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1. For protection, primarily for the protection of a particular voju.
Let's say there is an Aja man whose first child dies mysteriously. His wife gives birth to a second child. Of course the Aja father fears the new child will die like the first. Thus he goes to a vojuný. The vojuný tells him "EÑ je mý moè aÉ shi ehwÿn nýÉ evi lý," which being interpreted is "It's necessary that we scar/mark the child." The vojuný will then cut the child with a razor or a sharp animal's claw in such a way as to leave a scar or scars that are the sign of the particular voju whose protection is needed by the child. The child is then considered a "vojuvi".
Vojuviwo are different from vojushiwo in that while vojushiwo are said to have both the voju's power and protection, a vojuvi only has the voju's protection. However, both will have the marks of the voju. There are ways to distinguish vojushiwo from vojuviwo, but my understading is the distinguishing factors vary from god to god.
The scars are commonly referred to as ehwÿnshishiwo. One informant referred to ehwÿnshishiwo as ecisosowo also. He said that "ebo kofo voju le ecisosowo mÿ". In the case above, the child's scars could also be referred to as vojucisosowo because the voju was "put" in the cut. If ebo was put into the cut, the scar could be called ebocisoso.
The scars for each voju are different. Some scars are permanent and some fade with time to the point they are barely visible. Some gods may not have identifying scars at all. If someone becomes a vojushi, they will receive the voju's mark or marks if the voju in case has them.
I asked each informant to give examples of scars for some of the Aja gods. However, the answers that were given me sometimes conflicted. For example, one person said that sakpatashiwo have seven marks across their forehead, while another said that they would have two on their forehead and two on each cheek. One person said that there are no marks for xÿbiÿzoshiwo, but another said they have 9 scars across their forehead.
Of course everyone could identify kýkushiwo. Their scars have a special name - gbolawo. Kýkushiwo are different in that they cut themselves when they are possessed by Kýku. If you ask me, I think Kýku is kuku.
2. To mark their child as being a part of their family or clan
Some Aja clans ("akýtawo") have identifying marks. One example that I was given for a clan mark was two scars on the forehead, two on each cheek, and two more close to each ear. I was told that the origin of these clan marks goes back to voju worship. Originally a family was marked for protection. This continued to scar their children for protection, but over time the mark lost it's meaning and became simply a traditional way to identify a clan member.
3. For healing
The classic is example of this is when a child is believed to have intestinal worms, a condition the Aja refer to as "kuku", thereby unwittingly adding even more insult to the earlier comment "I think Kýku is kuku." The child is cut and then powder ("eci" in Aja) is put into the cut to be absorbed by the body in order to kill the worms.
Of course, there are many different kinds of healing powders. Some are considered ebo, some are considered simply "ama", what we would refer to as an herb or medicine. Whereas only vojunýwo can make voju scars on people, and probably only a practitioner of some kind would makes scars in which ebo would be put, anyone with the know-how can make both ama and the cuts into which the ama is to be put. | 
