Sunday, January 17, 2010

A Tattoo's Hidden Meaning

Many people don't understand why some people, like me, get tattoos. Many tattoo artists will only tattoo someone if there is some reason for it. I can understand that. Even for me, the woman that did mine asked what it means to me. i got a tribal-like shark tattooed on my right arm right below my shoulder. To me, a shark isn't only my favorite animal, but they stand for strength, perseverance, and adaptability. I do believe that anyone that gets a tattoo should have a meaning for it.




Meanings for tattoos can range from personal beliefs to family. For example, tattoos are an important part of the Hawaiian culture. A lot of Hawaiian tattoo designs seem to have an almost hidden meaning, which is generally much deeper and personal. Women are limited to tattooing the hands, feet, and face because they are seen to show status and importance. Men would get any part of their body tattooed to show his pride in his community and family. Hawaiian tattoos are some of the largest and boldest of any cultures. They are even bolder and larger than even the Maori or Samoan forms. In those cultures, like as it is with the Hawaiians, there is a family crest that men wear somewhere on their body. These tattoos are so important to them that they don't want anyone else wearing them.



A celebrity that is know for his tattoos is Lil Wayne. It seems that every tattoo he has has a meaning behind it. The three tear drops stand for the family members he lost. The "17" means the 17th ward of New Orleans and the apple and eagle on represent the streets he grew up. "Nae Nae" on each forearm stands for his daughter.


Then there are religious Tattoos. A popular religious tattoo is the Celtic cross. It seems to be a symbol of Christianity but it was likely derived from much earlier pagan symbols. In fact, these simple pagan images were probably associated with fertility -- the cross, or more literally a simple "plus sign", standing for the male generative power and the circle for the female. Some people that get this tattoo get it with their husband or wife because of the pagan symbolism. Other religious symbols are found in India and other Buddhist countries. They will often get tattoos of different gods and characters from their religion. Some characters include a tiger that is ferocious and a monkey that shows great intelligence. They get these tattoos because they believe that they protect them from harm.

Many people believe that their tattoos help them stand out and show how they are who they are. Most people will never fully understand what a tattoo can mean to someone. Tattooing is one of the oldest art forms that will be around for as long as the human race survives. The clip below just shows important things about being tattooed and what it means to people.