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The Cultural Significance of Tattoos

For many people, tattoos are marks of machismo – a form of expression for sailors, bikers and convicts with little significance outside of those subcultures. On the contrary, tattoos are often symbolic of rich cultural histories.

In many cases, tattoos are a way to place protective or therapeutic symbols permanently on the body. Polynesian cultures have developed elaborate geometric tattoos over thousands of years. After British explorer James Cook's expedition to Tahiti in 1769, the marks became fashionable in Europe. As a result, European men in dangerous professions, in particular sailors and coal miners, have tattooed anchors or miner's lamps on their forearms for protection since the late 18th Century. The tradition of tattooing a loved one’s name also developed during this time.

In other cultures, tattoos mark people as part of specific social, political or religious groups. In the Maori culture of New Zealand, the head is considered the most important part of the body. The face is embellished with elaborate tattoos, which serve as marks of high status. Each tattoo design is unique to the individual, as it conveys specific information about that person’s social status, ancestry and skills. Men are given tattoos at various stages in their lives, and the decorations are designed to enhance their features and make them more attractive to potential wives. Although Maori women are also tattooed on their faces, the markings are concentrated around the mouth. The Maori believe tattoos around the mouth and chin prevent the skin becoming wrinkled and keep them young.

Similarly, there are countless meanings behind traditional Native American tattoos, but most tattoos were a symbol of a warrior’s status within a tribe. It was also common for a tribe to give tattoos to those who had proficiency in using the symbol that was tattooed upon their body. For example, warriors often had tattoos of weaponry, while women were given tattoos of various labor tools. Although Europeans have had the names of loved ones tattooed onto their skin for centuries, Native Americans generally wore their own names.

Various groups throughout Africa employ tattoos as cultural symbols. Berber tribes in Algeria, Tunisia and Libya tattoo fine dots on the faces of women after they give birth to a male heir. Women also tattoo their faces, hands, and ankles with symbols marking their ethnic identity. In Egypt, members of the Christian Copts sect bear small crosses on their inner forearms. The elaborate facial tattoos of Wodaabe, nomadic herders and traders in western Africa, carry various meanings. Wodaabe women dot their temples, cheeks and lips with geometric tattoos to ward off evil spirits. Men and women use black henna as a temporary tattoo covering entire hands, forearm, feet and shin during weddings, baptism, and special holidays.

At times, tattoos are a form of artistic expression. Modern Japanese tattoos are considered fully realized works of art. The highly skilled tattooists of Samoa consider tattooing both a craft and a spiritual awakening. They create their art with the same tools as were used prior to the invention of modern tattooing equipment. This process is seen as a spiritual journey, a strongly psychological experience that will change their lives forever.

In North America, the cultural status of tattooing has steadily evolved over the past thirty years, from a rebellious, anti-social activity in the 1960s to a mainstream means of asserting one’s identity in the 1990s. Although tattooing is simply a trendy fashion statement for many, others choose tattooing as a way of honoring their cultural, ethnic or religious heritage. Often tattoos represent both fashion and cultural significance, as in the increasing popularity of Americanized geometric tribal tattoos.

Cover-up Work

The thing about tattooing at makes people nervous about getting their first tattoo is its permanence. When they seek support or advice from friends and family, the first thing they hear is “Are you sure you want to do that? You can’t just take it off if you don’t like it.” But despite all the warnings and despite all they know about tattoos, they will still get their girlfriend’s name prominently inked into some painfully obvious place on their body. It happens all the time.

Getting someone’s name tattooed on your body is just an example, but it’s one of the most common regrets people have about their tattoos. Fortunately, there are some options. The tattoo can be removed via one of a number of drastic, expensive and painful procedures after which, instead of having an unwanted tattoo people ask you about all the time, you will have a scar people ask you about all the time. In fact, with some methods the scar looks eerily similar to the tattoo. Maybe you have a tattoo you are still in love with, it’s just old, and faded into a mere shadow if its former glory.

Often it’s not having a tattoo people change their minds about, it’s the design or a particular aspect of it. Your best bet is to sheepishly trot yourself back into the tattoo parlor and talk to someone about doing a cover-up job. Chances are great that you’ll come away from the experience with a design that your happier with and probably wouldn’t have come up with under normal circumstances.

The best candidate for this kind of work is a well healed, but fairly new tattoo that’s small and lightly colored. Of course, that’s just the ideal, and if you had an ideal tat, you wouldn’t be seeking a cover-up job in the first place. Don’t worry if you don’t fall into that category. There are some extremely talented artists out there. The Internet is full of before and after transformations on former darkly colored armbands that are truly amazing.

In every trade, some are decent at what that do, some are great and some are just terrible. Tattooing is no exception. You need to do some pretty intense shopping around before climbing into anyone’s chair. It’s also important to remember not every great tattooist is good at cover-up work. Ask a lot of questions and look at a lot of before and after shots before you make up your mind.

