Transgression/transgressed bodies. Marked flesh and memory. The young and their bodily modification

Abstract

This article intends to show, understand and analize, under a wide and theorical perspective, the cultural practice of bodily modifications in Chile. Among the first part of the present work and in a general context of the matter, some of the best known bodiliy alteration techniques used by the originary nations will be described. Then, through the analysis of several interviews carried out in different cities of the country (La Serena, Viña del Mar, Santiago, Rancagua and Concepción) to body art users and offerers, we will try to deeply understand the meanings related to such bodily modifications today, its consequences on personal and communitary level of the users, as well as the discourses related to «official society» social exclusion and discrimination suffered by those users.