Gangs and Prison Tattoos

Bloods & Crips, Norteños & Sureños

Tattoos have always been used as a means to identify members with particular gangs. Members use tattoos for several reasons. Some members will have numerous tattoos, particularly if they have spent time in prison. These tattoos may include one or more symbols that has been adopted as something unique to identify it’s members.

Tattoos such as a tear drop under an eye or a spider web represent prison time. Many members will have their name tattooed in large bold letters so that rival members will be intimidated. For the uninitiated wearing an unauthorized tattoo could be very dangerous particularly in prison. Prison inmates have been known to remove unauthorized tattoos from non members by literally cutting the tattoo off the person’s flesh.

Some members in particular take pride in branding themselves as outside of the boundaries of conventional society. Tattoos are also used to express their often nihilistic philosophy. Gangsta style tattoos popularized by rappers are often done in a black and gray style and depict firearms, bullets, secret letters and numbers, in old English or gothic script. It is common to have the name of the person tattooed on the back of the neck or have a motto tattooed on the chest.

It is clear that tattoos have been adopted by mainstream society even though not too many middle-class wannabes are willing to get facial tattoos, or tattoos on their hands - practices common amongst members.

But although gang members try to use tattoos to separate themselves from mainstream society, the effect it has had on the young hip middle class is undeniable. Teenagers who may have no idea of these symbols' original meaning are now wearing tattoos which were originally worn by gang members as badges of honor.

There are many prison gangs in California, the two main ones are:

The Sureños which is Spanish for Southerners. They are a group of hundreds of Hispanic street gangs with origins in Southern California. They are connected with the Mexican Mafia prison organization. The Sureños were the first California gang to make use of gang colors to distinguish themselves from other gangs.

The state of California prison system provided railroad handkerchiefs to inmates in one standard color: blue. Hispanic inmates from Southern California selected or claimed the blue bandanas to identify themselves. Once a member of the Sureños graduates off the street and into the prison system they are designated a part of the Mexican Mafia organization.

http://www.tao-of-tattoos.com/gangs.html

Hip Hop Artists and Tattoos

Tattoos and Thug Livin'

Some people claim tattoos are being marketed primarily to a white Rock & Roll generation. Hip hop and R&B artists - from Tupac to 50 Cent to Eminem - have donned elaborate, detailed and beautiful tattoos even though tattoos are primarily associated with rock and bikers. Slain rapper Tupac Shakur illustrates how tattoos began to symbolize a 'gangsta' lifestyle in the tattoo he chose to put across his abdomen which read "THUG LIFE."

Hip hop and R&B artists are a kind of modern-day aristocracy. All you have to do is switch on MTV to find out how prevalent is their desire to be covered with tattoos. Rappers are both insiders and outsiders. Tattoos lend themselves very well to this double meaning because througout the history of tattoos they have appealed to the extremes of society from the drawing room aristocracy to the lowly criminal.

The hippie movement of the 60's marks the first strong connection between tattoos and rock 'n' roll music. Janis Joplin and Joan Baez were two early customers of the tattooist Lyle Tuttle, who is credited with sparking the modern interest in tattoos. The later popularity of punk rock and the gothic style is another big part of today's tattoo craze. Contemporary musicians from heavy metal bands to hip hop artists and R&B artists have all gotten in on the act.

"Since a tattoo to certain levels of society is the mark of a thug, it becomes also the sign of inarticulate revolt, often producing its only possible result: violence."
SAMUEL M. STEWARD

Its seems that things have changed since then but recently, more and more people are getting tattoos simply because they idolize certain rappers or R&B artists. According to a well known tattoo artist, "people want tattoos because they see them on rappers and R&B artists and figure it will look as good on them".

Rap artist Trick Daddy broke into the mainstream in 2001 with an album entitled "I'm a Thug". No one questioned his talent, but his image hardly matched that of other mainstream rappers. He certainly lived up to his thug billing, known as much for his rapping as his trademark omnipresent grimace, bald head, prickly whiskers and forearm tattoos. Nevertheless, thug or not, Trick Daddy became a national superstar, earning substantial mainstream airplay and has had a major influence on people copying his style.

