Stories Behind Tattoing

Evidence of tattoos and body art can be found all throughout history and for deferent reasons for deferent cultures.


The 5,200 year-old iceman found along the Italian-Austrian border has tattoos that were possibly use for therapeutic reasons judging by the locations on the tattoos on his body.


Many tattooing experts believe that tattoos come to the west when Captain James cook's expedition land him in Tahiti in 1769. The islander used the word "tatatau" or "tattau", which is meant to hit or strike.
Those sailors began marking their bodies with significant events from their seafaring days.

US Military tattoo sign

Tattooing has evolved into many things in the last two hundred years since Cook's expedition. Serviceman in the US Military began tattooing themselves with call signs, unit numbers or significant battles they fought in.


In modern Japan, tattoos hold a negative connotation because or their connection to the Yakuza, The Japanese mafia. 

Tattoo as a symbol of membership of Mafia

The Russian mafia also use tattoos as symbol of rank and memberships, and tattoos are used in the Russian prison system as ways to identify crimes committed.


In Niger, tattoos hold a right of passage significance similar to those used in the Samoan culture. The Maori of New Zealand tattoo the face "moko" which are mark of high status and are like finger-prints, no two are alike.

Tattoos as an body art

The Teardrop tattoos started in Mexican gangs in Los Angeles. The mark, a tattoo of tear under eyes, signified that the wearer had murder someone. The Tattoo change meaning over the years and can be mean wearer has lost someone or has been in prison.


Now, people get tattoos for as many reasons as there are people. Sometimes a person wants to honor a loved one, so they get name or birthday or symbol of that person. Other times, the wearer is religious and wants to solidity his or her faith with ink ( although it must be known that Sunni Islam and Judaism ban the practice of tattooing finally something they can agree on!).


Military servicemen and women get tattoos for the aforementioned reasons. Some fans of tattoos get more tattoos just to cover up old ones. And some people get tattoos for fun.




Source: The observer (Brian Wright)