TATTOO CULTURE DÖVME KÜLTÜRÜ

Tattoo Culture examines the rituals and social significance of tattooing in cultures around the world. The record of human history shows that tattoos have served in many various and diverse cultures as rites of passage, marks of status and rank, symbols of religious and spiritual devotion, decorations for bravery, sexual lures and marks of fertility, pledges of love, punishment, amulets and talisman, protection and as the marks of outcasts and convicts.

 Dövme kültürü tüm dünyada yaygın pek çok ritualleri ve sosyal işaretleri içinde barındırmaktadır. İnsalık tarihinin kayıtları dövmenin pek çok kültürde izlerini taşımaktadır ve bu izler çeşitli sosyal rütbelere ve itibar düzeylerine işaret etmektedir. Aynı zamanda dövme ruhsal bağlılığı, cesaretin bir göstergesini, cinsel cazibe işaretlerini, sevgiyi, aşkı, cezalandırma duygusunu ve daha pek çok duyguyu içermektedir.

It’s here that we begin to understand why more than forty five million North Americans -- and countless millions more worldwide-- have submitted to this type of self mutilation. We’ll see that the proudly tattooed consider body ink not only beautiful but strangely (and often suddenly) necessary. They may not know that early American Indians believed war paint protected them in battle. Or that 19th century merchant sailors wore tattoos as a talisman against the ever-present possibility of drowning at sea. Or that many Burmese believe, even today, that a tattoo over the heart can stop bullets. But when an otherwise rational individual sets down hard-earned cash on the counter and tells Lockhart to fire up the tattoo machine, something primal is calling the shots.

İşte bu yüzden artık neden kırk beş milyon Kuzey Amerikalı'nın ve bunun yanında milyonlarca başka dünyaya yayılı insanın kendilerine bu zevki neden bahşettiklerini anlayabiliyoruz. Tattoolarını gururla taşıyan insanların sadece güzellik yanında artık tattoo yaptırmanın bir ihtiyaç haline geldiğini görebiliyoruz. Amerikan yerlileri resimlerin ve bu sanatın kendilerini savaşta koruduklarına yürekten inanmışlardı. Aynı şekilde 19. yy denizcileri bu sanatı bedenlerinde uygulamışlardı. Burmeler eğer kalplerin üzerinde bir dövme taşırlarsa oraya kurşun işlemeyeceğini düşünüyolardı. Sonunda tüm bunlar tatoo makinelerin ortaya çıkışına zemin hazırladılar. 

Taylandlı Tattoo Sanatçıları ve Dünyadaki Takipçileri
Sizce tattoo bir kurşunu durdurabilir mi? Pekçok insan böyle düşünmüşlerdi.

Yüzyıllar boyunca taylandlı askerler bedenlerini Sak Yant adını verdikleri bir dövme ile kaplamışlardı. Bugün bu atalardan kalma eski gelenek hızla yayılıyor ve bu Tayland'ın dışına taştı. Dünyanın en usta dövme artistleri güçlü dizaynlar ve tattoo mürekkepleriyle insanların üzerine uygulamaktalar. Wat Bang Phra Buddist tapınağı Bangkok'un 30 mil batısındadır ve buranın Sak Yant  için bir merkez olduğu tahmin ediliyor. Düzinelerce keşiş ve tatto sanatçısı sanatlarını burada mükemmelleştirmekteler.

Irezumi

For centuries, Thai soldiers have covered their bodies in protective tattoos called Sak Yant. Today, the ancient ritual is booming and thousands of people — in Thailand and beyond — are flocking to master artists to have the powerful designs inked on their bodies. The Wat Bang Phra Buddhist temple, about 30 miles west of Bangkok, is one of the most highly esteemed locations for Sak Yant. Dozens of monks and master artists, who have spend years perfecting the art, can be found there.

Bu çok acılı bir kaçamak olacak: Çin resturanTının üstteki 2. katında sessiz alışveriş merkezi Yokohamadaki Horisoshi III stüdyosunda birşeyler olacaktı.
Sanatını insanların derilerin altını kazıyarak konuşturan bir artist mürekkebini dernin altına zerketmektedir,  Efsanevi Horisoshi III'ün irezumi ustası ve dünyanın çeşitli yerlerinden gelen pek çok insan bu renkli tattooları edinmek için 6 ay önceden randevu yaptırmışlardı. Pingmag bu kişinin stüdyosuna girdi ve bu atalardan kalma sanatbiçimini daha yakından tanımak istiyordu.
 
