Tribal tattoos described as neo tribal

Tribal tattoos have been been practiced in one form or another for millenia. While the practice may be somewhat different nowadays there are still many who get tribal tattoos for reasons which could be described as neo-tribal in their quest to belong to a ‘tribe’ (either neo-tribal or traditional) even if it is on a subconscious level. Most simply get tribal tattoos because of their striking appearance.

Historically getting tattooed was seen as a rite of passage into adulthood. A belief goes that if a girl can’t take the pain of tattooing, she is un-marriageable, because she will never be able to deal with the pain of child birth. If a boy can’t deal with the pain he is considered to be a bad risk as a warrior, and could become isolated from the tribe.

Some primitive tribes use tattooing as a rite of social status. The Maori peoples of New Zealand use tattooing primarily for this purpose. To the Maori, a person’s Moko designs enhanced their prestige and show transition from one social status to another. At its highest level, Moko designs proclaimed the sacredness of chieftainship.

An offshoot of Maori tattooing for health is tattooing to preserve youth. Maori girls tattooed their lips and chin, for this reason. When an old Ainu lady’s eyesight is failing, she can re-tattoo her mouth and hands, for better vision.

The Hawaiians are prominent among people who have specific tattoo gods. In Hawaii, the images of the tattoo gods are kept in the temples of tattoo priests. Each tattoo session begins with a prayer to the tattoo gods that the operation might not cause death, that the wounds might heal soon, and that the designs might be handsome.

In the 1970’s, American tattooing discovered primitive, tribal tattoos. People wanted simple designs with meaning and they began copying Polynesian tattoos primarily from the islands of the South Pacific. In the past few decades, people of westerners began looking for tribal tattoos of their own origins and created a new form of tattoo commonly known as neo tribal. Many old school American tattooists will tell you…

When getting a Tribal Tattoo

When getting a Tribal Tattoo you should be sure to understand it’s meanings should also be sure of the symbolism.

Even though you might thing a certain design is cool and intriguing looking it might not have the appropriate meaning and history behind it that fit you. You should do research first to be sure of this.

Once it is on your body it could be detrimental to find out that the symbols or full tribal meanings are something that you do not believe in or have a symbolism of something, which is totally not related to you and your beliefs.

After you do your research and you find something that is both visually appealing to you and has some significance to you and your beliefs you should decide on that.

You also have to realize this is a permanent marking and you should want to always be happy with it.There are many places you can find out what the symbols mean just be searching on the Internet.