As I piercer and
tattoo artist my clients and views has changed massive amounts.:
being hated
because of what I do for work, being told I am mutilating people. Being told I shouldn’t
show how I look and should be ashamed, I’m too young for my job I shouldn’t be
trusted. Along with physical abuse of hitting and kicking and throwing my tools
around verbal assault of getting called nasty names and screamed at.
But also, wouldn’t
change my job, to be able to change peoples lives in this way is so fulfilling
and even a tiny tattoo or piercing can change a person some much. I am so
thankful of what I can/get to do
. types of body mods:
-tattoos -Piercings
(stretching) -make up and face paint – body paint -fake tan – fake nails and
nail varnishes – Eyebrows waxing plucking and threading – henna – scars and scarification
– teeth filling – braces – teeth fillings – teeth whitening – hair (cuts,
braiding, beads, shaved, dyes, dreads, straightened, curled, styled, plastic surgery
– binding – foot binding – Botox – corsets – fashion
PLAN
Rationale
Tattooing and body modification have been practised by many
cultures throughout history and like today are still surrounded by stigma and
negative societal perceptions. However, there has recently been a noticeable
shift in perception, with growing acceptance and appreciation for tattoos and
body mods as artwork. This raises questions about the factors that have
contributed to the stigma towards the industry and the implications it has for
contemporary society. In recent years, tattoos and body modifications have
become viewed as a form of self-expression or a way of reclaiming one’s body.
Although there are still some cultural and religious groups that view tattoos
as taboo or morally wrong. For example, in many Muslim cultures, tattoos haram
(forbidden) because they alter the body given by Allah. Similarly, in some
Jewish cultures, tattoos are viewed as a desecration of the body considered a
holy vessel.
Identifying the historical evolution of the stigma surrounding
tattooing and body mods is essential to understanding the relationship between
the practices and their societal perception. By examining the practices from
many different periods and cultures, I aim to reveal the main factors that led
to the stigmatization of the field. The goal of this deep research and analysis
is to challenge current stereotypes and misconceptions and share historical
context to promote an understanding of the artistry and cultural significance
of tattooing and body modification.
intro
Cultural
Significance and Symbolism:
Analyse
the symbolism and cultural meanings associated with tattoos and body
modifications in various societies. Examine how different cultures perceive
tattoos and body modifications differently, and how these perceptions have
evolved over time.
Societal
Perceptions and Stigmatization:
Trace
the changing attitudes towards tattoos and body modifications in Western
societies, from stigmatization to acceptance. Discuss the role of popular
culture, media representation, and celebrity influence in shaping societal
perceptions.
Religious
and Spiritual Contexts:
Investigate
the religious and spiritual significance of tattoos and body modifications in
different cultures and belief systems. Explore how religious doctrines and
practices have influenced the acceptance or rejection of tattoos and body
modifications within certain communities.
Colonialism
and Globalization:
Examine
the impact of colonialism and globalization on the spread of tattooing and body
modification practices. Discuss how these processes have led to cultural
exchange, appropriation, and hybridization of tattooing traditions.
Contemporary
Trends and Practices:
Analyse
current trends in tattooing and body modification, including the rise of
specific styles, techniques, and cultural movements. Explore the role of social
media and digital platforms in shaping contemporary perceptions and practices.
Legal
and Ethical Considerations:
Discuss
the legal and ethical issues surrounding tattooing and body modification, such
as consent, age restrictions, and health regulations. Consider the debates
around cultural appropriation and the commodification of tattooing and body
modification.
Personal
Narratives and Identity Construction:
Incorporate
personal stories and interviews with individuals who have tattoos or engage in
body modification practices. Examine how these practices intersect with
personal identity, self-expression, and empowerment.
Future
Directions and Challenges:
Speculate
on the future of tattooing and body modification in a rapidly changing world,
considering technological advancements, social shifts, and cultural dynamics.