This is going to be a painful excursion: On the second floor above a Chinese restaurant in a quiet shopping street in Yokohama is Horiyoshi III’s studio. An artist that paints by carving into people’s skin and inserting ink - the legendary Horiyoshi III is a traditional irezumi master and folks from all over the world make an appointment half a year in advance to get one of his colourful tattoos. PingMag stepped into his studio to get to know more about this ancient Japanese artform.

İlkönce irezumi ve tattoo terimlerini ayrıştıralımç Japonyada ikiside farklı anlamlara gelirler. İrezumi elbisenin altına saklanan bir şey demektir. Horiyoshi III "Japonyada pekçok insan hava atmak için tattoo yaptırıyor" diyor Aslında bu çok farklı.

First, let’s distinguish between the terms irezumi and tattoo: In Japan, they certainly have different meanings. “An irezumi is something that is normally hidden beneath clothing,” Horiyoshi III says. “Many young people in Japan today are getting tattoos to show them off. That is very different.”

Tattoo japan History Tattoo Japon Tarihi

Japonlara ait irezumi'nin tarihi, kelime anlamı olarak içine müğrekkep koymak demektir. İsadan önce 300 - ve isadan sonra 250 yılları Yayoi dönemine kadar köklerini uzatmaktadır. Bu işaretler itibar ve rütbe sembolü idiydiler. Kofun döneminde 250-538 yıllarından sonra suçlular dövme işaretleriyle cezalandırılmışlardı.
The history of Japanese irezumi, literally “putting in ink,” stretches back at least to the Yayoi Period from 300 B.C. to 250 A.D. The marks were status symbols, but from the Kofun Period (250 to 538 A.D.), criminals were punished with compulsory inky markings. Still, it developed simulteously as an art form. Much later, in the Meiji Era (1868-1912), irezumi was regarded as “barbaric” and not befitting of a country that was trying to open itself to the world. It was banned and irezumi artists became criminals overnight, constantly moving from place to place to avoid being caught.

However, in the port town of Yokohama there was a large community of foreign merchants and sailors largely beyond the reach of Japanese law. Many irezumi artists moved to this area and practised their trade on the skin of foreign sailors, spreading the art of Japanese irezumi around the world. After World War II, irezumi became legal again, though it was and still is often associated with the yakuza. Many artists didn’t openly advertise and would get customers only through introductions, a custom which continues today.

But back to Horiyoshi III. Despite the name, he’s not the son of Horiyoshi II. Born as ‘Yoshihito’, in 1971, he became the live-in apprentice of the second Horiyoshi, watching his master’s work, helping him, and practising his technique on his own legs. In 1979, he was recognised as a master himself and received the “III” and also the honorific prefix that is often used by irezumi masters, “hori,” which literally means “carve” or “engrave.” Today, he is 61 years old and still practising.

 Tattoo Technique

Tebori means literally “hand carving” and is the most painful technique. It is done with a tool that resembles a calligraphy brush, except that it is tipped with extremely sharp needles. This tip is dipped into ink, and then the needles puncture the flesh, leaving colour under the surface of the skin. It takes an expert hand, as there is no way to correct mistakes, and a slip could injure someone.
“It hurts!” says Vancouver-based tattoo artist Thomas Lockhart. In the 1970s, he sought out some of the most famous tattoo artists in America and had them decorate his skin. Then, he became interested in the traditional art of Japanese irezumi, especially the tebori technique. In 1980 he went to Japan to receive elaborate work by Horiyoshi III. Today, Lockhart is one of the most popular tattoo artists in North America, known for his Japanese-style tattoos. For him, Horiyoshi III is “a legend known around the world.” Although the two did not have much in the way of a common language, they became friends. By means of thanks, Lockhart gave Horiyoshi III his first tattoo machi

The hand tapping technique and using a machine are completely different,” Horiyoshi explains. “It’s like with baseball practice, where you can have a batting machine or a real human pitcher. They both throw a ball, but otherwise everything is different.” The master finds himself using machines more often: “It’s simply faster. But I still do a lot of hand tapping.” Thomas Lockhart explains the difference: “I remember when Horiyoshi was doing the grey water on my koi [carp]; he never watered it down or used white, he just very lightly tattooed the black in. Something that’s just about impossible with an electric machine.

“The client and I decide on the designs as the work progresses. I add my suggestions to the client’s request, and we build the work together,” Horiyoshi explains. “Very few people with an irezumi body suit know they want that from the beginning. One reason: They don’t know how much it’s going to hurt. Many get a back piece done, and then decide to go for full-body work.”

Also in Yokohama is a Tattoo Museum run by Horiyoshi. Near the entrance you can spot a photo of the irezumi master with Anthony Kiedis, vocalist for the Red Hot Chili Peppers. So, does Horiyoshi have many foreign clients? “Oh, yes, lots,” he answers. “If it’s someone living overseas, they make a reservation about half a year in advance.” Of course, he wouldn’t name the celebs he has decorated, but there have been many.

Finally, just how much does it hurt? “That’s impossible to explain in words,” Horiyoshi says with a gentle voice, smiling. “You just have to experience it yourself to understand…”

 Tattoos Hinder Job Search, Says Vault Survey
Vault Releases Survey on Tattoo and Body Piercings in the Workplace
In the job search? You might want to think twice before adorning yourself with permanent body art. According to career publisher Vault.com’s (www.vault.com) new Tattoo and Body Piercing Survey, 85% of survey respondents believe that tattoos and body piercings impede ones chances of finding a job.

Said one survey respondent: “Regardless of who the real person may be, stereotypes associated with piercings and tattoos can and do affect others. In general, individuals with tattoos and body piercings are often viewed as ‘rougher’ or ‘less educated.’”

Despite such prejudice, only 16% of employers have an official company policy on tattoos and piercings. Vault found that over half of employees with tattoos and/or body piercings opt to cover up when they are at work.

Forty-two percent of those surveyed admitted to having either a tattoo and/or body piercing (besides “pierced ears”). Of that group, 40% had one or more tattoos and only 20% had one or more piercings.

Consistent with Vault’s first Tattoo and Body Piercing Survey conducted in 2001, the most popular place to get a tattoo is the arm at 25%.

Vault’s 2007 Tattoo and Body Piercing Survey, conducted earlier this month, is comprised of 468 responses from employees representing a variety of industries across the.

 The Word Made Flesh
Multnomah Bible College reverses its ban on tattoos. Christians rejoice.

Matt Farlow's body belongs to God. The Multnomah Biblical Seminary grad student claims that all of his tattoos "glorify Christ," except for his first piece of ink: a small, now-faded lightning bolt. Since Farlow, now 33 and married with two kids, became "full-on Jesus-centered" in his 20s, he's marked his body with only religious imagery. And now that Multnomah Bible College (and its grad school, the Seminary) finally allows students to show off their body art, Farlow can display a full-sleeve tattoo of vibrant symbols depicting the Holy Trinity and the Greek name of God.

 Symbols of love and hate: messages behind Allgier's tattoos

 

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (ABC 4 News)- Curtis Allgier wears the symbols of white supremacy on his face but he told a prison Board of Pardons that he did not belong to the Aryan Empire Warriors or any other prison gang despite what the tattoos say on his body.

"I am an Aryan, I'm of Aryan descent, that's not a gang, that's a culture," said Curtis Allgier during his last meeting with the Utah Board of Pardons on April 6, 2006.

Allgier got busted for getting tattoos on his face last year and had to spend time in the Utah State Prison isolation area after a conviction on conspiracy charges. Getting a tattoo is against the rules in prison, but the inmates do it for protection and intimidation. The tattoo on the top of Allgier's forehead says "Property of Jolene," an apparent romantic reference to his wife Jolene Allgier. But the other tattoos he wears reflect an ideology of hatred espoused by white supremacy groups.

  Bilderbuch-Frauen
Pricked Reality Picturebook Women
Images pricked on human skin are rather associated with self destruction or with manliness, toughness; full-body tattoos on women generally contradict the cliché of femininity in our society. The photographer Boris Schmalenberger explored this cliché and is now presenting his new series entitled “Bilderbuch-Frauen” (picture-book women).

