditional cultures. [1] These practices may include body piercing, tattooing, play piercing, flesh hook suspension, corset training, scarification, branding, and cutting. The stated motivation for engaging in these varied practices may be personal growth, personal rites of passage, rejection of society, as a way to connect with antiquity, or spiritual and sexual curiosity.

Contents

Origins

Roland Loomis, also known by his chosen name, Fakir Musafar, was one of the founders of the modern primitive movement. [2] The 1989 RE/Search book Modern Primitives is largely responsible[ clarification needed ] for the promotion of the concept of modern primitivism. Among the modern primitive motivations, the main purpose of any rite of passage is to transform the adherent's state of being, from one state of existence to another. Modern primitives identify with a connection between what they see as "the primitive" and authenticity; "in opposition to the corruptions of mainstream society". [3]

Modern primitives may have a loose set of beliefs about their way of life, including

Criticisms

Urban primitivism has been suggested as cultural appropriation and misrepresenting or "bundling" cultures together in a "primitive" setting. [5] [6] These have been debated, with adherents believing that these criticisms are based largely on the views of Roland Loomis rather than the culture as a whole. [7]

See also

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<i>Modern Primitives</i> (book) Book by V. Vale

Modern Primitives, written by V. Vale and Andrea Juno, is a RE/Search publications book about body modification, published in 1989. The book consists of a collection of twenty two interviews and two essays with individuals and key figures involved the field of body modification in the late 1980s. It was one of the first documents to attempt to comprehensively cover the re-emergence and increasing popularity of tattooing, piercing, scarification, corsetry, sideshow, ritual and other practices in contemporary western society.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Body piercing</span> Form of body modification

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Religious perspectives on tattooing encompass diverse attitudes within different religious traditions. Tattoos hold rich historical and cultural significance as permanent markings on the body, conveying personal, social, and spiritual meanings. However, religious interpretations of tattooing vary widely, from acceptance and endorsement to strict prohibitions associating it with the desecration of the sacred body.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New school (tattoo)</span> Tattoo style

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References

  1. National Geographic - Ancient and Modern Tattoos Celebrated in Photography Book
  2. Gauntlet – decorating the Modern Primitive Archived 2007-05-20 at archive.today
  3. Benson, Susan (2000). "Inscriptions of the self: reflections on tattooing and piercing in contemporary Euro-America". In Jane, Caplan (ed.). Written on the body: the tattoo in European and American history (Jane Caplan ed.). London: United Kingdom: Reaktion Books Ltd. pp. 234–254. ISBN   978-0691057231.
  4. Rosenblatt, David (1997). "The Antisocial Skin: Structure, Resistance, and 'Modern Primitive' Adornment in the United States". Cultural Anthropology. 12 (3): 287–334. doi:10.4135/9781526440211. ISBN   9781526440211 . Retrieved 16 June 2019.
  5. "Why Primitivism was Cultural Appropriation". 26 October 2016. Archived from the original on 25 October 2021. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
  6. Rosenblatt, David (1997). "The Antisocial Skin: Structure, Resistance, and 'Modern Primitive' Adornment in the United States". Cultural Anthropology. 12 (3): 287–334. doi:10.4135/9781526440211. ISBN   9781526440211 . Retrieved 16 June 2019.
  7. Lodder, Matt (2011). "The myths of modern primitivism". European Journal of American Culture. 30 (2): 99–111. doi:10.1386/ejac.30.2.99_1.

Further reading