|
Tribal tattoos have been practiced for
thousands of years. Modern people still get them done for
many reasons such as to belong to a modern 'tribe' even if
they do it on a subconcious level.
Getting tattooed was also seen as a rite of passage into
adulthood. A belief goes that if a girl can't take the pain
of tattooing, she is un-marriageable, because she will never
be able to deal with the pain of child birth. If a boy can't
deal with the pain he is considered to be a bad risk as a
warrior, and could become isolated from the tribe.
Some primitive tribes use tattooing as a rite of social status.
The Maori, of New Zealand use tattooing primarily for this
purpose. To the Maori, a person's Moko designs enhanced their
prestige and show transition from one social status to another.
At its highest level, Moko designs proclaimed the sacredness
of chieftanship.
The Hawaiians are prominent among people who have specific
tattoo gods. In Hawaii, the images of the tattoo gods are
kept in the temples of tattoo priests. Each tattoo session
begins with a prayer to the tattoo gods that the operation
might not cause death, that the wounds might heal soon, and
that the designs might be handsome.
Many modern American tattooist will tell you, "When
you should get a tattoo, the tattoo god will tell you that
it is time."
In the 1970's, American tattooing discovered primitive, tribal
tattoos. People wanted simple designs with meaning and they
began copying designs, primarily from the islands of the South
Pacific.
In the past few decades, people of European stock began looking
for tribal tattoos of their own origins and created a new
form of tattoo commonly known as neo tribal tattoos.
Declan O Reilly
Tattoo Pictures : Tattoo Art : Tattoo Designs
Tao
of Tattoos
|
