The Truth About The Pierced Princess- Or A Simple Crock Of Lies I Told.

Just how many sheep are there? 

I'm into body modification. That much is obvious when you count the 11-13 tattoos I have, the various piercings I have had and removed over the years ( eyebrow, labret, tongue x2, ears x8, navel by 4 and most recently my septum, which I haven't removed and am in absolute love with ) and the fact that I can't honestly say I wouldn't like to look down one day and see my entire body covered in ink, but I just don't have the time for it. Each of my tattoos, save for 1, are nearly 10 years old and scheduled for either touch ups or covering, but, then there's the healing time for them. 

Meh. 

To be honest this isn't what I want to talk about, I want to speak specifically about my septum piercing. 

I frankly adore most septum piercings, and decided I want one for myself, and went and got one. 

Since doing that, I have had countless people asking me why I did it, giving myself a "bull ring". So, purely for my entertainment, I plucked at the vast and expansive knowledge stored in my inexhaustible brain, and came up with a convincing yet completely unsupported, utter hogwash, hilarious, "fact" surrounding my nose ring. 

FIERCE.
dinner time must be a riot with him.

It is absolutely farcical, how many people in Barbados will believe anything you say justifying your choice to modify your body, as long as you include the word "Africa" in your conclusive explanation. So far I have told 5 people it is a sign of royalty amongst eastern African tribal women, only the princess was allowed to pierce her septum, I have told 2 people it is a sign that I am a descendant of Egypt, and I have told other people it was used by the tribes in Central Africa to control and reduce pains of womanhood. 

Fulani woman, who looks like my Aunty Pat,
who's daughter is my piercing partner and
best friend of 25 years.
I KNEW SOMETHING WAS UP.

Not one of these people questioned me, not a single one even so much as doubted me, they all actually accepted and are now defending me ( I cannot tell you how hard I am laughing about this, it's HILARIOUS ), and furthermore see me as even more educated and a follower of the ROOTS RECOGNITION movements. 

Now, tickled as I am at these things, I find it a bit disconcerting that persons can so easily be fed any drivel I make up, once I am somber enough during my delivery, and they not only swallow it whole, they LIVE in it. 

I'm not too far gone to have forgotten when I first got my tattoos and was called a "wannabe white girl" who was "following the white skin heads, and neonazis" by defiling my body with their "European fads" with my tattoos... 

Yet, here society is, eating up anything I say about my choices to pierce, all because I use "Africa" as an excuse. 

This all started me thinking again, about why I am so vehemently opposed to swallowing dogma without question. 

Anyone can tell you anything, providing they tell you it in a convincing enough manner, you will be inclined to believe them, because you WANT to believe them, because you NEED to believe them, for your own selfish justification of acceptance. 

Or, you can actually dare to question them, and seek answers for yourself, wherever that may lead you, until that yearning for knowledge is completely satisfied. 

* ps. It is tribes from upper Africa, and the Middle East, who pierced their septum, along with some warrior tribes from upper eastern, all mostly nomadic, to give a fiercer appearance, amongst many other older civilizations,

... but don't take my word for it. LOOK IT UP! *