The Horrific Finger Cutting Tradition

It was a bizarre mourning practice that existed for many years

Female members of the Dani tribe have their fingers amputated when a loved one dies; Source: Scooper

Finger cutting also referred to as “Ikipalin", was common amongst the Dani tribe in a remote area of Papua, Western New Guinea. The demands of the custom required that once a family member passed away, the closest relative(s)were to cut off their fingers, as a manner of expressing their grief.