The Balinese Tradition of Filing Teeth

For teens in Bali, adulthood bites different. Balinese teens come of age with a traditional ceremony that involves grinding down their upper canine teeth-a metaphorical and physical break from their animal instincts and ancestral roots. This ceremony is seen as the final responsibility a parent has to their child.
VICE Indonesia follows Gek Sri as she undergoes her own “defanging” ceremony to see how Bali’s youngest generation of adults is taking on a tradition with deep roots on the island and ask whether a new set of teeth is “adulting” or actually adulthood.
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[@D0ubleSwipe]

Enamel Has left the chat.

[@EddieGooch]

no more ice cream

[@typicalrockhound9887]

Ouch ..

[@Tepadj]

Exposed dentin has joined the chat.

[@Mothafuckenzay]

Lmao 😭

[@user-dx5bn4yk4f]

M *colgate sensitive relief has kicked sensodyne out of the group*

[@sajjeel123]

I demand this level of treatment everytime I have to go to the dentist

[@hellsfury666]

Lmfao I know right????

[@1985bjaycat]

I want the headdress!

[@Emmy4ShortStack]

Well my parents practically have to carry me in so 🤷🏼‍♀️😂 sorta counts, they never offer up a buffet at my dentist though 😒

[@1985bjaycat]

@@Emmy4ShortStack no fair!! 😂

[@hellsfury666]

Emmy97xox omg your funny 😂

[@spoon-6914]

When the dentist hits my nerve with the drill I jump in pain, I can’t even imagine this

[@user-pv4qq6ud9j]

That’s the worst pain in the world dude

[@cashen7384]

@@user-pv4qq6ud9j agree

[@agungkrishna7000]

Lol im balinese and i have done this. Suprisingly i does not hurt AT ALL

[@spoon-6914]

J L yup then they spray cold water in there just because to make it 10000 times worse

[@1985bjaycat]

@@agungkrishna7000 wow it seems like it would!!

[@avuhhh]

it’s so interesting to hear gek talk about nikes and brands and “haters” and being a virgo and a millennial while about to undergo this ceremony. she seems to be aware of its complications, too. very strange how the internet culture that she seems to be a part of doesn’t exactly clash with her own.

[@hisyam9271]

cultural identity > internet/online identity i guess

[@cashen7384]

@Hytham Hammer he meant her not gek

[@SHUJINCELL]

Crazy

[@otterhaus]

@@cashen7384 Gek is her name. Edit: I was wrong, according to the comment under mine, gek is a way of saying "girl"

[@madearjuna4793]

"Gek" is like common ways to say "girl" here in Bali

[@holodoctor1]

"They say not to smile except in the mirror or else you'll be cursed!" *huge smile* lol

[@jtpf87]

She's cursed with a terrible accent!

[@cris07876]

@@jtpf87 wdym

[@xobile.123]

F in the chat for the bird.

[@annakhuat5661]

Xobile ffff

[@sabastian2814]

F

[@elijahr.775]

F

[@alexi-divasskinner960]

f

[@tikasatam]

U

[@asentana]

"You have to watch out for the haters while you're shining"

[@marshmallowpies1761]

As... as someone with EXTREMELY sensitive teeth... I was in pain watching this whole video.

[@debudasatriawibawa9405]

its not hurt at all. its not like they cut the teeth half lol

[@lovelilly4428]

She is using the roller ball mascara!! She is really gorgeous too

[@christina9238]

TERRIBLE MASCARA, LOL

[@chemonation1562]

Side eyeing the re-upload Vice!!!...I watch a lot of your vids

[@canbot1]

Oh right it's the first episode and yet it is also a recent upload

[@arrenregretsnothing5776]

yeah i was just like “didn’t they already post this??”

[@maryylenn]

my teeth hurt the whole time watching this video

[@saintbenedict3214]

7:30 rip birdy 😖

[@tseringlama139]

Steve Nikko rip

[@bluecats6238]

Nice to see cultural traditions kept alive

[@buddhikathambugala3472]

At the expense of health

[@EternalShadow1667]

Yes, but even this seems quite westernised to my opinion. Reading an old anthropological account of Bali and its traditions by Geertz and this is quite jarring as a result.

