HOW TO "SHRINK" A HEAD

HEADHUNTERS AND HUMAN SHRUNKEN HEADS CONJURE UP MANY THOUGHTS OF HOW WERE THEY DONE, WHO DID THEM, ARE THEY REAL? YOU ARE LOOKING AT ORIGINAL SHRUNKEN HUMAN HEAD, THEY ARE REAL AND THEY DO EXIST!

MANY TRIBES OVER THE YEARS HAVE PRACTICED THIS CANNIBALISTIC ART, THE KIWAI OF NEW GUINEA, THE DYAKS OF NORTHERN BORNEO, AND THE KALINGAS OF THE PHILIPPINES, BUT THE MOST INFAMOUS HEADHUNTERS OF ALL ARE THE JIVAROS OF THE AMAZON BASIN IN SOUTH AMERICA. THE WARRIORS OF THESE TRIBES WOULD OFTEN HAVE FIERCE HAND-TO-HAND FIGHTS. A WARRIOR WHO FOUGHT COURAGEOUSLY AND DIED WOULD BE "HONORED" BY HAVING HIS HEAD SHRUNK BY THE VICTORIOUS OPPONENT AND DISPLAYED ON HIS HUT. IF YOU FOUGHT AND DIED AS A COWARD IN BATTLE YOUR HEAD AND BODY WERE LEFT FOR SCAVENGING ANIMALS.

EACH HEAD IS DIFFERENT AS THE TRIBESMAN WHO IS DOING THE WORK. OBVIOUSLY THE PROCESS BEGINS BY REMOVING THE HEAD FROM THE BODY. THE SKULL IS REMOVED WHEN THE ENTIRE HEAD IS SKINNED. THE SACK LIKE SKIN IS IMMERSED IN A POT OF BOILING WATER FOR A SHORT TIME THEN REMOVED AND THE NECK RING OF FLEXIBLE VINE IS PLACED IN THE NECK OPENING. HEATED STONES ARE DELICATELY INSERTED INTO THE SACK AS SHRINKAGE STARTS. THEN HOT SAND IS SUBSTITUTED FOR THE STONES AS THE HEAD IS CONSTANTLY ROLLED ABOUT TO ALLOW THE SAND TO GO IN ALL AREAS. THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS THE JIVARO CONSTANTLY MOLD AND KNEAD THE LOOSE SKIN BETWEEN HIS FINGERS SO THAT THE FEATURES ARE NOT DISTORTED. AFTER SHRINKAGE IS COMPLETE, THE LIPS ARE SEWN SHUT SO THE HEAD WILL NEVER DIVULGE THE SECRETS OF THE JIVAROS. THE LAST STAGE OF THE PROCESS IS TO ADORN THE HEAD, NOW ABOUT THE SIZE OF AN ORANGE, WITH SOME ADDED TRAPPINGS LIKE EARRINGS, FEATHERS, BEADS AND HEADBANDS.