A face painting booth is a staple at any sort of celebratory event, and it certainly was at Grappone Stadium during the Homecoming game on Saturday, September 27th, Saint A’s students walked around covered in everything from war stripes to full on blue and white masks to represent the football team; the team that made school history by winning that game, making their record 4-0 for the first time ever.

Where, though, does this idea of face painting originate from, and why do prideful students do it?

The history of face painting began broadly, with more general body painting. According to The University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, much of the body painting tradition originated in ancient cultures from around the world.

These cultures include Australian Aborigines, the Tlinggit people of southeast Alaska, and Ancient Egyptians.

Often, different kinds of body paint could be used to identify members of different groups and tribes by giving each group a different sort of identity.

According to Inspiration Green, a website dedicated to discussing endangered environments and cultures, the Mursi people of the Omo Valley in Ethiopia usee body paints, even today, as a means of associating with family or as a community. They also use body paints and color as a means of decoration and intimidation.

For similar reasons, we continue to use face paint today in the Western world. We are bound as a community when we adorn ourselves with common colors and decorations, painting them on our faces to make them feel more prominent and permanent.

Together, we work to intimidate opposing sports teams with our ferocity and school spirit. Not only is face painting a fun thing to do with friends, but it is in this way we bring an undeniable and unstoppable sense of school spirit to campus.