[@retiredtidepodeater3339]

Superstition is a mother*cker. 😂

[@MoreSand12]

@Electric Sheep guess you missed the part about receiving bad luck if you smile before seeing your reflection

[@MoreSand12]

@Electric Sheep it's all "weird" in its own way. I'm sure there's things that we do now that our grandchildren will think is nonsensical. Even now, she said they ditched the tradition of the parents carrying the child and opting for socks instead. I know a few people who have even let their future husband give them a second opinion on their wedding dress. I work in a restaurant and have noticed most people don't bother with candles anymore. Traditions change all the time. Mainly because they feel some parts are unnecessary to get the message across. We can agree to disagree though

[@retiredtidepodeater3339]

@Electric Sheep This is literally the THIRD thread you've followed me too... Didn't I banish you to the shadow realm over an hour ago? 😂😂... Go away weirdo.

[@Powertuber1000]

Western Cultural Marxism is a PC M-F-er.

[@KillahManjaro]

@Anthony Okafor Religions aren't stupid. What's stupid is fallowing religions that's not indigenous to you and your people like Christianity, Jewdaism and Islam.

[@torylanezbaldspot6350]

Shes cute as hell… her whole family has beautiful women…

[@jtpf87]

There's a LOT of makeup mate.

[@willbedford8381]

Yeah she is. On a scale of 1 to 10, I would.

[@xs6702]

@@jtpf87 that bali make up, real tone bali people its same like all indonesian

[@alexivanovs]

Nice one, Vice. I've been fortunate enough to attend a closing ceremony for a similar ritual and it's a lot of fun!

[@contactwide]

She looked allot better with her old fangs

[@sergiokaminotanjo]

this is just another desfiguration ritual, but at least the jews do it in a "cut"

[@error.418]

*a lot

[@CoffeePoints]

The goal isn't to look good

[@turtletots6648]

This was a beautiful short! Such a lush green place! Her and her sisters and her mother all looked so good, like royalty! I love the head dresses they are immaculate. Such a wonderful ceremony, this is a amazing and beautiful tradition😊

[@sukiBambina]

Their national costume is beautiful!!!! I really respect that hair!!!!!!!!!!! I never got my canine filed down, am I full of evil energy?

[@MegumiHayashida]

*everyone:* wtf VICE, a reupload??! *me, a grateful subscriber:* Thanks VICE!

[@bhismahayana]

i suggest you to go to Bali, not to get drunk, but to see our culture 🙂

[@jonathanwoods9843]

I was drawn to this video by first reading about the ceremony in a 1969 issue of National Geographic. In the magazine it appears that they are really filing quite a bit from the teeth, but in this video, it appears that the filing is fairly light. Is there a difference between then and now? Is there really an intention to alter the teeth, or is this really much more ceremonial? It seems to me to be the latter.

[@ibha-xh6nn]

Yes, the old way was more physically and mentally demanding. Back then, Person who about to undergo the process need to learn the basic of meditation to calm their nerve during the process. Today the ceremony is a lot more relax. In fact, more and more traditional ceremonies are more relax and following the modern health and safety guidelines.

[@KillahManjaro]

Nice. Keep your culture and don't let outsiders sway you away from it.

[@railsloopdrown]

Thanks

[@ravenmonroe6180]

Sounds like she doesn't believe nor want to do this

[@dayrinx33]

Right ? Kinda annoying

[@delilahbrown6746]

No I feel like she understood the root elements of the traditions and seemed to appreciate them. She is a millennial, so she is expressing it in a different way. She made little comments like wanting to wear them with Nike's but she still understood the tradition, just made light of it all

[@bapsnatchedmywig]

@@delilahbrown6746 exactly!

[@igedekusumaantara7620]

This is a must for all Balinese Hindus who get grown up whether they want or not.

[@bloxyedits]

I didn't get that vibe at all. She actually seemed happy. She just seemed a little uncomfortable due to all the attention she was getting. She mentioned that she doesn't like attention.

[@PissMenn]

Greetings to all Balinese over there from Javanese here.

[@richarddawkins4607]

Islam destroyed all indonesian culture, replaced by desert culture.

