Tattoos

Many different tattoos are used around the world, most of which have significant meaning to those who use or have them. According to Hambly (1974) in Egypt tattooing and body painting were definitely connected with certain well developed female figures, generally held to symbolize fecundity (p. 34). In the twelfth century A.D., in the island of Hai-Nan, it was a custom that young girls were tattooed at the time of marriage. Tattoos were used by many cultures in the form of symbolism and identification. Romans and Greeks used tattoos as a symbol of “belonging.” The symbolism of these tattoos could determine what religion he or she belonged to, one may have tattooed his slaves to show ownership, or to mark criminals (p. 4). Tribal tattoos are not only still popular today but are a major part of the world’s history. I have come to find that there are a numerous number of tribal tattoos and meaning than I thought there would be when I started doing my research like, the Maori of New Zealand. The Maori of New Zealand are famous for their tribal tattoos; the Maori developed a very unusual style of tattooing. In the Maori culture, the head was considered to be the most important part of the body, with the face possessing remarkable, elaborate tattoos or as the Maori called them ‘moko’, which were marks of high status. Each tattoo was unique and conveyed specific information about one’s status, rank, and abilities; these marks have been described as a form of identification. Maori women also wore tattoos on their faces often around the nose, lips, mouths, and chins. These tattoos prevented the skin from becoming wrinkled and kept them young; this practice continued for the Maori of New Zealand tell around the 1970s. In Africa there was a much different way of tattooing; it was said to be called “tattooing for the blind.” Because people in Africa had such dark skin, it was difficult to see colored tattoos therefore, they developed their own techniques called scarifications. Scarifications are made by lifting the skin a little, cutting a design into the skin with a knife or sharp object, then rubbing special sand and ash into the wound; once the wound heals it makes a beautiful scar. These patterns often follow local traditions.