Nose piercing has the meaning of self confidence, but it can also be used to demonstrate irreverence, domain, rebellion or possession. Its meaning can change depending on the culture in question.
The use of nose piercings appeared in Middle Eastern tribes, such as the Bedouins or the Berbers, in North Africa. In India, wearing nose ornaments is also a practice of Hinduism, the nose being related to fertility.
In some cultures, piercing is used as a way of revealing an individual's social status, and the material from which the piercing is made reveals that person's condition.
The first records of the use of nose piercings date back more than 4000 years. In the Bible, it is possible to see in 2 Kings 19:28 that one piercing is related to dominion, being a way of subduing and controlling another.
In the past, a nose piercing could also be a wedding gift. In Genesis 24:47 we see that Abraham gives a pendant (a kind of nose piercing) to Rebekah, which means that she was chosen as a wife for his son Isaac.
In the 1960s, nose piercings gained popularity in the hippie community. Later, in the 70s, elements belonging to the punk movement also started to wear piercings, as a sign of rebellion and irreverence, showing that they were against the values established and accepted in the society.
It is currently more socially acceptable, however there is still some prejudice on the part of some more conservative people.
Piercing on the left and right side
According to traditional Indian medicine known as Ayuvedra, a piercing in the left nostril is used to lessen the pain of childbirth. For this reason, many women wear a left-side piercing.
Some people say that a piercing on the right side indicates that the person is gay. However, this indication has no basis and few people make this association.
See too:
- punk
- hippie