Tattos – Self Expression, Rite of Passage and Tribute

For many people around the world tattooing is a form of self expression, a rite of passage, a tribute, or a mark of belonging or identification.

Tattoos are believed to date back to the Egyptian times. Tattoos depicting animals and mythical creatures were found on the mummified bodies of ancient Egyptian people. India also used tattoos as methods of healing and religious worship. They were also marks of a status in a society. Tattoos in Philippines were marks of the rank and accomplishments and people there believed that they have magical properties.

Steve Haworth, a body modification specialist mentions; when Christianity began to gain popularity, tattooing was increasingly associated with criminals as well as the pagan religion and were prohibited in Europe by Constantine, the first Christian Roman emperor. By the late eighteenth century, tattoos were no longer prohibited and started to become popular with British sailors and seamen, and then gained even more popularity when King George V got tattooed. King George’s tattoo led to a plethora of tattoos among royalty in the nineteenth century. Tattoos have long been used not only as a form of expression but as a form of identification. Nazis tattooed numbers on the arms of Jews during the Holocaust, and the Romans tattooed their slaves and criminals.

Now, you may be wondering. Why would people nowadays purposely put themselves in pain for permanent ink in their skin? Well there’s more than just one answer. Everyone is different and gets tattoos for different reasons. Maybe they’re celebrating their fandoms; from their favorite movies, books and video games. To show dedication to their favorite sport and sport teams. Some consider tattoos to be beautiful, like artwork. These people choose designs based off of what they think is going to look best against their skin, the same way other people choose their makeup and clothing in the morning. Others choose tattoos that have meaning, like a quote or a date. They receive a sense of hope or remembrance. What’s a better way to remember something than to have it on ur body? Religion and culture rituals or traditions are also common reasons people receive tattoos.

Tattoos are no longer your typical long-haired “”bad boys”” whose preferred method of transportation is a motorcycle. The young, the old, men and women alike are all wearing tattoos. Even though tattoos have dramatically increased in popularity, those with tattoos still feel stigmatized by the untattooed population.

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