We in the western world have changed the way we view tattoos and the people who wear them over the last twenty or thirty years. Many people tended to assume that a person who had visible ink on their body was at the very least somewhat of a rebel. A worst case assumption would be that such a person was a criminal. We may actually be one of the last cultures on Earth to embrace wholeheartedly the idea of decorating our bodies with symbolic or personally significant designs.

New Zealand is home to one of the most widely recognized ethic groups which engages in the practice of ritualistic tattooing even today. The Maori are fiercely proud of their tattoos, and it is considered a mark of great manliness and investment in one’s society to sport well crafted and intricate ink work. Many men are literally covered from the top of their head to their feet.

At the other end of the spectrum we find the traditional, orthodox Jews. In the Jewish teachings the idea of marring your body is considered to be disrespectful and an act of destruction rather than decoration. For this reason an orthodox Jew may be denied burial in a holy resting place.

Getting a tattoo is a time consuming, effort full, and usually rather uncomfortable thing. Because of this we as humans have tended to associate these markings with bravery and heroism in some situations. It is not unusual to discover that someone has decided to permanently engrave meaningful events and images on themselves, and in some societies this is considered to be a beautiful thing.

Some societies have discovered a nice middle ground between permanent ink and decorating their bodies. This can be found in some areas of Asia, and in particular on the Indian sub continent. By using long lasting vegetable dyes derived from the henna plant, Indians can create very intricate designs without worrying about permanently disfiguring themselves. These henna tattoos are very popular at weddings.

Some people still think that tattoos are an indicator of a person’s rebelliousness. This would be more appropriate if the things didn’t seem so trendy in our society at the moment.

Human cultures have had a love affair with tattoos for a very long time. We like to make ourselves look unique, and this is a good way to do that. Paradoxically, they can also be good indicators of affiliation and group membership.

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