Preview

Essay On Native American Tattoos

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
662 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Essay On Native American Tattoos
personalities. Some of these tattoos consisted of dotted lines, animals, and intricate shapes. (“Native American Tattoos”).
Tattoos were also used as right of passages. In some cultures, getting a tattoo marked the transition from adolescents to adulthood. Some nomadic clans would believe that if a young boy could not handle the pain of getting a tattoo, then he would not be useful in battle. They also would not be considered strong enough to protect family members. Similarly, if a young girl could not handle the pain of getting a tattoo, she would not be able to handle the pain of childbirth. Without being able to handle the pain of childbirth, a girl would not be considered a worthy candidate for marriage. Clan members that did not receive tattoos as young children were outcasts ("Spirituality & Health Magazine", 2011).
…show more content…
Tattoos that had ink composed of rare flowers were considered to have “magical powers”. These tattoos would draw a connection with the gods to help bring a person together with their soul mate. Tattoos in the Middle East that consisted of a person’s astrological symbol and a god of prosperity’s name was said to bring good fortune. Farmers usually had these kinds of tattoos so they could have good luck with the year’s harvest ("Medindia").
Tattoos were also used as funeral art. Some cultures believed that a person’s soul could not pass on to the afterlife peacefully if the body of that person was disturbed. To prevent a body from being disturbed, tattoos would be placed on the arms and legs of the body so evil entities would not be able to attack the soul. Some of these tattoos consisted of animals and gods that were said to protect the dead. The deceased and their family members would also get at least one matching tattoo. They would do this so they could still have a connection with each other ("Spirituality & Health Magazine",

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Tattoo Informative Essay

    • 276 Words
    • 2 Pages

    I chose the topic on tattoos because I’m really fascinated with them and have been planning on getting a few myself. I thought this would be a great opportunity to look into the history of tattooing and where exactly it originated from. There are many things that come to mind when I think about the topic. I could talk about the tattooing process, the different styles, the tattooing equipment, the methods used in different cultures/countries, the aftercare, the tattoo ink and what it can consist of, how tattoos are religiously viewed, and the purpose/what they mean. I’ll have to decide how I’m going to break this information into subtopics.…

    • 276 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    One of the common cultural practices of the Polynesians was that of tattooing. Tattoo is the way the Polynesians delivered information of its owner or the person with the tattoo. It’s also a traditional method to draw spiritual power, protection and strength of the person wearing it. The Polynesians use tattoos as a sign of a person’s character, their position and their level in a hierarchy. The Polynesians also believe that a person’s spiritual power is displayed through their tattoo. Most every Polynesian man was tattooed in ancient times (Introduction of Polynesian Tattoo History).…

    • 235 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Tattoos can be a way of identifying a tribe, or can represent someone’s status, and can serve as protection for superstitious cultures. Tattoos have different meaning for different people, for example, Otzi, his tattoos could have been meant as therapeutic rather than symbolic.…

    • 73 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Men without any tattoo were despised, whereas those whose bodies were completely tattooed – the to’oata – were greatly admired. Therefore chiefs and warriors generally had the most elaborate tattoos. Girls right hand was tattooed by the age of twelve. Only after that were they allowed to prepare the meals and to participate in the rubbing of dead bodies with coconut…

    • 486 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Imagine a time where a tattoo artists position was considered highly honorable. The idea of a current priest administering a tattoo for religious purposes would no doubt be quite a controversial topic. This was the case however within these societies. Priests were extensively trained with strict practices in order to administer and hold religious rituals. These rituals would be considered celebrations while friends and relatives participated in prayers while six to eight young men were tattooed. Given these ceremonies, it was evident how significant these practices remained within these cultures. (Porcella) These markings were used as a form of visual communication. Some tattoos would indicate an individual’s place in society, while others were indicators or “rites of passage” demonstrating the transition from adolescence to…

    • 1247 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    These tattoos were a whole different language in itself. Each member of the tribe had the same tattoo in the same location that was specific to their individual tribe, it was almost like a stamp you get when you go into a club, so you can get back in later if you happen to leave. Usually the stamp would be at the back of your hand with the club logo on it. It takes a couple days to fully wear off, and when you pick up your coffee mug people usually notice it. They then tie that symbol/logo to the specific club and know that you had been there recently, without you even uttering a word. It is the same concept, except tattoos last a lot longer, a lifetime. These tattoos not only communicated what tribe these Native Americans were a part of, it also told what rank that individuals held within the tribe. This was also true for soldiers, who returned home and, if they had won, would get a tattoo that signified their victory. The Native Americans were very spiritual people, who would get tattoos of the animals they wanted strength from, in hope to be stronger during battles. Many times you would see men walking down the dirt path with a tattoo of an oxe on his arm and you would fear him, for in this culture, it meant that he could draw strength from that animal. In the Native American culture, tattoos were a way to communicate who they were. These tattoos communicated the tribe they were from,…

    • 1453 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Annotated Bibliography