Highlight potential challenges and controversies that may arise in the future.
By exploring these themes and incorporating a diverse range of perspectives,
historical contexts, and contemporary issues, you can provide a comprehensive
analysis of the factors that have shaped contemporary perceptions of tattooing
and body modification. Remember to critically engage with the sources and offer
your own insights and interpretations throughout your dissection.
consultation
“During
special courtship or gift- exchange ceremonies. People may decorate their
bodies as part of the a celebration, or to mark an important event or stage in
their life such as marriage, giving birth to a child or mourning a loved one.”
(Powell,6, 2003)
Certain
decorations are reserved for chiefs and leaders
“The Polynesians pieced the skin using
sharp combs of bone or shell dipped in an ink which they made from soot
produced by burning oily groundnuts” (Powell, 14, 2003)
“Many indigenous people practise piercing
and decoration of their ears and lips, to show, to show membership to a family
or group, to make an important stage or events in life, or to reflect their
beliefs and mythology” (Powell, 27, 2003)
“T Chikrin boys and girls are decorated when they are babies. A boy has
his ear lobes pierced by his father at birth, and red wooden ear discs are worn.
His lower lip is pierced with a string of beads. His eyebrows and forehead are shaved,
and his mother, grandmother and other relatives paint linear designs on his
body. At the age of eight, when he leaves his mother to live in the men’s hunt
at the centre of the village, his hair is cut and his body painted black. When he
is older he will have his hair cut like the adults and wear the larger lip disc
of the men.” (Powell,27, 2003)
“Txucarramâe boys wear lip discs made of a light- weight wood called
sara. As they grow older, the disc are replaced with larger ones, up to 12cm in
diameter. Plants are also used for ear decoration, such as the leaves of the
inajà palm. These are tightly rolled, then stiffened and painted with a
chalk-white powder taken from river clay. The most highly prized decorations
are feathers like those of the toucan and other colourful forest birds. These are
attached with cotton threads and beeswax to a sharpened straw which pierces the
ear.” (Powell, 27, 2003)
“the Suya of Brazil pierce childern’s ears to show that they must listen
to their elders. The ear disc is believed to help learning and show wisdom. The
lips are pierced to show that a child is gaining speech and understanding. For adults
males, lip piercings represent skill in speaking and also warfare. Colours, too
may be symbolic, with red associated with bravely and warfare and white
representing wisdom and understanding.” (Powell, 27, 2003)
“Chinese practised foot binding. A girl’s feet were usually bound when
she was about six or seven years old. As she grew, the bandages were tightened,
so the foot reminded small… The Lotus foot was a sign of noble birth and
considered beautiful and dainty.” (Powell,31, 2003)
“in Myanmar (formerly Burma), the Padaung women of the kayan state have
been called ‘giraffe women’ because of their elongated necks…the women stretch
their necks by wearing collars of rattan enclosed in beaten brass. As they grow
older, the number of rings is gradually increased, forcing down their ribs and
collar bones and elongating the neck. These collars are symbols of the women’s
status in society,… at one time, if the woman was unfaithful to her husband,
she was punished by having her neck rings removed, which meant that her head
had to be held up or supported all the time.” (Powell,32, 2003)
“in parts of Indonesia, tooth-filling is practised, to mark the
procession from childhood to adulthood or as a sign that a woman is of noble
birth.” (Powell, 32, 2003)
“The Bangwa of Cameroon oil their skin and hair daily with powdered
leaves, bark, and wood. When they are celebrating a marriage or birth, or
crowning a new chief, they rub their bodies with red-gold camwood powder,
because for them red symbolizes life and joy. For funerals, mourners smear
their bodies with dark clays. Sometimes the patterns show their relationship to
the dead person.” (Powell, 35, 2003)
“the South-east Nuba people of the Kordofañ province of Sudan paint
their bodies to celebrate youth, beauty and strength. Even new-born children are
decorated with red and yellow ochres… designs are drawn on with fingers,
brushes of grass or straw. Some are abstract; others imitate animals or insects
such as leopards, giraffes, or wasps.” (Powell, 35, 2003)
“Cicatrization or marking the skin with raised scars, is considered beautiful
by many people, and may be used to mark stages or events in life” (Powell, 36, 2003)
“the skin is hooked with a thorn, then cut and rubbed with ash to raise the
keloids.” (Powell, 36, 2003)
“For some tribes, like the Bangwa of Cameroon, scars are a mark of
status. Many people use piercing to mark stages in life. A Samburu women wear
double strand of beads looped from her ears for each son who passes into warriorhood.
