A Bizarre Tradition

The Dani are an Indigenous Tribe in Indonesia

They have a bizarre tradition of cutting fingers to experience the pain felt when a family member dies. It’s seen as a sign of love and symbolises loyalty. It also serves as a reminder of the loss. They sometimes bite off their finger with their own teeth.

It is often done by women, but sometimes men do it too. The men often cut a piece of their ear.

The practice is now banned, and the young generation is breaking loose from these old customs – but there are still many elderly men and women of this tribe who walk around with amputated fingers…