Archive for Tribal Tattoos
Are Home Tattoos Dangerous?
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We have all seen them around – the ugly homemade tattoos that some people sport that look like they belong in a prison more than on any mainstream person. They can be badly drawn, like the one a firefighter recently had done by a friend of his sister to commemorate the firefighters lost on 9/11.
“She told me she’d been doing tattoos for four years,” said the firefighter. The tattoo was a mess. The person who did it had the date wrong (9-01-11) and misspelled the word “never” so that it said “ever forget” instead of “never forget”. I read this and thought how upset I would be if that was my tattoo.
And although this man did do the right thing and went to a pro shop to get the tattoo fixed, you know it was never going to be right. Something he had decided to do as a testimonial to fallen friends is now something he will probably never want to show to anyone. And that is wrong.
But above and beyond the fact that this person made mistakes that would never be tolerated at a truly professional tattoo parlor, there are several other reasons why getting a home grown tattoo is not a great idea.
- Health Concerns- A professional tattoo parlor has a license that requires them to have sterilizing equipment on the premises and that it works. You are not guaranteed any of that with a “backyard tattoo parlor”, as they are often called in the tattoo business. This means that you are exposing yourself to the possibility of being infected with hepatitis or worse yet AIDS. Both of these blood-borne infections are a real danger to anyone considering getting a tattoo in a non-licensed location.
- Quality – Just how good is this person who is doing your tattoo? How many tattoos have they done before? If you are going to trust someone to ink something as permanent as a tattoo on a part of your body, make sure you know something about their work before getting a tattoo from them. In a professional shop they have books that show their work and are proud to show off the tattoos they have created for their customers. Be picky- after all this is your tattoo.
- Support local tattoo parlors – When it comes right down to it, most of the folks who run the licensed professional parlors are people who make their living doing this. This is not a hobby or part-time thing for them. When you go to a backyard parlor to get that illegal tattoo you are hurting people who have probably put everything they have into their business. They are taking the time and spending the cash to make sure that you have a clean place to get that tattoo, that it is well designed and done right. We need to support these businesses or they won’t be around for very long.
So the next time you are considering getting a tattoo, take a look at the local tattoo parlors in your area. Talk to the folks who run them, get to know what their story is and why they are doing tattoos as a profession. Check out their samples books, talk about the tattoo you have been dreaming about an sketching until your friends are sick of seeing it. These are the people you want to have doing your tattoo.
So when you friend or family member says they know someone who has “done a few tattoos” and would do it for cheap, just say thanks, no thanks. If you really want to support an artist who is putting themselves out there for their artform, check out the local tattoo parlor and talk to them about your next tattoo. You will be glad you did.
Tattoo Artist Shaw Arrested on Weapons Charges
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Jonathan Shaw, a popular tattoo artist and writer, developed more than just an image of an outlaw. He was recently charged with possession and storage of a rather large stash of knives, guns and ammunition in his storage locker.
Sources have it that Jonathan was trying to ship about 96 knives, in excess of 2,800 rounds of ammunition, a loaded AK-47 assault rifle and three other fire arms to his home in Los Angeles when the mover, First Global Xpress, notified authorities. Jonathan was charged under the New York state law that calls for the need of a permit for certain types of guns. Also, people are generally prohibited from having a loaded gun outside their home or work place.
The court complaint claims that a ‘First Global Xpress’ employee first noticed the boxes of ammunition when one of Jonathan’s suitcases fell open in the process of moving. The employee then opened a duffel bag and a blanket-wrapped bundle which revealed the firearms which were later reported to authorities.
Jonathan’s defense lawyer Brian T. Pakett said that he had receipts as evidence to show that all the weapons in question were bought legally. They were apparently bought at least 15 years ago and Pakett also added that Jonathan had “no intent to use” the weapons. “We are confident this case will be cleared up,” said Defense lawyer Pakett. “Mr. Shaw is a very peaceful man. He’s a very caring man.”
Jonathan Shaw who is now 57, was born in New York to American Actress Doris Dowling (The Lost Weekend) and the celebrated American jazz clarinetist, composer, and bandleader Artie Shaw. Jonathan is a self-proclaimed “world-traveling outlaw artist” is a noted figure in the tattoo scene of New York which was semi-underground for several years. For more than thirty years tattoo studios were illegal in New York City till the ban was lifted in 1997.
Jonathan is known for his tribal tattoo designs and has quite a list of celebrities that followed his work. He is the owner of Fun City tattoo shop, located in Manhattan’s bohemian East Village. In a novel (Narcisa: Our Lady of Ashes) he released in 2008, he boasts admiration from noted actors and musicians such as from Johnny Depp, Marilyn Manson and singer Deborah Harry (Blondie.) He was called the “the great nightmare anti-hero of the new age” by Punk-rock star Iggy Pop. Jonathan has now retired from tattooing.