Elders of the Turkana and Pokot tribes wear aluminium leaf pendants in their
noses to announce a daughter’s engagement.” (Powell, 36, 2003)
“They also show tribal identity and are thought to protect against the
supernatural. For the Surma people, a woman’s beauty and wealth is measured by
the lip plates she wears.” (Powell, 37, 2003)
“Women may remove the plates when talking together, but not when their husbands
are present. The size of the plates determines the number of cattle asked by a bride’s
parents for her hand in marriage.” (Powell, 37, 2003)
“Aborigines have a rich tradition of body painting. Members of the
family may spend hours painting each other, using red and yellow ochres, white
pipe clay and charcoal applied with fingers or brushes. The pattens they paint
are passed down through families or clans and contain symbols representing
ancestral history and myths.” (Powell, 37, 2003)
“For the Māori, as for all Polynesian people tattooing was a symbol of
rank. the chiefs had their faces and bodies tattooed with elaborate spiral
designs to make them appear more fierce and impressive in battle.” (Powell, 42, 2003)
“The skin was pricked with a sharp chisel or comb of bone or wood, and
black pigment was rubbed in.” (Powell, 42, 2003)
“A Māori chief believed that his character was imprinted in his facial
tattoos and even drew them as his signature on documents and deeds.” (Powell, 42, 2003)
“Māori women also wore tattoos, usually around the mouth and chin, or on
the forehead and between the eyes, because they believed that this made them
look younger and more attractive.” (Powell, 42, 2003)
“Some of the older men have the septum of their nose pierced as well as
their ears. Decorations, such as shells, pigs’ tusks, feathers, bones, and
leaves are chosen for both appearance and symbolic meaning.” (Powell, 43, 2003) (about Papua New Guinea)
The pig festival- “decorations which may include leaves, shells, bones,
pigs’ tusks and scarab beetle, are worn through the pierced nose and ears.” “Wigs
are an important part of the body decoration, because it is believed that
ancestral spirts live in the hair.” (Powell, 43, 2003)
“To accomplish this ritual creation on the skin,
it is important to understand that injecting ink under the epidermis produces a
wound, that this wound bleeds and causes pain, and that we need to be mindful
of its healing and aging process.” (Merino, 11, 2023)
“Hygiene and sanitary issues need to be addressed to understand the
risks of injury and to avoid contamination between the tattoo artist and the
client. Explaining the importance of having workspaces inspected for compliance
with the appropriate standards is also crucial.” (Merino, 21, 2023)
Was one of the earliest expressions of art, to communicate with each
other and a form to self-expression.
Certain decorations and objects were only for the chiefs and
leaders
The word tattoo or tattooing comes from the tatau meaning ‘knocking’ or
‘striking’.
