Question about West African tribal scars?

Question

I posted this previously, but am looking for other responses. We adopted two children from Liberia (Africa, not Costa Rica) and they have some tribal scarring on their lower backs. Each of them have small, vertical scars (maybe 1/2 inch long or less) made by a straight razor on either side of their spines. My daughter indicates this was a kind of tribal blessing for protection and good fortune. My son was too young to remember. I know that different tribes in Africa have different types and significance to the markings and I'm looking for the tribal significance of these markings. As my children lived in Liberia during the civil war, they did not learn much traditional culture.

They are Kru tribe from Liberia. Are there any Kru members or anthropologists that can offer insight? Thanks.

Answer 1

Just tell them that it's like a vaccination, or a tattoo!

Answer 2

I did a little research, and unfortunately I don't think there's really that much available for figuring out the meaning of your children's scars.  The primary difficulty is that they are Kru.  As it turns out, "Kru" is not a tribe.  It's actually an ethnic assignment, similar to being "Tutsi" or "Hutu" in Rwanda.  It's historical roots are, like most ethnic assignments, a result of colonial and slave trading practices.  The term Kru can describe a member of any of around 40 dake living in the rural areas of Liberia.  As these groups only real associations are through the ethnic term applied to them, it's hard to further determine your children's heritage.  

That said, body modification in young children, particularly among West African groups, may be for the purposes of tribal identification.  While this isn't always the case, it may be a good start.

Beyond that, I'd recommend contacting university faculty who specialize in West African Studies.  While they probably won't know an answer off the top of their heads, they might be able to direct you to someone who does.

Answer 3

Why don't you get it removed.  They could be plain old scars.