Minga (body scarification)

Paulina Puruntatameri

Men with status had Minga design. Usually head of the clan or chief. If they had 10 wives they 5 Minga on each arms. Some other men also had it because they became initiated as leaders and some had them on their bum and some had them on their chest.
Sometimes women had them too. Grandma had them on her arms. I asked how come she had them on both arms. She said: “the men that I had did not stay long enough”. She was married to 3 husbands but she also had another three that did not stay around long. She wore calico around her body to cover herself so I never knew whether she had Minga on her bottom or not.

Medium: Painting

H  120cm x W 80cm    x D 2 cm

Catalogue Number:  22AP32