Types of Tribal Tattoos
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It is interesting to note that although times have changed quite a bit since the days of the actual tribal tattoos, the reasoning behind their need (want rather) has pretty much remained the same. The tattoo art was famous among the ancient tribes for just the same reasons they are prominent today.
Tattoos were initially used by primitive tribes to identify the tribe, clan and family of the bearer and group them accordingly. Not only did it help them to easily recognize their clansmen and recognize their far relatives but they also believed that this would help them identify their group and join them again in the after life. Similar to today’s idea behind gang tattoos. It allows them to recognize their group members (although I doubt these guys will make it to the after life!)
Men and women of the tribes were also known to get a marriage tattoo. Again this had a two-fold purpose. It became a witness to their pledge to one another (just like the wedding rings of our time) and it also helped them identify their spouse in the after life – considering the two of them crossed over from earth to the spirit world at different times.
The primitive adolescents were given a tattoo as a mark of their entry into adulthood. Those girls that were unable to bear the pain of the tattooing process was seen as one unfit for marriage as she would be unable to bear the pains of childbirth. And those boys that cant bear the pain become outcasts, unfit for battle or hunting. Pretty much like today’s teens celebrating their 18th birthday with a tattoo! (although, there can be no outcasts there.)
Another most recognized reason for their tattoos were that of charms and spells for love. The magicians of those days would often mix special herbs and potions to their dyes. These tattoos were usually worn in a hidden area of the body – their reason behind that: an old married woman would look pretty foolish walking around with a love spell! Doesn’t that remind you of those many love birds of our time who get their partner’s name tattooed and then when it doesn’t work out, they’re desperately trying to hide it or have it removed?
Tribal Tattoo Designs
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It is amazing how popular tribal tattoos have become. Almost one thirds of people searching for tattoo designs online end up looking for tribal designs. Of course, one of the reasons may be that the tribal tattoo genre has such a ridiculous amount of variety to choose from! (It’s like trying to pick up cereal at Walmart!) Another reason may be that they’re so darn good looking.
The selection ranges from the designs of the aboriginal or indigenous peoples to the contemporary graphic designs for body art. Although you may find a perfect tribal design in our modern world, it might be hard to find the actual experience of getting a tribal tattoo. The needles, sticks and plant dyes have all been replaced by tattoo machines and high tech inks. Likewise the shamans (the predecessors of today’s tattoo artists) have been replaced too.
It is said that the very first tattoo was probably a natural one, an accidental tattoo that lead to its discovery. Sources have it that after its discovery some of the first tattoo designs were that of a sun or flames in honor of the sun gods. The loss of blood (a vital life source), the pain involved in the process and its permanence lead to its transition from simply being art to a spiritual ritual. This enchanting combination got the ancient people into a trance, a feeling of being in union with their god and the god’s associated magical powers. They believed that the body and soul were quite alike, and according to that belief their tattoos also existed in both their physical and spiritual realms. Some tribes from Borneo believed that the right tattoos not only got them into the right spiritual world but that they also offered them unique qualifications for profitable livelihood when they got there.
In fact, studies have shown that some kind of body art was used by most (perhaps even all) of the ancient tribes of the world. Evidence of primitive tattoos, scarifications or temporary body paint have been found in almost every ancient tribe. This body art was widespread and present in almost every unconnected part of the world till of course our modern “civilization” arrived and these arts lost popularity.
Overview of Tribal Tattoos
Posted by: | CommentsTribal tattoos have been used for as long as people have needed to identify themselves and they are the “in” thing at the moment. This trend began in the nineties and has only increased as time has passed. The tribal tattoo has had many purposes in human history but they originated mainly to identify a clan or group. Some groups would use the tattoos to identify distant relatives from far away tribes or to find each other after they passed away and were wandering the heavens looking for their tribe members. The tribal tattoo was also used to depict important events that occurred in a tribe or clan, almost like keeping a recorded history of events. (Syrkiewicz, 2008) Naturally a tribal tattoo has a different use today but in the end the modern tribal tattoo is still a form of identification.
Today in many instances the person getting a tribal tattoo wants the tattoo to illustrate something about them, almost like a tattoo of self identification. They are a way for a person to make a statement about themselves for other people to see and interpret. However, the tribal tattoo today is used not to group people into the same tribe but to express personality and individuality. (Hemingson, 1999-2009)
Oftentimes gangs, clubs, and military members will use a tattoo to identify themselves to others. This type of usage for a tattoo is similar to the use of tattoos five thousand years ago when the tribal tattoo art form is believed to have originated. (Syrkiewicz, 2008) Members of different gangs or military groups can identify each other by using a specific tattoo. They often form a bond around a particular symbol almost like a brotherhood. For gang members, the tattoo is used to define their members and lets them know who is friendly or not. All cultures have used tattoos as some form of identification and the trend is back in fashion today.