    • 3893 Words
    • 16 Pages

    The art of tattooing originated more than 5000 years ago. Since then, tattooing has touched nearly every part of the world. Many tribes and most cultures from all over the world use tattooing as a means of displaying their individualism and connect themselves to their ancestors and or groups. Tattoos have had a colourful history. The Japanese used to mark criminals by tattooing their foreheads. The Nazi’s used tattoos to dehumanize the Jews and take away their identity and replace it with a number. Many criminal gangs use tattoos to show their loyalty to their group and to intimidate others. These are just a few of the reasons I believe that tattoos have a stigma. On the other hand, many tribe still use tattoos as a right of passage into adulthood. While others get them to celebrate life and remember the lives of others.…

    • 3893 Words
    • 16 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Tattoos for the longest time have been considered taboo, and for the most part the only people you would see with them would be bikers, gang members and generally thought of as outcasts of the general public. That is changing, and changing fast. Tattoos are becoming more mainstream, and accepted. The reasoning for getting a tattoo varies from person to person, and is something that has been going on since the prehistoric times. The meaning behind a tattoo also varies from tattoo to tattoo and with the person. A person can get a tattoo to represent a change in life, or to show love or respect for another person. A tattoo can also represent different qualities of a person as well. There are a lot of different types of tattoos from abstract, natural, dedication, simple and complex.…

    • 944 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    tattoo paper research

    • 868 Words
    • 4 Pages

    A tattoo can commemorate a death of a family member, friend, or even a pet. Many times while doing memorial tattoos, artists will see the tears of the living flow under the buzz of the needle. The tattoo gives closure and security in knowing the memorial is permanently a part of the grieving person's body.…

    • 868 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Tattooed Need Not Apply

    • 1638 Words
    • 7 Pages

    “Deborah Connor, a clerk at the Hub Folding Box Co., sued her employer for gender discrimination and retaliation. Although a male employee was not required to cover his Navy tattoo, Connor was told to cover a heart-shaped tattoo on her forearm or be terminated. The company was concerned that customers who saw Connor 's tattoo would have a negative reaction because a tattoo on a woman ‘symbolized that she was either a prostitute, on drugs, or from a broken home’” (Pechman, 2005). Unfortunately, this kind of work place discrimination is happening all over North America. Many employers are holding on to the old stereotype of people with tattoos, judging them as criminals, pirates, bikers, circus sideshow freaks and generally degenerate beings (Ponte & Gillian, 2007). Although many of the noted stereotypes are drawn to tattoos, there is another side; “Tattoos arise from a rich cultural history dating back 5,000 years” (Franklin-Barbajosa, 2004). Furthermore, Franklin-Barbajosa (2004) claims ancient tribes may have used tattoos for healing, Britons would wear them like badges of honour during war, warriors during the crusades would have the Jerusalem cross tattooed on them so that if they died in battle they could be given a Christian burial, and during the mid 1900s tattoos were mainly for fringe cultures, sailors, and World War II veterans.…

    • 1638 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Better Essays

    Outline on Tattoos

    • 743 Words
    • 3 Pages

    2. Others believed that the tattooing was a therapeutic role and functioned as a permanent form of amulet during the very difficult time of pregnancy and birth because of where the markings were on the womens’ bodies.…

    • 743 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    The use of art has been used as a form of expression in the Native American way of life for hundreds, even thousands of years. Most art was created as a symbol, such as a bear, walrus, eagle, or people. The materials to make this artwork varied from rocks, feathers, cloth, clay, and fabric.Native American art has many regions and all of them are different with with how their art is made and presented. One of the regions in the Native American is the Native American arts have become collected and marketed by Americans and Europeans. some groups produced articles symbolizing status positions or items of religious significance. The Cherokee and iroquois which is the material culture part of the woodland groups their art included decorated pottery and baskets also quillwork and beadwork, birchbark utensils,…

    • 478 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    A- The importance of the symbolic language as constituent element and expression form of tattoo.…

    • 1597 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    It seems that no matter where one goes today, it is impossible to escape the reality that body art, in the form of tattooing, has become an integral part of our culture and society. Although tattoos once had a reputation as part of the “undesirable” class in American society, as they were typically associated with the biker and criminal milieu, tattoos have experienced a resurgence in popularity over the past decade. As numerous celebrities have begun to utilize tattoos as a means of expressing their personal style, so too have many Americans followed suit. The image of the young rebel male looking to rebuke society by having his flesh permanently adorned with art has faded and given way to a new culture of 20, 30 and 40 somethings, and beyond, of all walks of life choosing to express themselves through the art of tattoo.…

    • 472 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    The history of tattooing stems back thousands of years from all over the world for all different reasons. “In terms of tattoos on actual bodies, the earliest known examples were for a long time Egyptian and were present on several female mummies dated to c. 2000 B.C. But following the more recent discovery of the Iceman from the area of the Italian-Austrian border in 1991 and his tattoo patterns, this date has been pushed back a further thousand years when he was carbon-dated at around 5,200 years old. The distribution of the tattooed dots and small crosses on his lower spine and right knee and ankle joints correspond to areas of strain-induced degeneration, with the suggestion that they may have been applied to alleviate joint pain and were therefore essentially therapeutic. This would also explain their somewhat 'random' distribution in areas of the body which would not have been that easy to display had they been applied as a form of status marker.” (Cate Lineberry, Tattoos -The Ancient and Mysterious History, Para 2 and 3)…

    • 1615 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays