For peoples of the Dani tribe, finger cutting, or Ikipalin, was a typical mourning practice. Located in a remote area of Papua, New Guinea, that is only accessible by plane, the Dani had their own unique way of dealing with and expressing grief. As a physical way to manifest the emotional pain of losing a loved one, the Dani removed a portion of a finger when someone close to them died. The custom was primarily followed by women, but older men sometimes participated as well. Although the practice was declared illegal and is no longer practiced by the Dani, evidence of the custom can be seen on older women from the tribe, many of whom are missing multiple portions of their fingers. The more loss a woman experienced, the more she lost of herself.
Why did the Dani cut their fingers? What purpose did it serve? Scroll down to learn more about this intriguing custom.
It is unclear why the custom applied primarily to women. Some older men in the tribe participated in Ikipalin, but typically, it was the women who had bits of their fingers amputated. It applied mostly to older women, but the practice carried all the way down to female babies, who had the tips of their fingers bitten off by their mothers in a similar ritual.
This practice likely originated when infant mortality rates were high among the Dani due to various causes. It's possible that mothers were trying to make their babies appear different than those who had died before them, and so undertook this practice in hopes that it would help an infant survive.
Prior to removing part of the finger, it was tied off at the joint to restrict circulation, thereby numbing it so removal was less painful. After removal, the open wound was cauterized to prevent bleeding and to help form a newly callused fingertip.
Some Amputations Took Place Without Actual Cutting
Those who were opposed to sharp objects could elect to remove a piece of finger without any actual cutting. Some people chewed at their knuckles to weaken them and then tied a rope around the finger to cut off circulation. Others avoided the chewing part and just tied up their joints to stop the blood flow.
In either case, the muscle and nerves died from oxygen deprivation and the deadened finger segment was more easily (and less painfully) removed.
Finger Cutting Was Believed To Appease Spirits
When a Dani member had a lot of influence and power in life, the tribe feared they would be equally strong in death. To keep restless spirits at bay and to avoid an ancestor's ill will, the Dani provided their amputated finger segments as offerings to appease the spirit of the deceased.
After they were removed, the segments were dried and burned and the ashes buried in a special place.
