In 1769, Captain Cook made a voyage to Tahiti. He brought back wondrous drawings of this strange thing the natives called “tatau.” It was an elaborate drawing on the skin, but it was permanent. The people in the West were aghast with this practice, creating a stigma that will last for centuries. The 1902 Century Dictionary, printed in the US, called tattoos the sign of the uncivilized.
Today, the vibrant tattoo culture has a global reach and no stigma. Tattoos are no longer for savages, sailors, convicts, and pilgrims to Jerusalem. Anyone can have one, and motifs can vary from cartoons to religious motifs. Here’s a journey through tattoo art from its origins to its modern forms.
The Origins of Tattoo Culture
Tahiti is only one Pacific island with a rich tattoo culture. Another one is Samoa, where tattoos were a rite of passage for men. The tattoo, called Pe’a, covers the entire midsection with dots and lines. The pattern can also be concentric, expanding in a circle from a joint. The best visual example is Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. He sports a Pe’a on his left arm that includes circles radiating from his left shoulder.
The traditional way to make a Pe’a is with a comb-like tool made out of bone and turtle shell. The tattoo artist taps the comb with a mallet, driving its needles into the skin. They deliver the pigment, made out of sugar cane and soot, that forms the Pe’a pattern. The pattern is then covered with healing ointment made out of coconut oil. Celebrating the Samoan tattoo culture in this way is a testament to the Samoa man’s courage.
Traditional Tattoos in Japan
The Japanese tattoo culture dates back to prehistoric times, with tattoos called “irezumi.” It took a modern turn around the 7th century, when it got the stigma of association with crime. By the 18th century, peasants, gang members, and laborers wore irezumi. The Japanese government banned irezumi for everyone except foreigners. That let sailors get irezumi and spread it around the world. In 1948, irezumi became legal in Japan, but the common people still shy away from it.
Nature motifs are the most common ones in the irezumi tattoo culture. Cherry blossoms represent the short-lived beauty of life. Lotuses mean serenity; koi fish signify luck. There are mythological creatures and persons as well, such as heroes and demons. No matter which motif is in irezumi, it is always bright and vivid. The traditional irezumi technique involves weeks of painstaking labor with wooden tools. The ink is sometimes from the indigo plant. After making the body art, the artist signs his or her name in a special spot.
Tattoo Culture in Modern Society
Mass media led to the rising popularity of tattoos, especially after WWII. The first notable tattoo by a celebrity was that of musician Janis Joplin. She was popular in the 1960s because of her music but also because of her tattoos. She sported a small floral design on her left wrist and a small heart on her breast. Janis also wore colorful scarves and other accessories. That made her tattoos seem like accessories rather than permanent marks. Other celebrities picked up the trend, and soon the tattoo culture became common.
In the 1970s, the tattoo culture in the US took off. Tattoo artists set up tattoo parlors everywhere and let their imagination run wild. They used all kinds of tattoo techniques to attract attention. But, tattooing also became more and more like an industry. Out were traditional tattoo designs, and in were quirky designs and sloppy drawings. Each decade had its own motifs, for example, the 1970s had peace symbols because of Vietnam. There was still local stigma as the parlors got the blame for disease outbreaks. For example, it took until 1997 for New York City to lift its ban on tattoo parlors.
When tattoos became popular, having one or two was no longer enough. People started getting regular fresh tattoos to belong to a movement. Individual tattoo styles no longer mattered; they overlapped in intricate full-body suits. People combined these ink culture tattoos with piercings and other body modifications. The fast pace of tattoo parlors also led to the rise of sloppy designs. We’ve all seen those tattoos that look botched or warped but are still recognizable. No matter if they were intentional or not, they are still a genuine part of the tattoo culture. But, that is in the Western world. In other regions, the same tattoos are still there from generation to generation.
Geographical and Cultural Variations in Tattoo Practices
Mexico has a strong tattoo culture that honors the region’s heritage. The motifs are most often religious figures and skeletons, symbolizing faith and endurance. Each symbol in a Mexican tattoo has a hidden meaning. For instance, the skull means the cycle of life, while a rose means beauty. Together, they represent courage in the face of death. Day of the Dead tattoos have a layered meaning and symbolize the wearer’s connection with the past. They are also a source of great pride and cultural identity for Mexicans living in the US. Vibrant colors are as common as gray or all-black designs; all three variants look amazing.
Mexican culture tattoo ideas often draw inspiration from Aztec and Mayan cultures. Calendars and feathered snakes pay homage to ancient tattoo cultures. More modern symbols include powerful women, such as Virgin Mary. She symbolizes divine protection and the wearer’s devotion to praying to her. In a sense, one such tattoo is like a permanent prayer to Virgin Mary. Those ideas seeped into the modern world via Mexicans entering the US. Today, anyone can get a Mexican tattoo and blend it with modern cultural tattoo practices.
Instead of clashing, the ancient and modern tattoo cultures merged. A vintage culture tattoo can overlap with another tattoo made in a different style. Any number of cultures can merge in this way. How that ends up looking depends on the artist’s skill and imagination. That’s why it makes sense to vet the artist and gauge their skill before ordering a tattoo. The best way to do that is to check the tattoo parlor’s social media profiles for finished projects. It’s even possible to design a custom culture tattoo that combines designs in a novel way.
Unusual Tattoo Themes and Designs
Throughout history, tattoo symbolism always had to do with the wearer. It was a powerful statement of identity and heritage. But, the modern tattoo culture gave rise to corporate tattoos. In 2005, Karolyne Smith from Utah tattooed a casino advertisement on her forehead. She set up an auction on eBay and got $10,000 from Golden Palace for it. The tattoo artists offered other casino tattoo ideas for 7 hours, but she was adamant. Can you get a similar offer from the 7€ bonus casino slovensko?
Smith’s case is an extreme example of a pop culture tattoo. Regular casino-themed tattoos are more modest, with designs such as the joker tattoo. They are popular with gamblers, who are often superstitious. They want to carry their luck with them and often choose a motif that suits them. If they want luck in cards, they might get a card suits tattoo. As for the joker, he represents randomness and carefree foolishness. The joker features in many card games and can also appear as the joker card tattoo.
Casino tattoos are popular in tattoo culture, but they might not appear as such at first. They are small and delicate and blend with other symbols and designs. One such lucky charms tattoo can be anything that represents good luck, such as a horseshoe. How about a rabbit’s foot rolling dice? Tattoo culture is an infinite source of fun designs. They can be whatever the wearer wants, creating a custom message that speaks a thousand words.
Reading Tattoos Like Art
This article showed the undeniable cultural significance of tattoos. They are art that carries a message that makes sense to the wearer. Understanding the tattoo culture lets people read the meaning of a tattoo. That can be a great icebreaker and serve as the start of a wonderful relationship.