After Internet research, Schmalenberger visited several tattooed women in different cities throughout Germany and photographed them in large-format.

Boris Schmalenberger is showing us tattooed women as human beings who differ from others because they express their individuality explicitly through their bodies; a concept which derives from a desire that fashion has long been failing to satisfy. In contrast to his earlier works, the photographer this time surprises by his choice of a documentary-like style to concern himself once more with one of the key themes of his oeuvre: human physicality. Nevertheless, these images prove to be aesthetic constructions that surpass merely copying reality by their poetically structured compositions: Thus, the title “Bilderbuch-Frauen” (picture-book women) is explicitly to be understood literary.

Hate On Display:
A Visual Database of Extremist Symbols, Logos and Tattoos
Prison Tattoos
Although many people entering the prison population are affiliated with the hate movement before their incarceration, prisoners from different ethnic backgrounds often join racist gangs once inside the penal system. They join these groups not only because they adhere to the gang's racist ideology, but also for protection and as a way to participate in criminal activity within the prison. These inmates' tattoos offer important information about gang affiliation, personal history and criminal activity.

Taboo of tattoos in the workplace
At Devotion Tattoo in Orlando, a police officer recently came in with his short-sleeved uniform top to make sure the tattoo he received would not extend below his clothing, reported store manager Chava Goldman. The shop on Mills Avenue tattoos a lot of professionals, she said, who work with the shop's artists to make sure their body art can be hidden on the job.

Karman & Malinda's Top 11 Lesbian Fashion Accessories
Before tattoos became so popular that even sorority sisters were getting them, queer girls defiantly displayed their tats as inky indicators that they were traveling into forbidden “man” territory. Tattoos of anything — from astrological signs and Goth-like florals to the tried-and-true anchor — were far more likely to be found on a lesbian than the rest of the female population.

A Portrait of "Generation Next"
How Young People View Their Lives, Futures and Politics

Their parents may not always be pleased by what they see on those visits home: About half of Gen Nexters say they have either gotten a tattoo, dyed their hair an untraditional color, or had a body piercing in a place other than their ear lobe. The most popular are tattoos, which decorate the bodies of more than a third of these young adults.

Thirty-six percent of those ages 18 to 25, and 40 percent of those ages 26 to 40, have at least one tattoo, according to a fall 2006 survey by the Pew Research Center.

WHO'S TATOOED?

Laumann and co-researcher Dr. Amy Derick, of the University of Chicago, found that year of birth was a predictive factor for tattoos: 36 percent of people aged 18 to 29; 24 percent of those aged 30 to 40; and only 15 percent of those aged 40 to 50 had tattoos. Sixteen percent had obtained their first tattoo before age18.

People of lower educational status were more likely to have a tattoo and also more likely to have more than one tattoo than those of higher educational status.

Drinking alcohol and using recreational drugs were related to having tattoos. Over a third of ex-drinkers and a fourth of current drinkers had tattoos, as did almost 40 percent of those who have ever used recreational drugs and 60 percent of those who have been in jail for more than three days.

Tattoos were seen in all ethnic groups but were more common among those with Hispanic ancestry than among all other ethnic groups combined.

MORE SKIN, LESS INK
A short history of tattoos.

12th Century B.C.: Polynesian cave dwellers carve symbols into their flesh to ward off demons.

18th Century A.D.: Captain Cook's crew get hip to mutilation on their South Pacific voyages.

Late 1960s: Janis Joplin lances the tribal barrier and gets branded in the name of rock.

1974: Cher splits from Sonny and celebrates with a big butt-erfly.

2004: Laser technology allows Cher to Turn Back Time.

Update: Two years later, Cher is still trying to turn back time at the laser studio, discovering that it takes a lot longer and can be more painful to remove tattoos than to get them. She is not alone.

Now that tattooing has crossed over from the mark of Cain to a full-blown hipster fad, with an estimated one-quarter of young North American adults thus branded, the race is on to remove, revise and rebrand. Isn't that the perfect definition of pop culture? Permanence is now officially passe and commitment only skin deep.

