History Of Tribal Tattoos
Tribal tattoos, although considered as very modern in design, actually dates to thousands of years back. As the name connotes, tribal tattoos originated from tribes or organized ethic groups of the past.
Neo-tribal tattoos are very popular nowadays. Celebrities and other famous people sport this type of tattoo purely because tribal designs are very striking. Mike Tyson has a tribal tattoo on the left side of his face and Angelina Jolie also has one on her tummy. Charmed, Alyssa Milano, has a tribal tattoo at the back of her neck and the list goes on and on.
Another explanation why tribal tattoos are gaining unstoppable popularity is because they are easy to draw. Amateur tattoo artists who want to go into the body art arena do practice on tribal tattoo designs for starters. Tribal tattoos are one of the easiest images to ink. They basically involved swirls, loops, crescents and sharp edges interlaced with each other. A tribal tattoo design is frequently symmetrical, one of the reasons why they are fairly easy to draw.
Looking back, tribal tattoos are actually part of customs of certain cultures. Getting a tattoo is a symbolism that marks a person’s passage to adulthood. In some tribes, if a girl cannot take the pain brought about by tattooing, she is considered a weakling and cannot bear the pain of labor during child birth, thus, making her unmarriageable. On the other hand, if a boy cannot take the pain of tattooing, he is considered a coward. This is one reason why he may be segregated from the rest of his tribesmen and the reason why he can is a danger as a warrior.
In some cultures, like in Maori tribe in New Zealand, tattoos are a sign of social status. The more elaborate your tattoos are, the higher your position is on the social ladder. Enhanced tattoos are symbolism of a shift from one status to another. The chieftain of the Maori people holds the most prestigious and most intricate tattoo design. Maori women are also known to tattoo their lips and chin.
In the tribes of Hawaii, tattooing is also popular. Tribesmen believe in tattoo gods and those who want to have a tattoo initiate the session with a prayer asking the tattoo gods for a safe procedure that would not end up in injury or death. The prayers are also intended for the fast healing of the wounds and so that the tattoo design would come out as handsome and eye-catching.
Polynesian tattoos are thought to be one of the first tribal tattoos to reach the modern world. James Cook, who was the first explorer to land on the Polynesian Islands, was said to have seen the very first form of neo tribal tattoos way back in 1970′s. When they sailed back to Europe, his men where already inked with tattoos similar to today’s modern tribal designs. The tribal tattoos are worn on the sailor’s chest area and upper arms.
Today, tribal tattoos have gone to a brand new level. The reasons for their existence are no longer primitive but they are displayed as a symbolism of self expression and art.
By: Roberto Bell
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