Tattoos and Why People Get Them

Tattoos And Why People Get Them
Lonnie R. Stare, II
November 28, 2008
Tattoos and the reasons why people get them
The world is home to many different people. There are many different personalities, cultures, and societies function in very different ways. And at times, we show our individualities through self expression. Usually this comes out through our personalities and develops as we grow. But sometimes, we can take a particular instance of expression and have it explode into something more. The way we identify with one another can be in many forms as well. Uniforms, gender, or skin tone identifies us. Religion and religious practices vary between cultures. Tattoos and tattoo art are ways people can express and identify themselves in many different ways. They can help identify different groups and body art is seen throughout religious history. But while some reasons for getting tattoos are trivial, other reasons are more significant.
Religion and religions practices are the backbone for many cultures around the world. Entire societies in many parts of the world are governed by their religious beliefs and ideas. Body art and tattooing are a part of different religions groups. The tattoos may be a representation of their god, symbols for different family groups within the society, or be a way of displaying social status. By the early 18th century, European sailors encountered the inhabitants of the South and Central Pacific islands. There, tattoos were an important part of the culture. When a Tahitian girl reached the age of sexual maturity, her buttocks were tattooed black, a tradition that continues among some today. When in mourning, Hawaiians tattooed their tongues with three dots. In Borneo, natives tattooed an eye on the palm of their hands as a spiritual guide that would lead them to the next life. (National Geographic.com, 2004)Sometimes a tattoo will be worn to show an allegiance to their god, or the tattoo with cause the person to be a...