TATTOOING BURSTS THROUGH THE COLOR BARRIER

When Monique Dillard dredged up the courage to get her first tattoo 14 years ago, she had two fears: that it would be intensely painful and that the colored ink would look dull on her light brown skin. Neither happened, and Dillard became addicted to getting tattooed. “It’s a rush,” she said. “Like sex.”

As her skin art collection grew, Dillard got strange looks from fellow black students at college. Word came back to her that a few of them thought she was "trying to be white."

"I was one of the few black people, let alone black women, who had tattoos," said Dillard, 34, a cosmetologist who lives in Washington. She now has 11 boldly colored images permanently etched onto her chest, back, stomach and arms. Most of them are tributes: five panthers, in memory of dead relatives, and the numbers 1 and 4 surrounded by flames on her inner left forearm, a reminder of the street where she grew up. "I notice now a lot more African-American people are getting tattoos, especially females,” she said.

SYMBOLS ON SKIN CONNECT HEARTS TO HISTORY ALASKA
Natives embrace old tattoo designs in a nod to tradition

BARROW -- In a modern twist to an age-old practice, a few residents in this Inupiat town are sporting tattoos on chins and chests to honor ancestors and whale hunting.

One whaler wants to create a one-dimensional whale-tail necklace commemorating kills. Two women have chin markings that symbolize family and ancient traditions.

It's perhaps the latest development in an ongoing effort by Alaska Natives -- at least two Aleuts also have facial tattoos -- to revive language, dancing and art.

TATTOO AMONG THE NATIVES OF NEW ZEALAND
Tattoos and the art of tattooing in prehistoric societies
The tattoo, or moko, (its native name,) is done either with the sharp bone of a bird, or with a small chisel, called uhi. The candidate for this distinction reposes his head upon the knees of the operator, who drives the chisel into the skin with his hand. Each time, the chisel is dipped into a pigment called marahee, which is prepared by carbonizing the resin of the kauri-pine, and after each incision the blood is wiped off. The persons operated upon never allow the slightest expression of pain to escape them; and, after the inflammation has passed away, the regular and clear scars appear dark. The tattooing of the lips is the most painful part of the operation. 

POLYNESIA  SAMOA TATTOOS
Originally, tattooing of women in Samoa was done only on women of rank. Because of this distinction, tattooing became very popular among the youths of Samoa who considered tattoos to be a mark of their manhood.

The legends of Samoa describe how two sisters, Tilafaiga and Taema were sent from Manu'a to Fiji to visit the daughter of King Tuimanu'a. While there, they were presented with a gift from the royal family of King Tuifiti which was a tattooing instrument. While swimming home they carefully held onto their precious gift while singing a chant that the Fijians had taught them translating it into Samoan. In English, the chant would say "women are tattooed and men are not.

TATTOOS, CANNIBALS and FREE LOVE
Samoa stamp request reveals island past of Margaret Mead, sexual freedom, tattoos, and a mellow lifestyle.
What is Samoa's claim to fame? We'll tell you. Easy living, tattoos and Margaret Mead.

Annexed by the United States in 1900, Samoa already had a lengthy history of tattoos and sexual practices that disturbed uptight Westerners. However, it took a little while for such things to get noticed. In 1722, the Dutch made a stop there, but decided that these tattoos, which descend from the waist to the ankles, were actually "artfully woven silk tights or knee breeches." Some French in 1768 thought it was paint. It took until 1787 for the expedition of Jan Francoise de la Perouse to discover that they were actually inkings. Unfortunately, La Perouse later decided to hoist an alleged Samoan thief up the mast of his ship by the man's thumbs. This led to what is called the "La Perouse Incident", wherein several of both parties were killed in a fracas. La Perouse later wrote, "I willingly abandoned to others the task of writing the uninteresting history of these barbarous people; a stay of twenty-four hours and the relation of our misfortunes has sufficed to show their atrocious manners.

TATTOOING IN POLYNESIA
This reference guide is for the students of BYU-H, as well as community members, in locating important historic, instructional, visual, and pictorial information on Pacific Island Tattooing.

SKIN DEEP
The history and meaning of body art is hardly superficial
Mothers and anthropologists agree: Tattoos are forever.

