Polynesian Tribal Tattoos Meanings

Tribal tattoos are among the most popular tattoos nowadays. One could wonder why tribal tattoos are so appealing to people. Is it because of the history behind it or is it just a new fashion statement?

The first tribal tattoos date back as far as 5000 years. They were used within families or tribes for identification. Each family or tribe had their own distinctive design by which a family member could be recognized.

But even within a family or tribe different tattoos were used for example to symbolize their social status (like marriage), rites of passage (boy to man or girl to woman) or for magic healing and protection.

Overall one could say that tribal tattoos were used as a way to give someone its own identity and a way of self expression.

The world we live in today with it's fast communication networks and high demanding jobs people are afraid to get lost in the crowd and are searching for ways to self express themselves in order to have their own identity. Here is where past and present meet and tattoos serve the same purpose. But as for the rest there is no resemblance. Tribal tattoos have lost most of their meaning or have no meaning at all. They have become a fashion statement.

The tribals we see nowadays are mostly characterized by bold black lines based on Polynesian tattoo designs and on those of tribes of Borneo.

Although they have a kind of masculine energy about them they can worn by men and women.

One could say that today's tribal tattoos are mainly a fashion statement and have very little in common with the ones used thousands of years ago. But one must admit that a design that was created thousands of years ago and still appeals to people today must be a pretty good one and probably deserves more credit than just being called a fashion statement.

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