Putting Some Thought Into Your Tattoo
There is no doubt that most tattoo parlors in the Western World have been dealing with broadly similar requests from their customers for years now, and you can imagine that this probably gets a bit boring from time to time. With the old standby designs which everyone recognizes, added to the group, the film or the celebrity who is cool at the time, it is hardly surprising that there is an undercurrent of belief that tattoos are just a way of following the crowd. However, with a little bit of thought on the part of the bearer, a tattoo can be great to look at and a real conversation starter.
This is why you should put some thought into the design before you go anywhere near the tattoo parlor. Do you want to be the third person they’ve seen today to get a famous cartoon character, or do you want to give them a chance to draw something different for once? Don’t go too crazy – a giant tableau demonstrating the history of human civilization might take a while and still look half-done. But something individual and stylish can make the job worthwhile.
Think of something distinctive about yourself, or that you like. Then think of something connected with it that you really like – ideally not something completely typical of the tattoos that everyone else is getting. If you can draw, sketch out some ideas, or print something off the Internet. Go for a different look, and stand out from the crowd.
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Maori Tattoos – Tribal Tatoos from an actual tribe
The word tattoo comes from the Tahitian word “tatau”. Captain James Cook used the word “tattow” when he saw tattooing for the first time in Tahiti in 1769. The archaeological record shows that tattooing arrived in New Zealand from early Eastern Polynesian tribes. The tattoos would be made with a bone chisel dipped in a sooty pigment made from burnt caterpillars and Kauri gum. The chisel is either serrated or has a very sharp straight edge. These Maori tribal tattoos were done by a specific individual in the tribe, had many rites, and were considered very important. The Maori view tattooing as very important for both their sexuality and status in society.
In Maori culture the head is the most sacred part of the body and getting a tribal tattoo on the head and face is done to all of the high ranking members in society. One with no tribal tattoos is considered as low in the social hierarchy. In addition to this due to the fact that the face is prone to a lot of bleeding during this long and strenuous tattooing process the tattoo artists, “tohunga-ta-oko”, are surrounded with taboos and are thought to have special powers. The “tohunga-ta-oko” are known for their precision and intricacy in designing the tribal tattoos. All of the tattoos they chisel are done free hand and on the spot. The “tohunga-ta-oko” often studies the individuals’ facial structure and body shape before executing.
