Tattoos as a Technology
Tattoos are a form of writing that is used to convey meaning to a symbol or a mark illustrated on the human body. Some people use it as a form of expression and some people use it to portray their culture and where they come from. There are three methods of tattooing that can be used. One is, grazing the drawing on the person’s body until it scars, this method is called scarification, and it was popular among dark skins. The second is the use of a needle and a black colored thread which is stretched by the needle under the skin creating a pattern. The third method and most popular is piercing the drawing with needles. According to Ozerava and Serikov ” Levis in Philadelphia was the first American to advocate and practice tattooing with colors” (Ozerova & Serikov, 2021) through the use drawing with needles, Levis was encouraged to learn this method using color and it was one of the reasons why it was a very popular method. The third method is also used with machines of two types one which is “an induction (coil tattoo) machines, based on electromagnets where the movement of the striker to which the needle is attached, and two which are rotary machines where an eccentric disc with mismatched axes of rotation converts motor movement to needle movement”(Ozerova & Serikov,2021 ). These methods of tattooing are very widespread today throughout multiple cultures and people of multiple ethnicities. Through the introduction of color and illustration, Tattoos have changed throughout time to become a method of expressiveness and a type of inspiring art. This writing technology is used in many different ways to convey meaning and self-expression.
Many people have utilized tattoos for a variety of purposes and meanings. This entails belonging to a community, as well as identifying oneself or as a member of a group. Intentionally, tattoos can be used to designate a substantial portion of a person’s subjective story or to exclude someone from a group or even society as a whole. Many people nowadays use tattoos as a means of self-expression and individuality. Some people use them for cultural or religious purposes, such as the Samoan people.
Samoan Culture and Tattoos
According to Dance, Chiefs and their advisors are the people who were the first to start this practice and they are the ones who place tattoos (Tatau) by hand in Samoan culture. Young chiefs initiate tattooing rituals, which were usually performed at the start of puberty, and were essential to their rise to importance (2019). Limited to Samoans, “Samoan tattoos and designs are a source of pride. They are symbols of respect, honor, authority, and community. Displaying their patterns and symbols for people who are not impacted by their culture or background is insulting” (Dance 2019). This kind of culture is so persistent in their beliefs and so attached to their culture that they have survived until today and until today there are people who use these tattoos to identify themselves as part of this culture and these beliefs. The tattoo artists’ lifelong creations will forever honor their persistence and commitment to traditional customs.
According to the Samoan tourist authority, this size of tattoo is painful, therefore it’s not for the timid. The tattoo artist is usually one of three people in attendance; the other two are known as stretchers. It can take several hours. A tiny bone comb with pointed teeth that is now made of metal is used to pierce the skin and introduce pigment. Originally, this pigment was attached to a turtle shell plate, but these days it is more frequently made of plastic or metal. Both are fastened to a wooden handle using coconut fiber or nylon fishing line. Samoan tattoos are a kind of art and one of the many cultural components that link contemporary(n.d.).
Citations
Dance, A. (2019, April 6). How the Samoan tattoo survived colonialism. Scientific American. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-the-samoan-tattoo-survived-colonialism/
Ozerova, D. & Serikov A. (2021). Technology and language in tattoos. Technology and
Language, 2(4), 144-167. https://doi.org/10.48417/technolang.2021.04.09
Samoan tattoos: Samoa Tourism Authority. Samoan Tattoos | Samoa Tourism Authority. (n.d.). https://www.samoa.travel/discover/our-culture/tattoos/
Schmid, S. (2013). Tattoos – a historical essay. Travel Medicine and Infectious Disease, 11(6), 444-7. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tmaid.2013.10.013