Tattooing is becoming as much a part of hip-hop culture which is in turn slowly becoming part of mainstream culture and the MTV generation. Hopefully this will lead to the demise of negative stereotypes associated with both tattoos and hip hop culture.

http://www.tao-of-tattoos.com/hip-hop-rnb-artists.html

Hawaiian Tattoos

Ancient Hawaiian Tattoo Revival

Tattoos have always been an important part of the culture of Western Polynesia. Hawaiian culture is no different to any of the other pacific Islands when it comes down to the importance of tattoos in Hawaiian culture. Tattoos have been practiced in Hawaiian culture for thousands and are done as a form of celebration, a means of self expression and membership of a tribe.

The tools used for tattooing in Hawaii have traditionally been borrowed from nature unlike the technologically tattoo machines used today. Tools used for tattooing were - bird beaks, claws and large fish bones. Hawaiian tattoos composed mainly geometric and symmetrical designs but slowly evolved into more pictorial forms such as images of animals with the influence of Europeans in Hawaiian culture.

Meaning of Hawaiian Tattoos

To understand the importance tattoos played in traditional Hawaiian culture it is useful to look at the etymological roots of the word tattoo. The literal translation of the word for tattoo in Hawaiian is uhi, meaning a covering. This hints at the importance it carries in their society especially in terms of defining hierarchy. The symbolism of tattoos was as a benchmark of privilege whereby the quantity and intricacy of tattoo designs defined one’s status.

Tattoos have many meanings, and have been displayed on various places of the body. In some of the lithographs, hawaiian women wore designs concentrating mainly on their hands, feet, fingers and calves. Facial tattooing was also common in Hawaii; typically found on the brow ridge, cheek, cheek bone and chin.

Hawaiians view tattoos on a man’s body as a sign of status and importance. Intricate tattoos were done by the highly skilled artists; an exclusive preserve for the chiefs and their families while the rest of the population and women got it done by the apprentices. The tattoos of women were less extensive being limited to the hand, arms, feet, ears and lips.

A lot of Hawaiian tattoo designs seem to have an almost hidden meaning, which is generally much deeper and personal. This is what sets them apart from their Pacific Island neighbors. Hawaiian tattoo designs are bolder and larger than Maori or Samoan forms. This may be due to the fact that Hawaiian tattoos have more to do with individual identification than for ceremonial purposes, according to anthropolgical studies.

*Click image below for more Hawaiian tattoos

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A Brief History of Tattoos

From ancient tattoos to Modern Primitives

Throughout the history of tattoos and its practice the art of driving ink under the skin with sharp implements is common among almost all cultures. Tattoos have been discovered on mummified bodies thousands of years old. From the ancient Egyptian artefacts to the fashion conscious, tattoos have come a long way. An ancient art form - tattooing has now become a defined style.

Our word "tattoo" is derived from the Polynesian word tatao, meaning "to tap," and it describes the technique by which sharp spines laden with color were tapped into the skin to make tribal designs. Captain James Cook, the first white explorer to visit the Polynesian islands, brought the word back to Europe, along with, no doubt, some examples of the tribal art on the chests and arms of his sailors.

The first electric tattoo machine was invented by American Samuel O'Reilly in 1900, bringing with it a new age of popularity for tattoos in the United States and all around the world. Most tattoo artists were immigrants and their customers were largely outside the mainstream of society.

However the mainstream had a fascination with the art of tattoos as evidenced by those who lined up at carnivals and sideshows to see the spectacular body art of the tattooed man or lady.

Still, for all their fascination, most of the respectable members of the sideshow audience would never have considered getting a tattoo themselves; tattoos were low-class and associated with criminals, sailors, and drunks.

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Although tattoos may be applied to set the wearer apart from society, they may also affirm the wearer's membership in a group or tribe. Tribal tattoos, such as the 'moko' of New Zealand's Maori, are a sort of totem, a symbol of strength and membership in society earned through pain.

