Tattoo • ology

Tribal tattoos have transcended the barriers of time and geography to emerge as one of the one of the most sustainable forms of body art. Present in nearly all the old civilizations of the world, evidence of tribal tattoos speak volumes of ancient history and way of life. India, Burma, Thailand, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, China and Japan are a few Asian countries of the world, where tribal tattoos have been mostly present since time immemorial.

Interestingly, all the ancient civilizations also started from these countries. One of the most important aspects of tribal tattoos is that though it may depict a particular flower, animal, bird or symbol, but the design would carry a deep significance and meaning – something which still has not changed even today. The reasons why tribal people tattooed, much of it remains relevant even in modern times.

The tribal tiger tattoo, for instance, is and was a powerful symbol across Asia in numerous cultures and has for long been a standard tattoo design in the countries mentioned above. The animal is associated with power, ferocity, passion and sensuality, beauty and speed, cruelty and wrath.

The tribal tiger tattoo epitomizes the tribal tattoo art, which is instantly identifiable by its bold and dark lines which appear in jagged symmetrical shapes. The design would usually spread across a large area of the body like the back or the chest and done in black and skin color. Of course, these days, tribal tattoos are done using a variety of colors and highlights. While other tattoo designs carry a specific meaning against an object, the tribal tattoo has a lot to do with the emotion behind what the picture depicts. This is probably the reason why the tribal tiger tattoo has retained its popularity through many centuries.

The way the lion is regarded in the Middle East and Europe the tiger is also associated with power and the strength typical of kings or those at the helm of affairs. Probably the symbolism of the tiger would be related to a king’s predicament at watching another predator, who he would see as a potential threat or a competitor!

The tribal tiger tattoo is rich in its historical as well as mythological significance. In Korea it is treated as the King of Animals and tattoo designs originating from this country would often carry depictions of the tiger as seen through their eyes. In India, the supreme God, Shiva or the Destroyer is depicted wearing tiger skin and riding on a tiger – to show supreme power over the world. The animal is sometimes depicted as a symbol of life and death and all things evil.

Likewise, the Chinese tribal tattoos would depict tiger as warding off evil. That is the reason there are stone tigers placed outside homes and temples. During the reign of the Chou dynasty, images of tigers were hung in pregnant woman’s rooms to protect the unborn baby. In some areas tigers are thought to punish sinners, by attacking them.

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