Abstract
Lip plates are a form of body modification practiced today by several tribes in Africa and Amazonia. In 1930, the American people were introduced to lip plates in a most spectacular fashion, when the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus brought in 13 Congolese natives to star as the newest attraction in their sideshow. The Congolese women wore huge lip plates, a result of cultural lip piercing with progressive lip stretching by wooden pegs and plates.The Congolese exhibit was publicized throughout the country as the “Ubangi Savages,” a made-up name selected from an African map, because it had an exotic ring to it. This contribution tells the story of the Ubangi Savages and explains their practice of lip piercing and stretching. It also discusses how tissue expansion has been adapted for use in reconstructive surgery which, along with lip plates, is a way people strive to maintain and enhance the beauty of their bodies, whether for medical or cultural reasons.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
