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Tribal Tattoos & Meanings
Tribal tattoo designs are the most requested of all designs available in
the market. In fact, it accounts for almost one-third of all the tattoos
that are being done nowadays. “Tribal” can mean a lot of design
possibilities. It can be indigenous and aboriginal designs. It can also
mean modern graphic designs. The most popular tribal designs are
Polynesian, Haida and Maori. There are a lot of astonishing tribal
tattoo designs you can choose from.
 Noticeably, this kind of tattoo has become very popular in the
Pacific Islands. This is more commonly seen on people who feel a since
of pride being connected to other people who had decided to have a
permanent engrave of a tribal tattoo. When tribal tattoos were first
designed, it is said that the only ink color available is black. This is
the reason why tribal tattoos are monochromatic yet much focused on
details which make it very unique from other tattoo designs. There are
different purposes for tribal tattoos. They are oftentimes used as
marriage tattoos. This links the wife to her husband only and vice
versa. This highly suggests ownership thus fidelity. This can be
compared to the modern wedding rings. This too, is believed to help
mates find each other in the afterlife. In modern days, these kinds of
tribal tattoos can also be seen between lovers to symbolize fidelity and
loyalty to each other. There are engagement tattoos and commitment
tattoos. Tribal tattoos were also once used as rights of passage.
These are marks given to adolescents who are approaching maturity. If
the young man cannot bear the pain of having a tattoo, he is considered
unfit for hunting and battle. If the young woman cannot take the pain,
then she will not be able to bear the pain of giving birth, thus unfit
for marriage. Both of them considered outcasts.
 Tribal tattoos can
also be called land or territory tattoos. It marks belongingness to a
group of people, tribes or clans who have specific areas they can wander
on. People before used to belong to tribes where resources and dwellings
are of most importance, thus must be highly guarded from trespassers.
Usually, anyone who passes by the boundaries or other tribes’ territory
is subject to slavery or death. It was a general belief in the old days
that if you have a tattoo and you day elsewhere, you can join your tribe
again in the afterlife. Today, fraternities, sororities, gangs, even
members of the military and other organizations have designed their own
tattoos to make each other recognizable to the other members of the
group. Tribal tattoos can also symbolize guardianship and blessings.
This is usually given to male members of the family of tribe before they
are sent out to live on their own or to fight for their tribe. This can
also mark a new member of the family or of the tribe.
Tribal tattoos are also more used as spiritual tattoos. They are
usually used as marks of the gods, goddesses or nymphs whom they owe
their life, blessings or resources too. It may sound pagan but in some
tribes, this is their way of showing appreciation to every good thing
that they are receiving.
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