The laziest way of covering up a name for example, is blacking in out with a black box. No kidding, people actually do that. You’re other (and far more tasteful)l choices are incorporating the current design into a different one or covering it up completely with a bigger new one.

If your tat is faded and it’s a touch up you seek, modern technology is most definitely on your side. Ink is ever evolving, and now they are bolder, brighter and better than ever. Chances are you can leave the shop with a tattoo that is sharper, clearer, better looking than it was to begin with.

Complete cover up work can produce some pretty amazing results, but you have to be prepared to have a larger tattoo than you had to begin with. Once you’re confident you’ve found a really awesome artist, the project is likely to turn out best if you allow him as much artistic freedom as you can stand. Cover-ups can be quite difficult, and he knows better than you how to deal with the situation, After all, he is cleaning up your mess.

Cosmetic Tattooing

If the tattoo industry had an alter-ego, it would be the permanent cosmetic industry. Some people call it the more sophisticated and refined side of tattooing. Other people seem to be in a state of deep denial of the fact that it is a tattoo. Ladies who roll their eyes and shriek at the idea of artistic tattoos, the very same ones who perpetuated the sigma attached to them, are the jumping at the chance to finally define their faint eyebrows and pale lip lines. Dermapigmentation technicians used the same ink and the same equipment as artistic tattooist, but in a far more socially acceptable way.

Though there are documented cases of cosmetic tattooing taking place at the turn of last century, it’s only recently become more or less mainstream. Some ladies go for the full face, eye shadow and all, but eyeliner, cheek color and lip liner are the most popular procedures.

The process starts with a consultation with a makeup artist who will help you decide the color palette that’s going to be permanently applied to your face. Obviously, this is perhaps the most important step. You wouldn’t want to wake up every day for the rest of your life with an unflattering shade of lipstick.

Once your colors are chosen, the technician will apply a topical anesthetic to the area. This will numb the skin, but you will still feel a stinging sensation. Most people feel the end result is worth the discomfort, or there would be women walking around with half finished faces.

After the tattoo is applied, you should treat the site just like a wound. An antibiotic ointment should be applied and the area should be covered as well as possible. Your technician should be able to recommend an ointment or cream that’s best for delicate facial skin. Even if your technician is well trained and runs a reputable and sterile operation, side effects and complications can occur. If you start running a fever, contact your doctor to rule out infection. A patch test should be done ahead of time to make certain you are not allergic to the ink.

Your new cosmetic tattoo is just as permanent as any artistic tattoo, but it will eventually fade to some extent. Eyeliner usually needs to be touched up every four to six years. Lip liner usually doesn’t last quite as long and may need to be reapplied ever two to for years. There are a couple of factors that cause the need for reapplication: pigments and your body’s natural skin cell renewing process. Different color pigments fade at different rates, which may account for the fact that dark eyeliner lasts longer than lip color which tends to be rosier.

Cosmetic tattooing has a more practical side as well. It can be used to cover up scars after reconstructive surgery and make skin discolorations virtually disappear. Tattooing has successfully covered up facial scars and created facial features for people who lost theirs due to being burned or some other type of accident. It can also be used to create new aureolas and improve the appearance of a nipple after breast reconstruction. It’s a simple procedure that can make all the difference in the world to someone’s self esteem.

The best way to choose a reconstructive tattooist is with the help of your plastic surgeon. You’re doctor may be able to give you a mild anesthetic before your appointment. Unfortunately, the procedure is no covered by most insurance companies and the cost can be quite high, but you can’t put a price on felling like yourself again, especially after an accident or a life altering surgery that requires reconstruction.

Choosing a Tattooist

So you’re thinking about getting a tattoo? There is practically an infamous number of choices involved. What ever you do, don’t allow yourself to be pressured and don’t get into a hurry. After all, we’re talking about a permanent mark on your body. It will be there forever, and one of the most important decisions you’re going to have to make is who you want to apply it.

If you’re serious about your ink, picking out a tattooist is a big deal. You would be wise to shop around. The criteria you use should be very similar to the way you would judge a family doctor, and for many of the same reasons. It’s a choice that ought to involve considerable thought. Here are some ideas to inspire your search:

• Cleanliness – This is by no stretch the most important factor; it can’t be emphasized enough. Drop in unannounced and observe how the artists work. Are they wearing gloves? How do they dispose of used equipment? Surely they don’t reuse needles? What are their sterilization practices? Don’t hesitate to ask questions. A good tattooist will be glad to talk with you. If he won’t take the time to talk, then you walk.

• Personality – A person’s personality is always reflected in their art. When you have your search narrowed down to just a few artists, make an appointment with each one and just have a conversation. Observe them with other clients. Get a feel of the kind of person they are. If something about them turns you off, if you ever feel even a little bit uncomfortable, find someone else.

• Reputation – The best place to start your search is word of mouth. Ask people about their ink. They won’t mind. After all, they wouldn’t have the tat if they didn’t want people to notice it. Find a tattoo you love (not just like, but LOVE) and find out who’s responsible for it. Then go find them.