“Piercing is usually carried out using
sharp bones or thorns with plant leaves, feathers and coloured wood used for
decoration” (Powell, 27,
2003)
“In Japan, the art of tattooing, Irezumi,
has a long history, glazed clay tomb figures dating from ancient times show
facial tattoos which may have the religious or magical meaning as well as being
signs of beauty. In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, tattooing was
very popular and artists like Utamaro did designs for tattoos. Later, it became
associated with gangsters and geisha girls, and in the nineteenth century it
was banned by the emperor.” (Powell, 32, 2003)
“According to several theories, historically, tattoos were attributed
healing, soothing protective and magical powers.” (Merino, 9, 2023)
(Ötzi, a more than 5,000 (five- thousand) year old mummy, was discovered
in the alps with sixty-one tattoos on his body. They were made from small cuts
and using coal. Based on their shape, location, and distribution, it is
believed they were made to cure or alleviate certain pains, since their
location coincides with jointed areas easily prone to pain. Over time, tattoos
also become a mark of identity.” (Merino, 9, 2023)
“In 1988, a carved figure of a man was found in a cave at Hohlenstein-Stadel,
Germany. It was carbon dated at an amazing 32,000 years old and was marked with
line running along the upper arms.” (Brown, 27, 2018)
“The connection between tattooing and the circus began in 1804, when
Jean Baptiste Cabri – who had been tattooed by the people of the Marquesas, and
who in turn learned the art from them – returned to England and became a
Carnival performer. He was also able to replicate the tattoos for the audience
and his popularity grew.” (Brown, 24, 2018)
“the great nineteenth- century showman P.T. Barnum is credited with
organising the first group exhibition of unique individuals. One of the
principal attractions at Barnum’s American Museum in 1842 was James F
O’Connell, who had the honour of being the first tattooed man ever exhibited in
the United States. He entertained his audience with tales of exotic adventures
and according to O’Connell, savages and Ponape, in the Carloine Islands,
captured him and forced him to submit to tattooing at the hands of a series of
voluptuous virgins. He was forced to marry the last one to have tattooed him.
Museum patrons, most of whom had never seen tattooing before, were impressed.”
(Brown, 24, 2018)
“Many tattoo artists at the time made most of their money while
travelling with the circuses during the spring and summer, returning to their
shops and homes in the winter. The circus served as a showcase where tattoo
artist could attract customers by exhibiting their work to a paying public. And
in many cases the only surviving records are in the form of the photographs and
posters that were used for circus publicity. (Brown, 25, 2018)
Maud Wagner only agreed to date Gus Wagner if he was to give her lessons
in tattooing.
“Horace Ridler, also known as the great Omi, or the Zebra man, who was
the most famous tattooed man in the UK in his day. In1927 he asked London’s
leading tattoo artist, George Burchett, to tattoo him all over, including his
face with inch-wide Zebra strips. Ridler also had his teeth filed down to sharp
points, had his nose pierced so he could insert an ivory task and ear lobes
pierced and stretched. To become a freak in order to earn a livehood was a
gamble that might not have a pay off, but rilder became one the the most
succeeding freaks in the history of the circus, succeeding because he was
unquie.” (brown, 26, 2018)
“Interesting, in 1909 a flyer from the United States navy stated that
indecent or obscene tattooing was a cause of rejection, but applicants should
be given a chance to alter the design so they could enter the navy.” (Brown, 20, 2018)
“Many tattoo designs from the first world war were left over from the Spanish
American war (1898). Those patriotic, sentimental, religious, heroic nautical
and friendship-based designs seemed to be universal no matter what war was
being fought. Often all it takes is a subtle change to update an image and make
it look more modern, like the hairstyles on pin-ups, the types of hats on sailors
or the type of ship shown on a chest piece.” (Brown, 20, 2018)
“The reason why soldiers want tattoos is, on a really basic level, it’s
the fighter instinct, it’s the warrior within us and warriors have always
decorated themselves says Dan Gold in an interview for the BBC, who took inspiration
from Mr Burchett. ‘To get tattooed is almost like putting on armour; you feel
stronger once you’ve got it.’” (Brown, 20, 2018) (George Burchett)
“Following the war, the Sombre mood that hung over millions meant that
designs changed again, this times to memorials – images of graves, crossed
flags and representations of the unity of nations. The tattoos of this period
told their own stories, reflecting the pain and the change in mood of a nation.