The practice of tattoos and tattooing means different things in different cultures. Some say it was done for magical purposes while others are thought to have used it for medicinal qualities.

These kinds of tattoos have been adopted by many groups on the fringes of society, such as prison inmates and gang members, who wish to symbolize their membership in a fraternity or sorority of outlaws. Tribal tattoos began to be reclaimed in the 1980s by those rebelling against the mainstream and have continued to gain popularity among those in the counterculture.

Some use tattoos along with piercings to make a statement that announces their alienation from society. Others choose tribal symbols in an effort to formalize their subculture, such as gays and lesbians who wear tattoos of pink and black triangles so that they will be recognizable to other gays.

Still others use tattoos as a sort of psychological ritual, using the pain of the tattoo to create a visual symbol of other pain. Tattoos are like an addiction. It really gets tough to stop once you have the first tattoo. The pain is bearable. In an era of fashion and style it seems tattoos are here to stay reaffirming that beauty really is skin deep.

http://www.tao-of-tattoos.com/history-of-tattoos.html

Indian Tattoos

Body Art in India from Traditional to Modern

There are two distinct tattoo cultures in India. The most prominent is from the Hindu community which is based on a caste system even though this system is declining. These tattoos usually signify the subordinate position of women from within this social structure.

Thanks to Meena Kadri for this image.

Certain tattoos on Indian women can also represent fertility or to ward off bad spirits. Young women were often encouraged to be tattooed as it was believed to add to their attractiveness.

Thanks to Meena Kadri for this image.

There are many different tattoo symbols within the Hindu tradition such as:

Lotus blossoms - Associated with happiness.

Swastika - An ancient symbol which is opposite to the nazi swastika.

Dots - These are quite common and are believed to ward off the evil eye.

Thanks to Meena Kadri for this image.

Hindu men were generally tattooed less than women particularly if they were of a higher caste. Tattoo designs such as the scorpion were done to attract good luck. In the larger urban areas lower caste men were heavily tattooed with a mixture of Western style tattoos alongside more traditional Indian tattoos.

Thanks to Shashi Agarwal for this image.

India has experienced massive growth in the past few years particularly in the information technology sector. This boom in technology and rapid modernization has brought changes in the lifestyles of many Indian who not only want to retain their Indian culture but also want to have modern Western culture. As a result India is experiencing a surge of interest in Western tattoo culture.

http://www.tao-of-tattoos.com/indian-tattoos.html

Japanese Tattoos

Japanese tattoos are regaining their popularity again amongst the middle classes. Ironically young Japanese people are going for tattoo designs that can be completed in one sitting such as the traditional American style tattoos or tribal tattoos. Traditional irezumi is still done by specialist tattooists. Because Japanese tattoos are so detailed they are also very time intensive and expensive. A traditional 'body suit' (covering the arms, back, upper legs and chest can take up to five years of once-a-week visits to complete and cost more than US$30,000 to complete!

© Tao of Tattoos

Japanese tattoos are referred to in Japanese as irezumi which literally means the insertion of ink under the skin leaving a permanent mark or tattoo. Tattooing in Japan is thought to extend back to at least 10,000 years. The Ainu people, the indigenous people of Japan, are known to have used tattoos for decorative and social purposes for many thousands of years.

© Tao of Tattoos

At the beginning of the Meiji period (running from around about 1868 to 1912) the Japanese government, wanting to project an image of a modern Japan to the west, outlawed tattoos, and irezumi took on connotations of criminality. Nevertheless, fascinated foreigners went to Japan seeking the skills of tattoo artists, and traditional tattooing continued underground.

© Tao of Tattoos

Tattooing was legalized by the occupation forces in 1945, but unfortunately has kept a lot of its association with criminality. For many years, traditional Japanese tattoos were associated with the Yakuza, Japan's notorious mafia, and many businesses in Japan (such as public baths, fitness centers and hot springs) still ban customers with tattoos.

http://www.tao-of-tattoos.com/japanese-tattoos.html