Native Tattoo Meanings and Customs

Today many parents panic if their child gets ahundreds of years. It was believed that they
tattoo at some point in their life. Many think of itwere tattooed more for adornment than any
as a degrading practice that symbolizes rebellion.other reason. A tattoo was seen as a decoration
But it should be remembered that tattooing wasthat beautified the women in preparation to find
and is an art that came naturally to various nativeor keep a husband.
peoples for hundreds of years. Tattooing hasAmong native Australian tribes it was common,
been a native custom in many tribes or racesand is today, to tattoo yourself with the
across the world, although the origin of it variedgroup’s totem, Otherwise known as a
within each tribe or race. The Tattoo, over theWingong. A totem was a creature, plant or animal
years, has signified caste, citizenship, servility,that the tribe believed they descended from. It
pride or marital status for many races.could be a turtle, elk, owl, Cray-fish or snake, for
In the Hawaiian Islands tattooing was commoninstance. It might be considered the tribe’s
prior to 1800 and would indicate what tribe orlogo.
district you came from. The material used forIn Burma tattooing has always been a sign of
coloring in native tattooing was vermillion, carbon,manhood. Early explorers of the islands saw
gunpowder and indigo. These were embedded inalmost no man without a tattoo. The leg was a
the skin with sharp knives or hand-made needles.popular spot to have one. It was witnessed that
Members of the Tucanoe tribe were known fortattoo artists would go around with books of
three vertical blue lines tattooed on the body. Thisdesigns which contained every symbol for warding
was an indication they belonged to that tribe.off any kind of evil or for bringing good luck.
In the South China Sea area where Borneo, theNative American tribes were advocates of
Philippines, Sumatra and Java are, tattooing wastattooing. The married women of the Apaches
also common among the natives. In Borneo,and Yumas in Arizona traditionally were
members of the Kyan, Pakatan and Kermowitdistinguished by a tattoo consisting of several blue
tribes were the only tribes where everyone waslines from the lower lip to the chin. It was also
tattooed. Oddly, they were considered the leastknown that when a young female was wishing to
brave tribes in the area. Still their tattoos indicatedbecome a mother, she would tattoo the figure of
they were part of a particular group. Anothera child on her forehead. As well, Mojave women,
Borneo tribe, the Dyaks, tattooed all of theafter marriage would tattoo vertical blue lines on
married women, usually on the hands and feettheir chin.
and possibly the thighs. It was considered aWithin native tribes and in specific geographic
privilege for the married woman and a sign oflocations, the art of tattooing has been a long
dignity.tradition. In the modern world the tattoo is used
In the Polynesian Islands such as Tahiti, a tribemore for personal decoration of the body, and
known as the Otaheites appeared to tattoopersonal meaning than it is for customary 'tribal
themselves for religious significance. Commontype' purposes such as designating a group,
tattoos among them were squares, circles andalthough violent gangs many times have a
crescents, along with men and dog tattoos. In thiscommon tattoo. For most it is popular to merely
tribe every person was tattooed withoutacquire a tattoo that has a personal meaning, and
exception as they reached adulthood. In Fiji onlyfor others it is simply a fancy adornment.
women were tattooed in a tradition dating back