According to the mursi tribe of Ethiopia, the lips plate carries a number of meanings.
Firstly, it’s a symbol of great beauty.
Secondly, it’s marks a commitments to the husband because it is worn with great bride when serving his food.
If the husband dies, the lips plate will be remove since the woman eternal beauty is said to fade after his death.
Lastly, the lips plate is a powerful visual marker of mursi identity. Without it, they run the risk of being mistaken for a member of another tribes.
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