How Did Face Painting Start

Kids with painted faces could be seen running around fair grounds, children's parties and carnivals. Nowadays, face painting is becoming so popular and it's almost always that you see face painting booths in every event. Kids like face painting so much that they won't mind sitting still with their eyes closed just to have their face painted. Face painting started way back the early days of our ancestors and it's not a newly introduced activity. It dates back to hundreds or even thousands of years ago when warriors were the ones who had painted faces and where ancient tribes and cultures used face painting for religious purposes, some for camouflage and others to separate one tribe from the next. Some of the people who used face painting before were the Chinese, Native Americans, and the Egyptians.

When they're going to war or face their enemies, warriors used to paint their faces. It was also used to intimidate their enemies or make them tremble in fear. Tribes who use face paint do it so that they can distinguish themselves from the other tribes. Depending on the design and colors, the paintings on their faces imposed different meanings. When they are preparing for war, they would paint their faces in black color, while red stood for war and white is used to show or promote peace.

Face painting was also used by some tribes as camouflage for hunting and for going into battle. Those who did this would use paint from a natural source and would make their face and sometimes, other parts of their body the same color as the surroundings. This would help them hide from their enemies or secretly sneak up on animals they were hunting. Even in religious purposes, ceremonies, and rituals, face painting is being used too. Some tribes believed that certain colors of face paint would give those wearing it powers.

Other than being a fun activity for kids during parties and in fairs and carnivals, face painting also has a very colorful history. The history of face painting is rooted on power, tribes and spiritual beliefs- very far from how we use it today. There is no harm in face painting children but explaining the wonderful history of this fun activity would also be a nice activity.