[@CatchyUsername95]

This video was first on VICE Indonesia, then VICE Asia, and no just on VICE international??

[@jm823]

Its ironic the way many cultures celebrate "the right of passage" into "fill in the blank" in this case adulthood, in Indonesian culture its the filing down of teeth which means the breaking away and becoming more "human" or "civilized", while in other cultures they enhance the canine appearance of their appearance in order to achieve a higher spiritual connection to their religious icons and a higher enlightenment.

[@2l2q36]

This is done in the US but as a dental procedure not a ritual. My daughter had to get her front teeth shaved down before she had her braces put on.

[@jlopez665]

I think your daughters procedure might be a bit different

[@2l2q36]

Jimena Lopez She was well buck toothed. My girl looked like the Easter bunny 🐰🤦🏾‍♀️

[@jlopez665]

Samantha Sam .... not the exact same process. Maybe the same principle but definitely not the same procedure

[@hondakubo9399]

Such a wonderful tradition and they all looks so gorgeous 🌾🌺🥰

[@Maria-qm9cg]

interesting to learn about this culture, through this ritual, big thanks to the comments/perspective of the main girl in this video...about what this may represent in the bigger picture.

[@kriztrinidad4199]

"you have to watch out for your haters when your shining"

[@nevaehadkins4217]

at 7:23 i wanted to cry that poor bird

[@NSbergthor]

Love balinese traditional dresses

[@nugnugs8689]

I love stay in bali 🤙🏿 too much tradition to do but i love it, and you should search about meajar - ajar tradition

[@jeep1027]

This was already uploaded right... im not going crazy right?!?

[@haleybledsoe5632]

Jenna Perry yeah they reupload bc they’ve got no other content :/

[@jeep1027]

@@haleybledsoe5632 aaah valid

[@hayleepearson5829]

why reupload dis?? im confused.. just keep it up?

[@Flame11boyy]

Keeping it relevant. Cause they have no new content.

[@lulalaxxxx5620]

i'm in bali when this video came out... what a coincidence

[@Qwistie_]

They killed that little chick. I guess the photo obsession is same for Indonesians as it is for Indians. It's funny how we mix the traditional with the modern. Sometimes you just do things for traditions sake. I love how she addressed white gaze.

[@sk8punk318]

Call me paranoid but I wouldn’t let that “dentist “ even look at teeth

[@matthewz633]

Braces: *Am I a joke to you*

[@proudcatowner004]

When p the mom said "to control ourselves" and the look she made was like..........yeah to control ourselfes

[@Burnstein209]

She's very pretty though, and all the ladies are in the family!!

[@jacobstaten2366]

Tho is Vietnamese. This is something else.

[@jaseanthony70]

Just wait till they take out their teeth. Then you see the real beauty... lol. Everything is detachable. The best thing about Balinese women lol

[@Burnstein209]

@@jacobstaten2366 happy now?

[@Burnstein209]

@@jaseanthony70 Well if you are gay, why is it the best thing you can detach things from these woman? What purpose does it suit you?

[@jacobstaten2366]

@@Burnstein209 I thought you meant "rabbit" but now that I see you meant "though" it completely changes the meaning of the sentence, and I totally agree with you.

[@magnolia2]

Watching this while brushing my teeth, baffled.

[@polaricecaps10]

She's definitely Gen Z, not a millennial.

[@siZeDcuBe]

"Getting married?" "No.. with you? ;)" "No thank you."

[@mushishi9684]

8:23 minute....Love her, understand Kultura of a part in the world

[@Mvjesty23]

This was already posted?

[@ca9ri498]

Wasn’t this a video 7 months ago?

[@ambarnim466]

Beautiful ceremonial😍

[@cierahowell8653]

She is so beautiful the filing thing terrifies me though. It just makes me teeth tingle

[@es0strefis]

* insert anime meme picture * "is it re-upload ?"

[@nonstar321]

If I got treated like this when I go to my dentist I would go more often

[@sanaa.2195]

why the re-upload?

[@bloopbloop2019]

Coins

[@antonynguvarni8967]

Some cultural experts say that it's a terrible tradition, then what about circumcision , tatoo and body piercing??

