Tribal tattoos are usually considered to be very extravagant, although colours are some times used, more often than not they are just black. Their history can be traced back many years in Africa, Pacific Isles and the Maori tribes, these tattoos were not applied usually just for style as they are often used nowadays. In countries such as Samoa and the different tribes in New Zealand they would be used to tell a story, this could be their life story or their heritage, most males in the tribes would have very large tattoo’s spreading all over the body, in the Maori culture a man would gain more respect if he had his body covered, this included the face. The art of tattooing in the Southern Pacific Isles in countries such as Samoa was used to display their status in the tribe, so the higher their status in the community; they would receive a higher prestigious tattoo. The art is still being practiced today and is an unbroken tradition that is passed on to their children and grand children. It is very hard to prove where the art started but the earliest form recorded was by the Polynesians who would also tattoo their status as well as the stories we mentioned before.

Tribal Tattoos can have numerous meanings in different cultures, some have a mystical background which they think will bring them luck or protect them. Some of the tribes in Borneo apply a tattoo over their heart; this is a ritual they think will protect them against harm in battle and life. An example of these tattoos is the ‘aso’, it is meant to bring great fortune and luck to the person who bares the symbol.

As mentioned already, tribal tattoos are usually black in colour, aggressive in style and usually have waving designs with pointing edges, every one is thought to have a meaning, maybe not all of the modern ones carry this stereotype. The Samoan tribal tattoos usually are made up of straight lines and are symmetrical which differs from the other tribal tattoos.

There’s no doubting the popularity of tribal tattoos among average every day people now, they have far extended from their mysterious tribal background. A lot of people now get them because of the reputation of the tribal tattoo design, specifically because of their ‘manly’ background and show a symbol of heritage and power which is so often associated with the words tribal tattoo, but in an aesthetically paranoid world we live in today, most are designed purely with looks in mind.

People get them for the stigma and manly attributes etc

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Tattoo Designs

A tattoo is a symbol, words or both applied to a person’s skin by inserting pigment into the skin for decoration or traditional reasons. The art of tattooing is a very skilled job and the act of having a tattoo has exploded in popularity as the world and cultures become more open minded and accepting towards body art. There used to be a bad stigma associated with people who had a tattoo for decorative reasons, but now it’s not the case, you can go to your local tattoo parlour and choose from hundreds or even thousands of different designs.

It’s becoming more and more popular now not only with men, but with women also due to the large scope of designs available. They can be applied to any part pf the body, with arms, necks, back, front and legs being the most popular. There’s a whole host of different designs a person can choose from, one being tribal tattoos, usually black, curved edges with a particular meaning and heritage to a culture somewhere in the world, although some are designed in a tribal manner purely for aesthetic reasons.

Another popular design is Chinese/Mandarin words, letters and symbols, these are usually very decorative and pleasing on the eye, and their popularity seems to stem from their exotic appearance and they actually have a meaning, a lot of people enjoy having their name tattooed in a different language or symbol.

Religious tattoos may not be as popular as decorative tattoos but some are aesthetically pleasing, the Christian cross is very popular, along with Hindu designs which are very decorative, but it’s important to remember that these designs have a deep religious and protective use so people can be quite sensitive over them.

The military also has a proud history of showing their allegiance via a tattoo, forces like the Royal Navy and specialist squads have tattoos to represent what they are a member of and/or what they are fighting for, and these are not usually had for their artistic and visual attributes.

Custom tattoos are probably the most popular; these don’t really have any meaning or importance. They are usually designed by the person who is requesting the tattoo or by a tattoo artist, people often have something which is close to them or a special design they have seen elsewhere and liked. They come in all different size, shape and styles. You can look for inspiration in many different places, the internet has a wealth of free galleries and ideas, even ask the designer at your local tattoo parlour.

As a final word, remember to choose your design carefully, if it’s something close to your heart or associated to your heritage it can feel really satisfying to have a constant reminder of what you love or where you come from. Also choose they size carefully, if you get something to big, it may not suit you and could end up looking ghastly. The choice is that important it could affect your body for the rest of your live so think about it long and hard, when you’re happy with your choice, the end product can be spectacular.

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