What I see in the mirrorBeauty'I have stuck a thorn through my nose and pushed my penis back inside my body'When I live with a tribe, I don't look in the mirror, so I have little concept of my appearance – often scruffy, covered in dirt or naked.
I am riddled with scars. The Suri tribe in Ethiopia are into scarification and asked if I wanted a go. I said, "Oh, all right" and had my arm scarred with a blade. I have stuck a thorn through my nose and pushed my penis back inside my body when I was with the Kombai people in New Guinea. When you run through the jungle, the penis flaps, so tucking it away makes it easier. I ended up nearly fainting, went white as a sheet and started pouring with sweat. I had to lie down and stick my legs in the air, which, with half my appendage missing, wasn't a great sight.
Although some cultures are quite vain, I have never come across any that have eating disorders and body image issues like we do. Those who live with abundant resources in a forest are less in competition, so they are more at ease with their appearance. In places where there are fewer resources, a competitive element comes in which can lead to sexual jealousy and people trying to highlight their individuality. That's where the concept of "how I look" comes in.
When I get home, I look in the mirror with a smile. I am content with who I am and there is nothing I dislike, except a terrible tattoo on my bottom that I did when I was in the Marines. If I'm larger around the waist than I'd like, then I just don't eat as much – it's as simple as that.
Arctic With Bruce Parry is available on BBC DVD from 28 February.
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