Nothing catches the eye and brings on awe better than a really good tattoo on a well-toned body. It instantly becomes a fashion statement with the deepest impact. Literally too. But those of us who think of tattoos, as merely a striking fashion statement would need an awakening to what tattoos are really all about. Tattoos aren’t just a fascinating form of art. They delve deeper into the traditions and culture of civilizations that came into existence centuries ago. Tattoos, beyond enhancing beauty, symbolized different aspects of the person it was created on. Tattoos were used for various purposes, as a mark of identification of a particular tribe, to signify the rank or grade of the individual in a tribe, to bestow praise for accomplishment or achievement, and in hope to attain special powers.
Among the oldest in the art, tattoos have been a significant part of the Native American culture for centuries now. There were a variety of reasons why the Native Americans would get tattooed. Many men from the winning tribes of a war would often receive a tattoo signifying their conquest and victory. Many Native American tribes were known by their tattoos. There were different markings that distinguished tribes and the regions they were from. Some Native Americans, especially those from the northwestern parts of America, used tattoos to distinguish and recognize a women’s village. Alaskan tribes used tattoos to mark the killing of an enemy. Many Native American tattoos held mystical or spiritual meaning. Native Americans believed that tattoos gave power to those who wore them on their bodies and/or faces. These tattoos were believed to endow a person with supernatural powers or strength. Native Americans took the tattoo of an animal, object, mythical beings and even gods whose strength and power they wanted to emulate. The Lakota Indians required that both men and women get tattoos to allow them to enter the afterlife, or they believed the spirits of their ancestors would not allow them to enter the afterlife.
Many ancient tribes used tattoos to mark themselves as a sign of identification and also as a sign of loyalty to a particular tribe. The Maori tribe from New Zealand still use tattoos to mark members of the tribe, and some tribes in Africa too use tribal back tattoos to mark tribesmen. Tattoos have long been a mark of individualistic expression and a symbol of ones faith and belief system. Using the body as a moving canvas, many people are getting tattoos to showcase their views and preferences. The word tattoo comes form the Samoa word 'tatau', Polynesian tribal tattoos are deemed to be as old as the art of tattooing itself. Hawaii has similar culture as the other pacific islands and Hawaiian tribal tattoos are also in great demand nowadays.
