Taboo

August 6, 2007 - 3:00 PM by Stephanie

Last night the National Geographic Channel kicked off its premiere episode of a new series: Taboo.

Taboo is about rituals within different cultures that may be considered well…taboo…to those outside the circle. I’m assuming it’s going to make its way on over to Israel soon.

Examples of rituals include boys in the Amazon Rainforest who don gloves filled with stinging Bullet Ants as part of their rite of passage into manhood. Or women in northern Thailand who stretch their necks with gold rings.

A brit milah is one such ritual that many outside Judaism (and inside too) take to task, by the way; I sort of expect it to show up on the season roster.

While it’s a wonderful window into cultural mores widely unseen, Taboo made for extremely uncomfortable viewing, taking shock t.v./reality to a different level. Particularly the opening ritual kicker: Suspension. The act of suspending oneself from huge meat hooks that penetrate the skin.

It’s a cult phenomenon, not part of a religious order or rite of passage. And according to the participants – young tattooed and pierced Australians who brought to mind characters featured in San Francisco adverts for sado-masochistic sex clubs – the intense pain is a release. That’s why they do it.

Suspension is what people are doing for release? Sheesh…Time to find a hobby.

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