My guess that it was a field photographer, botanist, zoologist or sociologist studying native peoples and/or local flora & fauna in situ and was injured. The medicine man then demonstrated this technique. The photographer took the opportunity to document the treatment.
Only if you really need too, it could cause infection and you need to be careful about what kind of ant ks biting you. This species is fine but others aren't and it's easy to get them mixed up.
I don't know, but in Apocalypto there's a scene where a mother stitches her son's wound with ants. I think they are similar to the one described above.
Better than bleeding out, I'm sure.
Besides, it ratchets up the cool factor on scar bragging. Like in a bar, years later you show it of with the story:
Back when I was with *magazine* deep in the jungles of *place* we were days from civilization... and a hospital. I got hurt and thought I was in trouble. When their medicine man came to me, he offered to help. Knowing these people survived here for thousands of years, I knew I could trust him. He gave me something that had me orbiting Saturn and sutures the cut with ants. Not even kidding.
*points*
Those marks that would be from the threads? Those were from the ant jaws.
And maybe the only person willing to do it for the picture was Caucasian
Just a guess.
And HA, in a pinch.
Besides, it ratchets up the cool factor on scar bragging. Like in a bar, years later you show it of with the story:
Back when I was with *magazine* deep in the jungles of *place* we were days from civilization... and a hospital. I got hurt and thought I was in trouble. When their medicine man came to me, he offered to help. Knowing these people survived here for thousands of years, I knew I could trust him. He gave me something that had me orbiting Saturn and sutures the cut with ants. Not even kidding.
*points*
Those marks that would be from the threads? Those were from the ant jaws.