In Reply to: What about this tooth filing ? posted by Jasmine jegeg on Friday, 9. April 1999 at 00:20 Bali Time:
tooth filing is just one of many rights of passage that balinese go through in there lives. Usually, the tooth filing ceremony is performed on males when there voice breaks and females sometime after their first mentstruation. The ceremony is usually organised in conjuction with the village priest the aim of which is to symbolically eradicate the animal/wild nature in a person. Although some actual tooth filing does occur on the upper canine teeth, they are not damaged at all and the person who has had the ceremony performed should thereafter be able to control his/her emotions and conduct themsevles as a responsible adult, although full adulthood actually begins after marriage and it is only then that they are considered to be a fully fledged member of their community. Hope this answers some of your questions.