While they may appear to be a contemporary rage – it's estimated 1 in 10 Americans has or has had at least one tattoo, almost 5 in 10 among Americans aged 18 to 29 – humans have in fact been adorning themselves with tattoos, piercing, paint, scars and other forms of permanent and semi-permanent ornamentation for tens of thousands of years. It's likely the late-Paleolithic cultures of 30,000 years ago did more than just paint cave walls.

TATTOOS, PIERCINGS SLIP INTO DRESS CODES

NEW YORK -- Colleen Harris doesn't fit the stereotype of the buttoned-up librarian. Her arms are covered with a pirate queen motif and black scrolling tattoos, which extend down the side of her body to her ankle. A black rose and the words "Dangerous Magic" adorn the back of her left hand, and the words "Anam Cara" (old Gaelic for "soul friend") letter her knuckles.

The 27-year-old — who has multiple masters degrees and a job at the University of Kentucky's research library — feels no pressure to cover up.

"It's not really possible at this point, unless I wore gloves," Harris said, adding that she thinks academia has been more accepting of her body art than the corporate world would be. "I think my qualifications should speak for themselves.

EARLY ROMAN TATTOOS
During the early Roman Empire, slaves exported to Asia were tattooed "tax paid." Words, acronyms, sentences, and doggerel were inscribed on the bodies of slaves and convicts, both as identification and punishment. A common phrase etched on the forehead of Roman slaves was "Stop me, I'm a runaway.

TATTOOS USED 'TO IMPROVE APPEARANCE
A Central Queensland University study has found that people who decide to get a tattoo are not doing it to besocially deviant", but do it to improve their appearance.

The research looked at the views of over 1,000 people aged between 18 and 82 in central and northern Queensland.

The study's author, Leeana Kent, says older studies used to associate people with tattoos with personality disorders and psychosis.

Ms Kent says that is now an outdated view and social exclusion is not the reason why people get tattoos.

"People are doing it because they want to be socially accepted rather than because they're rejecting society's norms and expectations," she said.

"However, having said that, unfortunately negative stereotypes of tattooed individuals still exists in contemporary society."

Ms Kent says she was surprised to find that men without tattoos are more influenced by what they see in the media.

"Non-tattooed males are perhaps reaching the decision to get a tattoo to improve their physical appearance," she said.

"The improvement of physical appearance was mainly associated with females, whereas now this indicates that it's also associated with males.

DO NOT RESUSCITATE TATTOO

Mary Wohlford, 80, has "DO NOT RESUSCITATE" emblazoned on her chest. Wohlford, of Decorah Dyersville, Iowa, got the ink in February to hopefully eliminate the possibility of any Terri Schiavo-esque controversy about her medical wishes should she become unable to communicate them directly.

If all else fails, if family members can't find her living will or can't face the responsibility of ending life-sustaining measures, she said, then doctors will know her wishes by simply reading the tiny words that are tattooed over her sternum.

 TATTOOS AND CORNROWS
A few years ago, the shoe company And 1 created an advertisement in which Latrell Sprewell said, "People say I'm America's worst nightmare; I say I'm the American dream." In the background a blues guitar plays "The Star-Spangled Banner" in imitation of Jimi Hendrix's version of the anthem (And 1 couldn't afford the rights to his version). Seth Berger, the president of the company, said that MTV created a youth market in which blacks and whites are indifferent to color: "It's a race-neutral culture that is open to endorsers and heroes that look different. These people are comfortable with tattoos and cornrows.

 INKY DRAMA:
Actors find ways to hide tattoos when needed
Long time partners and Valley actors Andi Watson and Jason Barth say having tattoos — including her dramatic comedy and tragedy masks has affected their theatrical careers. 

 NIKE SWOOSH
In order to demonstrate their corporate loyalty, many Nike employees wear on their legs a tattoo of a swoosh.

UNDER THE SKIN
Despite this move into the popular cultural realm, tattoos and extreme body modification do indeed remain for many marks of difference: cultural indicators of social deviance for some, a membership in a cultural group or collective for others, a rejection of mainstream western consumer culture for others still. Subcultural groups like the neo-primitives have continued, through resisting the sanitized, safe version of tattoos and by engaging in bricolage themselves, to maintain a counter-hegemonic subculture punctuated by extreme forms of body-modification. Neo-primitives value all forms of body modification less as art and more as a spiritual and ritualistic connectedness to the earth, the body and the “primitive.” They exemplify the concept of the body as text. In an early 21st century world where bodies are sculpted to the ideals dictated by popular culture, the neo-primitives go to an extreme to claim dominion over their bodies in all forms.