[@railsloopdrown]

Who are those culture expert? I want their name as I wanted to say "greetings"

[@Athirahindustani]

And FGM 😡

[@Destroyer28911]

@@Athirahindustani FGM is abuse 😕

[@simrancecil8380]

That complexion is one thing women even if they put layers of foundation still cannot achieve 😍😍😍😍

[@Visionery1]

Not that bad, here they remove the perfectly healthy upper teeth between the 'fangs'. Some call it a 'passion gap'.

[@ibrahims754]

I got tooth sensitivity just by watching it!! Sensodyne has entered the chat!!!

[@sarahgerhardt4747]

I did this myself in my sleep

[@tristonpalmer2327]

Sarah Gerhardt right

[@epramos6800]

My grandfather was a Moro Muslim from Jolo, Mindanao (born in 1896). He was a 32 year US Army Philippine Scouts cavalry trooper/1st Sgt retired from 1914 to 1946. When he lived with us for two years in California (1987-89) I remember he had ground teeth and my father said that's what they did when he was a young man (my Lolo/Grandpa) It's a tradition in the Muslim areas of the Philippines and Indonesia, Malaysia. Interesting. My grandmother was Christian (Roman Catholic) and I asked my father then, why his teeth and my aunts and uncles aren't filed. He said, because they were raised Catholic. I've never seen anyone with filed teeth since then or seen it done. My grandpa, as I remembered had great teeth, my father and all his siblings passed with all their teeth. Great upload.

[@blackliar9581]

Are u sure? Bcz in Indonesia there is no such tradition for the Muslim. Because this is a Balinese Hindu tradition.

[@epramos6800]

@@blackliar9581 yes, the Moro Muslims file their teeth...

[@travis1190]

I could't even tell a difference afterwards...

[@jackysgalaxy8531]

Finally something I haven’t heard of yet :)

[@agothworld9733]

Anyone else feel it when it was happening and cringing?

[@juswolf22]

Electric Sheep can u bite me and turn me into a vampire too?

[@agothworld9733]

Okay tumblr settle down

[@agothworld9733]

You all sound like you use tumblr saying "bite me and make me a vampire" god damn

[@juswolf22]

A goth World look goth world don’t chastise me because I want to be immortal

[@agothworld9733]

R/whoooosh

[@anicatt]

This must be for the wealthy I don’t believe everyone can afford this ritual

[@je6874]

A Nii definitely. It’s never mentioned in videos like these how you have to be wealthy and privileged to get this treatment.

[@sexlordadelaide4638]

it’s so expensive. usually families have to wait for all their children to come of age to have this done. most, if not all, balinese people have this done!

[@igedekusumaantara7620]

This ritual is for all Balinese Hindus wheter they're wealthy or poor. As same as other traditions in Bali it can be made simpler and cheaper than that is shown in the video.

[@igedekusumaantara7620]

@@sexlordadelaide4638 actualy we can do this ritual together with our other family members (big family). Ex my cousin or my uncle get married and they do this ritual, I and my bro n sis can join it. No need to wait all the children has grown up we can do this seperately.

[@wiraa.wibisana7777]

Not really, my family is not rich; but we for some reason they can afford for this ceremony. Yes, even the clothes.

[@moonlightsweetener4309]

Unless i were allowed to have some kind of anestesthia, I would be having a panic attack from the beggining

[@lorrainedebeer2338]

Great video, very poor editing on the captions.

[@Hokuto_Tongi]

**sees video that I’m sure I’ve watched already** 🤔🤔🤔

[@ChiniBau]

Lol i thought that guy who came to say be ready in 15min was a chef🤣

[@HabeshaTraveler]

Beautiful

[@kylemcgrew6024]

"Uploaded 4 hours ago" my ass 😂 I watched this months ago TF

[@railsloopdrown]

I once watch it in VICE Indonesia too. I feel strange tho

[@kylemcgrew6024]

@@railsloopdrown that's what it was! I knew I wasn't crazy 😂😂👌🏼

[@Sentient.A.I.]

I guess candy is out of the question after adulthood.

[@Klau92]

Why r they uploading this again?

[@samanthacarrion9179]

Such beautiful teeth why?!??!

