Indian burn
{{Short description|Pain-inducing prank}}
{{Unreliable sources|date=July 2022}}
An Indian burn, also known as a snake bite or Chinese burn in the UK and Australia, is a pain-inducing prank, where the prankster grabs onto the victim's forearm or wrist, and starts turning the skin away from themselves with one hand, and with another hand towards themselves, causing an unpleasant burning sensation to the skin.{{cite web|last=Tréguer|first=Pascal|title='Indian Burn': Meaning and Origin|website=Wordhistories.net|publisher=|date=23 October 2020|url=https://wordhistories.net/2020/10/23/indian-burn/|access-date=17 June 2021}} The prank is popular in a school setting.{{cite web|last=|first=|title=Adults recall 'nasty playground pranks'|website=BBC.com|publisher=British Broadcasting Corporation|date=9 August 2013|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/education-23620273|access-date=18 July 2021}}
Terminology
The prank is known by various different names in the United States, such as Indian sunburn{{cite web|last=|first=|title=Framing & Building Basics - Torsion|website=BBRSD.org|publisher=Berlin-Boylston Regional School District|date=|url=https://www.bbrsd.org/cms/lib/MA01907488/Centricity/Domain/250/Framing%20and%20Building%20Basics.pdf|access-date=19 July 2021}} or Indian rug burn,{{cite web|last=Hornblower|first=Andrew|title=Bullying Technique – Indian Rug Burn|website=USC.edu|publisher=University of Southern California|date=27 April 2012|url=http://folklore.usc.edu/bullying-technique-indian-rug-burn/|access-date=18 July 2021}} and also as Chinese wrist burn,{{cite web|last=Bryant|first=Adey|title=Indian Burn cartoons and comics|website=CartoonStock.com|publisher=CartoonStock Ltd.|date=12 August 2003|url=https://www.cartoonstock.com/directory/i/indian_burn.asp|access-date=17 June 2021}} and as the snake bite.{{cite web|last=Selzer|first=Adam|title=Snake Bites and Indian Burns|website=PlaygroundJungle.com|publisher=|date=27 February 2011|url=http://playgroundjungle.com/2011/02/snake-bites-and-indian-burns.html|access-date=17 June 2021}} In countries such as the United Kingdom and Australia, it is known as a Chinese burn. In Mexico, it is known as an {{lang|es|enchilada}}. In Sweden, it is called {{lang|sv|tusen nålar}} ("a thousand needles"). In Netherlands, it is called {{lang|nl|prikkeldraad}} ("barbed wire") and in Germany it is called {{lang|de|Brennnessel}} ("stinging nettle"). In Afrikaans it is called a "donkie byt" which translates to "donkey bite". In Poland it is called "pokrzywka"- "stinging nettle"
Variations
Criticism
Some Native Americans disapprove the use of the term Indian burn, including other vocabulary starting with the prefix "Indian-", such as Indian corn, Indian summer and Indian giver, among others.{{cite web|last=Safire|first=William|title=Take the DARE|website=The New York Times|date=10 November 1996|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1996/11/10/magazine/take-the-dare.html|access-date=17 June 2021}}
Statistics
According to a poll carried out in the United Kingdom, with a sample size of 1,844 adults, 27% recalled receiving Indian burns in secondary school.