This work carries on to this day, with many modern-day soldiers getting tattoos
with the same sentiment as those by Burchett.” (Brown, 22, 2018)
“The end of the
1920s there were more than 300 fully tattooed people employed by the travelling
circus. For many of the individuals the circus would offer them a place of
safety, away from the comments of middle class society, somewhere that they
could show off their art in a wekcoming environment with likeminded people
around them. (Brown, 26, 2018)
During the 1600s
branding irons were used to make felons or deserters in England this was
abolished in 1829- with the exception of army deserters). Later they were
tattooed rather than branding and this practise was totally abandoned in 1878
“Fridrich Barbarossa
(Red Beard), holy Roman Emperor and king of Germany from 1152 to 1190, is often
seen in illustration with cross designs on the back of his hands.” (Brown, 27, 2018)
Kaiser Wilhelm II, Emperor of Germany, was rumoured
to have an eagle tattooed onto his chest.
“nor forget that the first professional tattooist
in the United States was Martin Hildebrandt, a German immigrant. Nora Hildebrandt,
Martin’s daughter, is credited as the first female attraction in the United States.
In the 1860s she also had the grand title of being the first professional tattooed
lady and she travelled extensively with Barnum + Bailey’s Circus in the 1890s.”
(Brown, 27, 2018)
“Many argue that gaining a prison tattoo could be
due to wanting a sense of belonging or being part of something, while some may
say it’s to mark an individuals uniqueness and to make them their own person in
a world where they are treated the same as the next inmate serving time.” (Brown,
28, 2018)
“There has been long-standing association between
tattoos and criminality, or some would say. However, it is felt that this has
more to do with attitudes and stereotyping in the modern world.” (Brown, 28, 2018)
“When people were charged with a crime in ancient
China they had their crime tattooed onto their foreheads and faces, so that
everyone knew what they were being charged with. This bought shame and
humiliation to both the individual and their families, resulting in many being
cast out from their homes.” (Brown, 28, 2018)
“The criminal would have a single ring tattooed
for each crime. This was eventually abolished, and the art of tattooing was
banned altogether, being viewed as barbaric and lacking respectability. This created
a subculture of criminals and outcasts as these people would have no place in
decent society and were frowned upon.” (Brown, 28, 2018) Japan and the Yakuza
Daily mirror article in 1965 which reported “a
story of a plastic surgeon who was touring British jails and removing tattoo
marks from prisoners to help them forget their criminal past.” “The scheme was
part of a plan be the home office to help criminals lead a normal law-abiding
lives when they are released.” (Brown, 36, 2018)
“Medical tattooing was used in Cairo in 1898 as a
treatment for women who were suffering from various pelvic conditions. It was
believed that tattooing would relieve the unbearable pressure and thus the pain
experienced.” (Brown, 54, 2018)
“In Polynesian societies it is the actual pain felt
during the practice of tattooing that is said to cure certain medical problems.”
(Brown, 54, 2018)
“In Samba, tattooing was used as a distraction for
certain medical procedures; for example, during childbirth.” (Brown, 54, 2018)
We still use tattooing in the medical world to
aid healing processes, add pigment back into the skin, micropigmentation, scar
cover ups and even areola restoration.
“Due to sharia law, the majority of Sunni Muslims
hold that tattooing is religiously forbidden. The view is that the human form was
created beautiful and therefore should not be charged in anyway.” (Brown, 46, 2018)
“Tattoos are permissible in Shia Islam, though.
In Judaism Tattoos are forbidden based on the Torah, Which states: ‘you shall
not make gashes in your flesh for the dead or incise any mark on yourselves.’” (Brown,
46, 2018)
“In Hinduism, many women tattoo their faces with
several dots around the chin and eyes to wand off evil and enhance their beauty.”