[@VeganDefinition]

Anyone find that song catchy?

[@zeldaz]

Her dad is a wise man

[@dkjoses12]

Wtf vice. Re-uploaded!!!!!

[@NicholasLittlejohn]

Sad.

[@interstellarsurfer]

At least it's not more political garbage. 👌

[@MichaelTrevinoFan101]

If I get a filing it would be to make my canine teeth into fangs. I actually use it to break hard ass candy and it doesn't hurt like it would to others.

[@catlarios7981]

Everyones makeup on point 👌 lol

[@revalor8149]

I'm Balinese and I'm gonna have to get this done on my teeth in a few months, looks kinda painful ngl...

[@nastyham5302]

fangsters: we grind our teeth down jews: hold my foreskin

[@stevenseagal4987]

Watch out for the haters while you’re shining

[@MG._.MG13]

You all uploaded this before

[@StarAgateHD]

Someone knows her facebook or instagram?

[@Busa1337]

a reupload?

[@ananda_adi]

I actually do this same ritual when I was 18, but instead my teeth getting filed, the Priest (or the dentist I would say) just rubbing the tool slowly on my teeth, I don't even think they actually do something lmao.

[@xoMissTaylorDivine]

I wish I could have teeth as beautiful as her pre tooth filing 😖

[@215Daniel]

Addicted to social media, nikes, and haters.

[@Nicola2949]

Oh my word she is beautiful 😍🌺

[@wasimshaikh1665]

and I thought only my family is crazy...😂😂😂

[@itsmegum6398]

This is so interesting how they still do this in 2018. And DOES IT HURT OMG😫

[@karinashiya6538]

Lmao its not hurt btw because im Balinese also do this

[@Robdee999]

I’ve seen this before and I said fuck this and I’m seeing it again and the feeling is still there. Fuck that. I would just move away.

[@PoliteFoxofficial]

'I'm a Virgo and we don't like attention' Jenna Marbles: Hold my Marble

[@error.418]

astrology is such bullshit

[@woowoowoowoo916]

Must be painful ouch

[@Baseball4Life-]

Pronamel has entered the chat.

[@12345themadguy]

What exactly do they file i didnt see any difference

[@slimydick23]

7:28 I didn't learn enough about the chick's head being cut off

[@rakaanggajananuragacokorda3147]

I'm a balinese hindu..., I remember when I was a kid sitting next to a priest / person who leads the prayer in the temple, and he just killed the chick just like in the video with bare hands, just in front of my eyes. I was so sad. I wish religious ceremony could have less and less violence / death. I know, they justified it with stories like "the soul of sacrificed animals will reincarnate as higher being (they mean human, maybe)". I just don't buy it. But well, who am I, just a tree hugger.

[@haleyrhone2472]

Am i the only one that cant tell the difference

[@kev4850]

I've already seen this long ago wtf

[@leanna7185]

Nope. Re upload.

[@smartymcfly3957]

It sucks that the world doesn’t revolve around you huh

[@seanclements6206]

Did this whole video really not say what milestone was crossed to start this tradition? Anything like an age or something.... Was it the Grandmother dying? And if so does it not matter at all how old the participant is?

[@railsloopdrown]

As far as I remember last time I was a kid, the requirements is if a person have reached to 18 years old and/or before marriage.

[@seanclements6206]

@@railsloopdrown hey, sorry I didn't fully understand and I want to clarify... So reaching 18 or just a premarital arrangement? Is that like the spouse was chosen now this has to happen?

[@railsloopdrown]

@@seanclements6206 I don't know. Both my parents and religious teacher since I was middle school says when a person reached 18 and/or before marriage. And then this video shows that she does that after marriage and somehow she looks not 18 years old. I'm occasionally being absent-minded, try to find it in KZbin or website that shows tradition called "Mepandes" Cheers 🙏 Edit : I remove "both" before "says" and add "a person" before "when". My grammar is getting worse than supposed.

[@seanclements6206]

@@railsloopdrown thank you. I understand what your saying. The video did seem very untraditional I suppose.

[@Kio-uc9ho]

Love india from bali

[@commandroid9336]

Dentist: Am I a joke to you?