n of self. "Many women who say at least some makeup is essential express their feeling that wearing makeup is indeed an important part of being dressed, and feeling 'themselves'" (Beausoleil, 1992). Thus, in evaluating how they look wearing makeup, women often define who they are and are not, who they want to be or not be. Women use makeup and appearance to create the self, to reflect on and elaborate who they are. As Sociologist Murray Wax said, "the 'typical' American woman tends to view her body as a craftsman or artist views his raw material" (Wax, p.590). The same idea could very well be applied when trying to understand the tying and tattooing among the Rashaayda Bedouin.The Rashaayda Bedouin of eastern Sudan impose their culture on human bodies as well as on the bodies of animals. They use tight saddle girths and painful nose rings to break their camels, and once tamed, the animals are branded. Rashiidy women also wear nose rings and bind their hair and face masks tightly with belts and straps. Instead of branding, tattoos, often shaped like camel brands, are hidden by pieces of cloth and heavy silver jewelry, and are revealed only during sexual intercourse. Rashiidy women tattoo themselves on three parts of the body: the forearms, the lower half of the face, and the upper portions of the legs and thighs. The tattoos on a woman's arms are simply decorative patterns with little significance. The import of the tattoos, however, is not merely decorative; they have strong erotic associations (Sault, p.63). These indelible marks are effective proof of unchanging devotion when they are seen by the right man. Rashaayda use tattoos as a nonverbal signs to express their deep feelings, as most societies have tokens of some kind. Whether it is makeup, jewelry, or tattoos, it seems that there is a common meaning connecting the symbolism of each.Body image and social relations exists in all human societies. Some societies...
