Term Paper on "Tattooing Tattoo Is a Word Which Carries"

Term Paper 5 pages (1499 words) Sources: 6 Style: MLA

[EXCERPT] . . . .

Tattooing

Tattoo

Tattoo is a word which carries both stigma and history. The actual practice has been around for thousands of years. Throughout our own history, the practice of tattooing has survived waves of popularity and disapproval. The actual word has its original origins in Polynesian onomatopoeia. Despite hundreds of years of having a negative connotation, tattooing has made a come back in modern times. Over the past thirty or so years, tattooing has begun to regain its position within the structure of society due to its acceptance into mainstream white middle class culture beginning in the 1970's.

The actual word tattoo has two entirely different meanings. The first definition of the word, although older, has nothing to do with the modern use of the word what so ever. This definition describes the word tattoo as a call or signal for soldiers in order to prepare for battle (Babcock, 1976). However, this is not the definition of the word which has survived through the generations to carry such a stigma today.

The definition the modern world associates with tattoo is that of "to mark or color the skin by pricking in coloring matter so as to form indelible marks or figures or by production of scars," (Babcock, 1976). The word itself can be used as a noun or a transitional verb. The noun form indicates the actual product of the tattooing process. The tattoo is the mark which is a result of the process. The transitional verb indicates the actual process by which that mark is created. The definition specifically states tattoo as being a mark, making it a form of showing one's identity.

The word tattoo is a true representation of onomatopoeia. The original source of the word comes from various Polynesian languages (Random House, 2006). According to Encyclopedia Britannica, these languages held similar pronunciations for a word which essentially meant "to strike twice," (Encyclopedia Britannica, 2007). The Maquesan word "tatu" or "tattow" came from the initial sound the original method of tattooing made. Also, the Tahitian "tatu" signifies a mark on the skin. The English version of tattoo was first introduced into the English language somewhere between 1760-1770. After initial contact with Polynesian tribes late in the eighteenth century, Captain James Cook brought the word back to European customs. His sailors, however, are the ones responsible for reintroducing the actual practice of tattooing back into the European mainland.

In fact the word first appeared in an English context in the journal writings of Captain James Cook after his first encounter with Polynesian tribes during a trip to the Marquesan Islands in 1769. The sailors then introduced the actual process to Europe upon their return. Tattooing had been completely absent from the countries of Europe for centuries and had almost forgotten. Upon reintroduction, however, the practice once again gained popularity, but was associated with sailors and the working class. This association also carried weight in the Americas, and tattooing was a symbol of working class up until the late twentieth century.

The practice of tattooing has had the same purposes over the thousands of years of its existence. These include decorative, spiritual, and identifying purposes (Demello, 2000). For thousands of years, people have adorned their bodies with intricate designs which were used for decorative or cosmetic purposes. Tribes all over the world have their own unique designs which signify beauty and other elaborate forms of decoration. This tradition still continues today as one of the main reasons for individuals seeking tattoos. Spiritual motivations have also been long associated with tattoos. In Tibet, tattoos are given in a yearly festival signifying spiritual protection over the tattoo holder, (Demello, 2000). These tattoos have been administered for thousands of years by monks in the traditional method of tattooing. The monk is the one who decides the design of the tattoo upon reviewing the person's spiritual protector. The tattoo is then thought to bring enhanced spiritual protection from guardians who thereafter watch over the individual holding the tattoo. This is just one example of the many found all over the globe associating spirituality with tattooing. Finally, identification is another major motivation for tattooing, and is one of the oldest. South Indonesians tribes, such as the Mori, use tattoos to identify themselves as well as to identify the accomplishments of their warriors. In previous generations, tattoos were administered in the event of a warrior slaying a worthy opponent, (Demello, 2000). Tattoos are also used as identifying marks signaling man or womanhood.

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