Body Art: Bodies of Culture

Body art, or body modification, includes tattooing, piercing, branding, implanting, and stretching among the most outrageous trends. It can be found anywhere; in the city, country and tribal mountains. It is practiced by all sorts of people. They all have different insights and reasons for subscribing to their choice of body alteration.

The first known tattoo was found on a 5,300 year old iceman recovered in Italy. Body art later died out in the west until it was brought back into tribal cultures by sailors and explorers. Tattooing is famous among the sailors, which explains a seen tattoo shop in a navy base. Sailors travel around the world and they’re always looking for something to bring home. Tattoo became the ultimate souvenir in the South Pacific.

As early as the 1700’s, sailors toured in the South Pacific and came across natives with body tattoos. One of the tribes they encountered was the Maori, the indigenous people of New Zealand. One prominent feature of their culture is the striking tattoos that they wear. Full faced tattoos or the moko, is predominantly a male activ

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The history of tattooing in the Philippines dates back as far as the history of the country itself. The working class and the yakuzas or the mafias, the Japanese gangsters, mostly receive this art. Some tribes would also do branding on their faces.

Some people prefer to keep their body art private. A hammer or a mallet was used to hit these instruments repeatedly and drive the pigment, usually made of pine and sugarcane juice) under the skin. And while some people are used to seeing tattoos and piercings, some still are in shock and awe of the extreme doings. Women were not left out of the deal.

Fakir Musafar teaches piercing to students from all over the world for a thousand dollars each. They want the people to understand their unique desires. The prisoners for one, have tattoos to mark their rank inside the bars. They want the world to see and appreciate their passion. The tribal groups mainly uses tattoo for purposes of identification, honor, bravery and successes.

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