(Brown, 46, 2018)
“Polynesian tattooing, or mako, was done by
professional artist and symbolized social rank. A design was curved into skin,
and black pigment was rubbed into the cuts.” (Favazza,
150, 1996)
“When Māori chiefs were asked to sign land deeds
by Europeans, they drew their face pattens on the paper in the lieu of a
signature or a cross. After death the heads of beautifully tattooed men were
sometimes cut off and displayed on a pole, cured over a fire, and kept as a
memorial, or sold to admirers.” (Favazza, 150, 1996)
In Hawaii women had their tongues tattooed to mourn
the death of a chief.
In New Guinea girls get tattooed at different
stages of their lives. First their hands and arms, later on the bellies and
backs. “When they become eligible for marriage, their buttocks are tattooed.” (Favazza,
152, 1996)
“Asian prostitutes tattooed their sexual organs as
amulets to ward off venereal disease.” (Favazza, 152, 1996) branding
prostitutes showing they belong to their pimp.
Conclusion
“In the theatre, in ceremonies and rituals, and
even in everyday life, body decoration is found in every country. It can
establish or change a person’s identity, make a statement, or simply make the
wearer look more attractive. However, it is used, body decoration is an
important form of self-expression all over the world.” (Powell,45, 2003)
“The phenomenon of ‘self-mutilation’ is not
purely biological, or psychological, or social determined act but rather involves
a combination of these factors as they operate within the web of culture.” (Favazza,
325, 1996)
“Be it because they embody personal stories,
because they are done in memory of loved one, or to communicate both idea and
attitude towards life, tattoos carry an emotional weight. Often it is also
steams from desire to differentiate oneself or to be integrated into a particular
social groups. Sometimes beauty is the goal; other times, it signals
repudiation by non-like-minded groups. In any event, the art of tattooing seems
to have always had a certain mystical quality. In Someways, this aspect has
survived to the present day, regardless of the evolution of the art form and
all technical advances it has made. For this reason, every tattoo session,
whether past or present, East, or West, tribal or urban, has an extremely important
ritualistic element.” (Merino, 9,
2023)
“Whether we were native Americans returning to
traditional ways or urban aboriginals responding to some inner universal archetype,
one thing was clear: we had all rejected the western cultural biases about
ownership and use of the body. We believed that our bodies belonged to us. We had
rejected the strong Judaeo-Christian body programming and emotional conditioning
to which we had all been subjected. Our bodies did not belong to some distant
god sitting on a throne; or that god’s priest or spokesperson; or to a father,
mother, or a spouse; or to the state or it’s monarch, ruler, or dictator; or to
social institutions of the military, educational, correctional, or medical
establishment. And the kind of language used to describe out behaviour (“self-
mutilation”) was in itself a negative and prejudicial form of control.” (Musafar,
326) This is something that I could agree more with as I piercer and tattoo
artist.
“Ancient texts such as the Hou Han-Shu (history
of the later Han) describes the Wa, inhabitants of Japan at the time, as extremely
dedicated to the decoration of their bodies and of their whole environment.” (Moriarty,
9, 2018)
“This practice finally fell into disuse after being
prohibited in 1720 by the eight shogun of the Tokugawa clan, Yoshimura. After
that tattooists stopped using the term irezumi to define their work, wishing to
differentiate artistic discipline from this brutal practice.” (after using
tattooing as a form of punishment” (Moriarty, 9, 2018)
“When Edo’s inhabitants started to look for
people who could tattoo them with Ukiyo-e motifs, they hit upon this small
group of carvers, who were familiar with the required themes and motifs and who
had acquired the necessary skills through their craft. Kite makers and painters
were also among the earliest tattoo artists.” (Moriarty, 12, 2018)
In the 16th century “Samurai going
into battle had themselves tattooed with the symbol of their clan or the date
of the battle, anticipating that they would not come back alive; those who did
come back often committed suicide so as to keep their vow.” (Moriarty, 17, 2018)
“There was a large number of ex-prisoners or criminals
on the run, and to cover the marks that they had received to signal their