See his a in depth look at why people get tattoos.

PRISON TATTOOS
Although many people entering the prison population are affiliated with the hate movement before their incarceration, prisoners from different ethnic backgrounds often join racist gangs once inside the penal system. They join these groups not only because they adhere to the gang's racist ideology, but also for protection and as a way to participate in criminal activity within the prison. These inmates' tattoos offer important information about gang affiliation, personal history and criminal activity.

 GANG SYMBOLS & IDENTIFICATION
The goal of this website is to provide law enforcement and corrections personnel, parents, teachers, and concerned citizens, the assistance and knowledge necessary to determine if street or prison gangs are in your community or corrections facility.

 AMAZING TATTOOS YOU CAN'T HAVE
A look at cool French tattoo artist Yann and his unique style that has caused him to become one of the "it" tattoo artists in Europe. You really should check out his gallery photos for some truly original works of tattoo art. (from SFGate.com Culture Blog)

 UNMARRIED TATTOOED HEATHENS, HO!
More shacking up, more visible body art, less concern for the old ways. Is America dead?

No really, it is. And it's not just because we've lost habeas corpus, a bedrock protective law and a cornerstone of American freedom, to the rabid, stupid dogs of neoconservative fearmongering. That merely feels like a weird horror movie, the leatherfaced guy with the chain saw hacking off the head of the sexy college girl and laughing maniacally. The pain is simply too horrific and cartoonish to even register. Yet.

No, Bush's ambling rape of the Constitution and moral law is not the true sign of social decay and devolution. There is a far worse problem lurking, lingering, sneaking up on American values like giant snakes slithering onto a plane.

The real problem is, of course, tattoos. And piercings. And also: single people who defy the institution of marriage and choose to live together in sin. And then get tattoos. Haven't you heard? (see the whole article at

 SKIN DEEP
A CULTURAL HISTORY OF TATTOOING
An exhibition at the Arizona State University Museum of Anthropologyran from March 23 to September 2006. Our technical advisor Lars Krutakwas the guest curator presenting contemporary & historical photographs, rare books, engravings, postcards, tattoo instruments, documentary film & other media.

CULTURE IS SKIN DEEP
Tattoos with Asian writing is a fashion must-have, but does it symbolize cultural insensitivity?

By LYNDA LIN, Pacific Citizen Assistant Editor
Some people describe the act of plunging a needle into flesh to create a permanent tattoo as nothing short of being a divine experience. The joining of man, art and culture in one sharp point hearkens to traditional tribal tattooing rituals of the past, but the only difference is that these days, rituals are being replaced with convenience. People can now walk into nearly any tattoo shop and pick out a cultural identity of their choice and spell it out on their skin, all within 30 minutes or less.

 TATTOO MUSEUMS
The site of one of Borneo's best kept secrets! Prepare yourself for a journey into the past history of Sarawak and Borneo's heritage as a whole. Nine Museums are waiting for you to explore and visit. Most were built close to a century ago and yet they have remained and survived over the years. The buildings themselves are historical and today, serve as the custodian and keeper of all the historical documents and artifacts such as antiques, monuments, cultural landmarks, archaeological specimens, architectural, artistic and religious materials associated with the traditions and beliefs of the people of Sarawak and Borneo as a whole.

 Urban Legends
Suffer to Be Beautiful
Women in childbirth with tattoos on their lower backs should not receive anesthetic via epidural injection.

Tattoo  Museum

Founded in 1986, it is one of only a few museums in the world dedicated to the display of tattoo artifacts.  Located in Fort Bragg, across from the Guest House Museum, the collection is fittingly housed in one of the town's original Victorian storefronts.  Triangle Tattoo & Museum is open 7 days a week from noon until 6 P.M. All ages are welcome.  Admission is free.  School and personal guided tours are given upon request.  Please call in advance.

 Bring a cup of coffee and prepare to be bombarded with tattoo images that will dazzle your senses for hours.

