This Is My Body, My Soul, My Ink Essay - 1328 Words

I sat down in the chair while the artist prepared his instruments. I wasnt afraid. This wasnt my first time, and I knew it wouldnt be the last. In fact, I was getting work done on an existing piece of skin art on my back. The artist was a formally trained commercial artist and a very close friend. We had worked for over a year on this particular piece. I was ready. My body tensed, awaiting the machine on my skin. He asked, Ready? I just nodded my head. Its never what you think it will be. The machine touched my skin. My body immediately felt the blood coursing through my veins; my heart pounded in my temples, and I could feel the color drain out of my face. My body wanted to go limp. After a few minutes though, my body†¦show more content†¦When this happened, the tradition of being tattooed was left to only chiefs and their sons. Today, the Samoans have gone back to their won tradition of allowing everyone to be tattooed. You dont have to be a biker or a convict to be tattooed. People have been marking their bodies since the beginning of time; Tattooing is the oldest art form around (Austin 18). There is evidence that our ancient ancestors were marking their bodies 10,000 years ago and recently a 4,000-year-old, tattooed warrior was discovered in the Austrian alps (18). Tattooing is not new to human culture. Tattooing has been used to differentiate between tribes of people, mark the passing of childhood into adulthood, and commemorate courageous deeds (18). Even our earliest civilization, ancient Egypt, used tattooing. Archaeologists have found tattooed female mummies dating back to 4000 B.C. Other civilizations after the Egyptians used tattoos. The Romans were one such civilization. They tattooed their faces; today, facial tattooing is called mocha. The Romans probably began to tattoo their bodies after encountering a wild tribe of people in the northern islands which were once called Brittania. They called the people they encountered Picts because they had pictures all over their bodies. We now know these ancient people to be the Celts; their design, coupled with their outwardShow MoreRelatedPolynesian Beauty : The Traditions Of The Tattoo Essay933 Words   |  4 Pagestheir bodies that they consider strong in culture, beliefs and are remarkable to the wearer of the design, just to acquire what beauty is. There are different techniques, meanings, and tools of the Hawaiian style of tattooing. Which would consist of the person’s cultural expressions, their beauty, and their identity. In this specific culture, there are rules saying what men and women can and cannot ink onto their bodies. The Hawaiian culture have standards when it comes to a person’s body. The rightRead MoreI Am A Canvas Of My Life2313 Words   |  10 Pagestattoo artist famous around the world, has been quoted to say- â€Å"I am a canvas of my experiences, my story is etched in lines and shading, and you can read it on my arms, my legs, my shoulders, and my stomach.† She exemplifies the feelings behind tattoos and provides a wonderful illustration into the life of someone with and why they got them. Her beliefs support my opinion that tattoos are a gateway to a person s soul, desires, and motivation in life. How could something so beautiful be banned forRead MoreThe Social Impact Of Tattoos For Minors2319 Words   |  10 Pagestattoo artist famous around the world, has been quoted to say- â€Å"I am a canvas of my experiences, my story is etched in lines and shading, and you ca n read it on my arms, my legs, my shoulders, and my stomach.† She exemplifies the feelings behind tattoos and provides a wonderful illustration into the life of someone with and why they got them. 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