Africa is a very diverse land with many different tribes. One tradition that many of these groups share is painting or marking their bodies and faces in color. They do this for many reasons. Some marks are used to identify people as part of a group. ____小题1:___ Let’s look at some different examples of body painting.
____小题2:___ Among the Masai of East Africa, when men are old enough to marry and make decisions for their people, they participate in a special ceremony in which they paint their heads and faces red. This ceremony takes place every seven to fourteen years, so there is not an exact age for participating in it. The Samburu, also from East Africa, like to paint their faces and hair red because they think it looks attractive.
____小题3:____ To show that he has killed a lion, a man will paint his body with a natural white material, making special marks to represent this accomplishment. The Masai men also use this white to show that they are no longer boys and are considered adults.
One quite unusual example of face painting is done by the Wodaabe people of West Africa. Once a year, they have a beauty contest for men. ___小题4:___ Then they add white and black circles and lines. Black paint is used near the eyes and on the lips to draw attention to the whiteness of their eyes and teeth, which the Wodaabe consider most beautiful.____ 小题5:__.
As you travel, enjoy the beautiful and bright colors of Africa.
| A．Red is the common color in body painting because it often represents health and long life. |
| B．Other marks are used for ceremonies such as weddings and during times of war. |
| C．The ceremony expresses hope for rain. |
| D．The Masai men also have a unique way of showing that they are brave. |
E. The women then decide which man they like best.
F. The men pretend to fight each other.
G. The men paint their faces yellow and red.
