The pasipiatsot tradition, or teeth sharpening, has largely been abandoned in Mentawai, though it persists in Buttui Hamlet, Madobag Village, South Siberut District, Mentawai Islands Regency, West Sumatra.
A team of students from the Universitas Gadjah Mada Community Service Program (KKN-PPM) in the Mentawai Islands Regency conducted a cultural observation of this traditional Mentawai custom, which is still preserved today in Buttui Hamlet, including the tradition of teeth sharpening.
Under the guidance of Dr. Bilal Ma’ruf, a student team from Universitas Gadjah Mada, including Wahid Innayah Tullah, Indarwati, Aanisah Fauziyyah Nurul Hadi, Erlangga Mahendra Yudha, Muhammad Lutfi Zunnur, and Gertrude Beata Utomo Putri, carried out a service project in the Mentawai Islands Regency.
Their project, “Optimizing Leading Resource Potential Towards Sustainable Ecotourism Villages and Community-Based Tourism to Improve the Welfare of the South Siberut District Community,” aims to promote sustainable tourism and enhance local welfare while preserving Mentawai cultural traditions.
Wahid Tullah mentioned that the KKN-PPM Mentawai Islands Regency Team was welcomed to study the cultural traditions of the Mentawai people. He noted the younger generation’s interest in learning about Indonesia’s cultural heritage and enthusiasm for exploring the use of traditional herbal plants.
“One of the traditions studied was the Mentawai teeth-sharpening practice, which women typically perform,” said Tullah.
Aanisah Fauziyyah Nurul Hadi, a member of the KKN-PPM team, said that Abai Ipai, the wife of Sikerei Aman Ipai, served as one of the team’s critical informants during this cultural observation.
She explained that the teeth were sharpened without anesthesia using a panokok (hammer), papaek (chisel), and kajut simakainaok (a piece of simakainaok wood used as a lip guard).
“In the past, Mentawai women sharpened their teeth to symbolize beauty. The four front teeth on both the upper and lower jaws were sharpened,” Hadi reported.
The Mentawai people also use plants to care for and treat their teeth. For instance, they use a plant called kromimit or Leersia virginica to crush and shape it to brush their teeth.
“They also use sipuraro or Acmella caulirhiza, whose flowers are crushed and applied to decayed teeth,” she added.
Through this cultural observation, the KKN student team hopes to raise awareness among the public and academics about the unique Mentawai traditions that were once considered a standard of beauty for women.
“This observation aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly in fostering sustainable cities and communities to enhance the well-being of communities in Indonesia,” Hadi concluded.
Author: Lintang
Editor: Gusti Grehenson
Post-editor: Afif