• Relationship – When you find the artist you want, stop by for a visit a couple of times before you actually get to work on the tattoo. Don’t stay for ever, and don’t get in the way. Form a relationship with the person who will be applying artwork permanently onto the only body you are ever going to have. It will be reflected in his work.

• Conventions – Tattoo conventions are a great way to see several artists work in one spot. However, don’t plan on getting inked at the actually convention. The tattooists are away from their usual space and may not work as comfortably as they would if they were. Also, conventions are usually already booked well in advance.

• Style – After cleanliness, this may be the most important element. There are several different genres of tattooing, kind of like music. For example, if you like the look of jailhouse tattoos, find somebody who is really good at that. If it’s a portrait you want, find someone who excels at that (prison records are a matter of public record). It just makes good sense. After all, you wouldn’t ask Dolly Pardon to rap, would you?

This is by no means a complete list of things to consider, but it’s a good place to start. This is not a decision to take lightly. Most people don’t have the cash for a good tattoo readily available at any given time. It may be a good idea to more or less decide on a design, shop for an artist, and then use the time it takes your to save up for the project to really do some soul searching about the step you are getting ready to take.

Celebrity Tattoos

Celebrity tattoos have been a frequent topic in mainstream pop culture and the media since the early 1990s. Actors, musicians and sports figures have gone under the needle, and their designs have inspired millions to do the same.

Oscar winning actor and budding humanitarian Angelina Jolie is also closely associated with her myriad of tattoos. Jolie is a dedicated tattoo enthusiast, collecting at least a dozen tattoos to symbolize various beliefs and life events. Jolie has made the dragon one of the most popular tattoos for women and sparked interest in traditional tattoo styles of Southeast Asia.

Rapper, Record Producer and actor 50 Cent is as noted for his body art as for his music. Fifty’s tattoos cover his back; the giant “Southside 50” rising from smoke and flames has become his signature. The back tattoo was designed by celebrity inkster Mr. Cartoon, who also designs Nike sneakers.

Eminem, another Mr. Cartoon client, has dog tags tattooed around his neck, a large mushroom on his left shoulder, his daughter's name on his left wrist, "Slit Here" on his right wrist, a D on his right arm, the number 12 on his left arm, tattoos for Eminem and Slim Shady on his chest and several others.

The actor and reality television star Nicole Richie has at least nine tattoos, including wings on her back, a rosary around her ankle and a spider on her lower back. A pair of ballerina slippers commemorates both her childhood passion and her father Lionel Richie’s song “Ballerina Girl.”

Similarly, Britney Spears has several tattoos: a fairy on her lower back, a small daisy circling her second toe on right foot, a butterfly leaving a vine on left foot, a flower with Chinese symbol for mystery in middle on lower stomach, three Hebrew characters on back of her neck, and reportedly several others. Critics allege Britney’s rather varied assortment of body art is indicative of her impulsive vices, but others celebrate her love of tattooing.

Drew Barrymore has sported inked crosses and butterflies for more than a decade. Barrymore has posed for countless photographs displaying her tattoos, so she has perhaps the most extensively photographed body art of anyone in the public eye.

In abandoning her late 1990s teen pop image, Christina Aguilera adopted a variety of tattoos. She had the name of her controversial alter ego, Xtina, inked on her neck. She also obtained a flower on her wrist, a design on her forearm and reportedly several unseen designs. Later, she celebrated her marriage to record producer Jordan Bratman with the words "Te Amo Siempre” on her arm.

International sports star David Beckham is as famed for his jet-setting lifestyle, celebrity wife Victoria “Posh” Beckham, and famous friends as he is for his skills. Beckham has his sons’ names on his back, his wife’s name and his jersey number on his arm, and other tattoos. Beckham detailed his tattoos’ symbolic value in his autobiography, and his wife is also a body art fan.

Another celebrity couple who are tattoo fans are pop star Pink and her husband motocross racer Carey Hart. The singer’s tattoos may well number in the dozens. She has a shooting star and angel on her shoulder, "what goes around comes around" on her wrist, "tru luv" on her arm, "Mr. Pink" on her thigh, a cartoon cat on her stomach, the barcode from the album Missundaztood just below her hairline on back of her neck, and many more. Hart owns the Huntington-Hart Tattoo Shop in the Palms Casino in Las Vegas. The shop is featured in the reality television show "Inked."

Branded for Life: Tattooing and Social Status

Twelve thousand years has not altered the cross-cultural implications of tattoos. From the jungles of Borneo to dorm rooms at Harvard, their implications remain the same. Tattoos have always signified status.

In Indochina, a woman’s forearm tattoos made them desirable for marriage. Various designs demarked the wearer’s station in life. Rich women wore delicate arm tattoos that looked like expensive gloves women buy today at Bloomingdale’s. Warriors’ tattoos on showed how many lives they had taken in battle. Tattoos commanded respect and assured their wearers status for life.