[Faline]

The Mangbetu people are from Central Africa - Congo. They believe that an elongated skull with a flattened forehead pleases the gods.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mangbetu_people

[mrsandman187]

imitating the alien gods.

[juliemd]

Head Flattening
Head flattening is the practice of permanently elongating the skull by wrapping young children's heads while their skulls are still forming. African cultures reshaped the skulls of their members to increase an individual's beauty and to improve social status. Among the people who practiced head flattening, an elongated head indicated a person's intelligence and spirituality. The Mangbetu people of the present-day Democratic Republic of the Congo wrapped their babies' heads with cloth to elongate their skulls. Once the desired shape became permanent, the cloth was removed, and a woven basket frame was attached to the head at an angle, and the hair was styled over the frame to exaggerate the look of elongation.

Head elongation was also practiced in Oceania, especially on the islands of Vanuatu and Borneo, and in some parts of France. Between the late nineteenth and mid-twentieth century, the practice of head elongation fell out of favor among many of the peoples who had traditionally practiced it.

A person with a finely elongated head is thought to be more intelligent, of higher status and close to the world of the spirits.

[foldingstars]

surely that is dangerous

[Rusty666]

[Audioguru]

Strange custom, but hey, so is drinking and driving. (more dangerous)

[collaredgirl65]

[PsychodelicTurtle]

I think they're beautiful!

[Chemical_Ali]

I was going to say something like "WTF?" but then I remembered we have Joycelyn Weinderstein (or however you spell her last name) so I guess I can't say anything superior

[Shelbeano ^-^]

I'm surprised by how giant that infant's head turned out to be. He must be worshiped in that village. I hope it doesn't do any (if minimal) damage to the brain while developing. Worse things to practice, I suppose.