crimes they used tattoo art. All these individuals shared the fate of being cast
out of society, and their tattoos served as a way to separate them from others
and as a means of intimidation.” (Moriarty, 18, 2018)
“All their tattoos were thus on display and used
them to specify their particular trade. For example, fishermen tattooed fish on
their forearms.” (Moriarty, 19, 2018)
“Traditional Japanese tattooing is done by hand,
with the tattooed artist sitting on the floor and the customer lying down. A
bamboo rod with a series of rows of flat needles attached to the end of it is
used. The tool is called Hari and the black and grey ink sumi. This technique
is called Tebori, due to the area of the hand that supports the rod during
tattooing, between the thumb and index finger. Although today there are still a
lot of tattoo artist in Japan who continue to use the Tebori technique and
therefore tattoo by hand, the introduction of the Western tattooing machine at
the end of the nineteenth century inevitably influenced the artistic
development of tattooing by allowing much more precision in lines than that achieved
through the Tebori technique. As a result, the final tattoo is closer in style to
Ukiyo-e illustrations, the ultimate aim of any master. Currently, learning to
tattoo is mostly based on this combination of using the machine for lines and Tebori
for colours and shades.” (Moriarty, 32, 2018)
“A third-century Chinese account mentions that
Japanese people tattooed themselves to mark social class and protect themselves
from harmful sea creatures.” (Ashcraft and Benny, 4, 2016)
“In Japan, horish study and train for years to master
their craft. In the past, that meant a lengthy apprenticeship, or deshi, would clean
up the studio and practice drawing and tattooing himself (or more recently,
herself). This would continue until the day the master, or shisho, finally
deemed the pupil good enough to work on actual clients.” (Ashcraft and Benny, 4,
2016)
“There are also notions in Japan that tattoos are
dirty, because unclean needles spread a whole array of diseases, as well as a Confucian
belief that it is disrespectful to modify the body bestowed on you by your
parents.” (Ashcraft and Benny, 6. 2016)
“This was a time when information about tattoos
was still scarce and techniques were only passed down from master to
apprentice.” (Ashcraft and Benny, 11. 2016) however, maybe this was a good
thing as people are now giving themselves tattoos at home and other unsafe
places, and thinking they can tattoo from watching it a couple times, watch a YouTube
video and good to go, when so much more in needed and has to be learned before
even thinking about going on skin. This doesn’t help the whole look of tattoos and
body mods cause the same for piercings and people doing at home.
“Lapita pottery is of special interest for the
history of tattooing because it provides us with the oldest evidence as to the
nature of the ancient Polynesian tattoo designs. Much Lapita pottery bore incised
decorations consisting of V-shaped elements, interlocking geometrical patterns,
and stylized motifs resembling mask and sea creatures.” (Gilbert and Gilbert,
22, 2000)
“The Artist dipped the instrument in a black
pigment made of soot and water and executed the tattoo by striking the
instrument with a small mallet.” (Gilbert and Gilbert, 22, 2000) this was used
over 3000 years ago and still used today mostly in prisons.
“The double or reflected character of the tattoo
does not limit itself to the artistic or technical side, but also completely affect
the ontology of the societies who practice it, an ontology that includes their
environment and non-human animals.” (Martell and Larsen, 7,8.2022)
“It requires a paying client to work with a
tattooist in the formulation of a suitable brief (consultation process); the
preparation development of a design (design process); the preparation development
materials (preparation process); and the creation of an outcome (tattooing
process), which extends through the healing process, to achieve the intended
appearance.” (Martell and Larsen, 45.2022)
“for many clients, social media is a tool to
discover designs, and styles, and practitioners. Tattooing images from
international contexts are made accessible through social media platforms,
acting as a resource for tattoo idea generation.” (Martell and Larsen, 45.2022)
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Featherstone, M. (2005) Body
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Gilbert, S., Gilbert, C. and Oguri, K. (2000) Tattoo history: A source book: An anthology of
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