A tattoo magazine titled Tattoo Times, founded in 1982 by Don Ed Hardy and Leo Zulueta, started a new fascination with the tribal tattoo. (Tebi, 2004-2008) They called their first article “New Tribalism” and it featured tribal designs from the South Pacific, tattoos that had lost favor many years before. (Tebi, 2004-2008) Tattoo artistry itself had been going through problems with negative feelings from society at the time so an article illustrating these wonderful tribal designs helped alleviate some of the negative feelings people had about these tattoos. It actually had the effect of re-popularizing the ancient art form.
The tribal designs seen most commonly today are similar to designs used by the Polynesians for thousands of years. They often have a geometric silhouette pattern that may be considered too easy to do by many tattoo artists. Since these are not considered challenging, some artists do not like to do them. (Tebi, 2004-2008)
Celtic tribal patterns are also popular today. They were distributed by sailors hundreds of years ago as they traveled from Europe. Actually, sailors can be thanked for causing the original popularity of tattoo artistry in the modern western world. The word tattoo comes from the Tahitian word, ‘ta-taw’, which was thought to be the sound a person would hear when the tattooing instruments were used. When the sailors returned to Europe with tattoos that illustrated their adventures, people were fascinated and many wanted to have their own. (Tebi, 2004-2008)
The type and location of a tribal tattoo is a limitless as the unique personality of the person who wants it. Some examples are tribal armband, Celtic tattoo, tribal wolf tattoo, tribal shoulder tattoo, tribal scorpion, butterfly dragon, dog, bird, bull, tiger and many, many more. There are also tribal sleeve tattoos, lower back tribal tattoos, and tribal star tattoos. (Hemingson, 1999-2009) As with all artistic mediums and cultural developments, the art form of tribal tattoos is continually changing. But, the art form is always going to reflect the depth and potential of the person who wants the tattoo as well as the artist’s interpretation of the tribal design.
Works Cited
Hemingson, V. (1999-2009). Tribal tattoo design. Retrieved December 7, 2009, from The Vanishing Tattoo: http://www.vanishingtattoo.com/tribal_tattoos.htm
Syrkiewicz, J. (2008, October 8). History and Social Impact of Tatoos. Retrieved December 7, 2009, from Suite101.com: http://cultural-anthropology.suite101.com/article.cfm/the_history_and_social_impact_of_tattoos
Tebi, D. B. (2004-2008). TatooJoy.com. Retrieved December 7, 2009, from History of Tribal Tattoos: http://tattoojoy.com/tattoo_articles/the_meaning_of_tribal_tattoos.htm
More on Tribal Tattoos
Posted by: | CommentsWith the popularity of body tattoos these days, many people are deciding to use tribal symbols from various regions of the world for their designs. Tribal tattoos come from a number of different tribes. They can be from the Borneo tribe, Haida, Native American tribes, Celtic tribes, Maori tribes and Polynesian tribes just to name a few. The themes of the tribal tattoos can be anything from rituals of the tribe to the way they worship God, etc… Most people who decide to get tribal tattoos will select designs with a specific symbolism. Some may select a design simply for the way it looks. Most tattoos of this type are used within the tribe to identify its’ members. Some will also identify the rank of a person within the tribe. Still others are a symbol of the right of passage; boys into men, girls into women, etc… Currently, simply having a tribal tattoo gives you membership in a group of others with similar interests in expressing themselves with body art. You don’t need to be a part of a specific tribe anymore.
Most tribal tattoos are easy to do, so most tattoo artists can do them or even help you design your own from an older version. The ink used on tribal tattoos is mainly black which holds fairly well and doesn’t fade quite as easily as other colors. The tattoos are also very vivid because of the black ink. They are much easier to see because they are very pronounced with the bold black lines.
Some of the disadvantages of tribal tattoos include the fact that they are extremely difficult to remove. The same advantage that gives them the bold vivid appearance is also a disadvantage if you want to get rid of them. It is also very difficult to tattoo over them for this same reason. You may find that it is difficult to locate a tattoo artist who knows about specific tribes and their designs and customs. Most modern tribal tattoos are of a general nature rather than specifically attached to a specific tribe.
Many tribal symbols are those of strength. The lion is one sign of strength; the bear claw is yet another symbol of strength as is the flame symbol. The dragon symbol has long been a sign of strength. Other symbols that signify strength may be the scorpion, the wolf or the great white whale. There are specific designs for women also. Tribal designs for women might be the dolphin, tree of life or the motherhood design. Within this category of tattoo design, there are many that you can choose from. There is the whole Celtic collection of tribal tattoos that you can choose from also. These include the bear claw, the eagle, the peace sign, the Irish pride cross, the Celtic pentagram, the fireman’s design, and many others. Just take your time in making your design selection; you will likely have it for the rest of your life!