 You will see portraits of Maori in New Zealand with traditional "Moko" tattoos from the 1800's to the present.

Along the stairway is the American Patriotic Tattoo exhibit with traditional tattoo designs from WWI to the present.

There are exhibits from various cultures worldwide, and displays of the hand tools used in tattooing before the invention of the electric tattoo machine.

A showcase of electric tattooing machines, including traditional electromagnetic machines from around the world and prison style rotary machines.

Tattoos Without Consent is a disturbing exhibit about tattoos that were forced upon individuals.  For example, Germany during the Holocaust,  Russia, China and other countries that marked their criminals and captives, and sadistic pranksters who mark their victims during drunken escapades.

The Japanese Tattoo exhibit is a fascinating display of antique hand tattoo instruments, portraits of the tattoo masters and examples of their work.

Tattooing in the Circus Sideshow is another fascinating and colorful collection of designs, photographs, and the retired costumes of the last of the Living Circus Sideshow Sword Swallowers, Captain Don Leslie.

Lastly, The Women's Wall, an entire exhibit dedicated to portraits of tattooed women from different cultures and eras.

Tattooed mummy, baptized the Lady of Cao, discovered in Peru

A female mummy, baptized the Lady of Cao, with complex tattoos on her arms has been found in a ceremonial burial site in Peru, the National Geographic Society reported Tuesday. Archaeologists say is one of the best-ever relics of a civilization that ended more than 1,300 years ago.

The mummy was accompanied by ceremonial items including jewelry and weapons, and the remains of a teenage girl who had been sacrificed, archaeologists reported. Such a complete array has never been seen before in a Moche tomb.

The presence of gold jewelry and other fine items indicates the mummy was that of an important person, but anthropologist John Verano of Tulane University said the researchers are puzzled by the presence of war clubs, which are not usually found with females.

Peruvian archaeologists, under the direction of lead scientist Régulo Franco, made the discovery last year at an ancient ceremonial site known as El Brujo -  “the Wizard”.

The tomb lay near the top of a crumbling pyramid called Huaca Cao Viejo, a ruin near the town of Trujillo that has been well known since colonial times.

Verano said the finding is the first of its kind in Peru, and he likens it to the discovery of King Tut's tomb in Egypt.

"We have an entire repertoire of a very high status tomb, preserved perfectly," Verano said.

The burial site that held the tattooed mummy was part of an ornate enclosure holding four graves, at a ceremonial site known as El Brujo — “the Wizard” on Peru’s north coast, near Trujillo.

They said the woman was part of the Moche culture, which thrived in the area between A.D. 1 and A.D. 700. The mummy was dated about A.D. 450.

The woman had complex tattoos, distinct from others of the Moche, covering both arms and other areas. Bone scarring indicated the woman had given birth at least once. The cause of her death was not apparent.

Verano said she would have been considered an adult in her prime. Some Moche people reached their 60s and 70s.

The grave also contained headdresses, jewelry made of gold and semiprecious stones, war clubs, spear throwers, gold sewing needles, weaving tools and raw cotton.

“Perhaps she was a female warrior, or maybe the war clubs and spear throwers were symbols of power that were funeral gifts from men,” Verano said. In the thousands of Moche tombs previously exposed, no female warrior has been identified.

Verano, who has been working with the El Brujo project since 1995, said the area is "one gigantic cemetery" that has been scoured by grave-robbers for centuries.

But the newly found funerary chamber had been sealed from both looters and the elements since around A.D. 450.

The Peruvian team found the complete burial array intact and perfectly preserved, down to the white cotton wrappings of the mummy bundle.

"It's astonishing," said Moche authority Christopher Donnan, an anthropologist at the University of California, Los Angeles, who was not part of the excavation. "This is far and away the best preserved Moche mummy that has ever been found."

The find is described in the June issue of National Geographic magazine.

The Peruvian team is funded by the Augusto N. Wiese Foundation and Peru's National Institute of Culture.

Verano's research is funded by the National Geographic Society's Committee for Research and Exploration. (National Geographic News is part of the National Geographic Society.)

 The Moche

The culture of the Moche, who constructed the largest adobe pyramid in the Americas, the Moche Sun Pyramid, developed along Peru's northern