Tribal Tattoo Designs
Tribal tattoo designs are one of the most popular forms of tattoos in modern and Western cultures. The tribal tattoo designs you see most commonly today are most closely similar to the tribal tattoos of the tribes of Borneo; however they are often a mix of the ancient tribal tattoos of many cultures.
In these tattoos there is an easily visible separation between what is inked and what is not inked in the designs. Often times the parts of the body left untouched within the design are as important or meaningful as the parts that are filled in. Additionally, when tribal tattoo designs are done properly they are done around body parts and along the curvature of those body parts to make it not only look better but also seem more natural and have more meaning.
There is often misconception today about what a tribal tattoo actually is. Too often, any design or black line tattoo is referred to as a tribal tattoo design. But what are called “tribal tattoos” are often not traditional tribal tattoo designs at all.
Tribal Tattoo Meaning
Traditionally, tribal tattoos meant a variety of different things. From separating one particular tribe from another to marking the official joining of a tribe by a person of appropriate age or of accomplishment, the tribal tattoo meaning varied from culture to culture. Often they were used to signify particular rites of passage. They were also used to show status within a tribe (as in, who the leader is, or who the best warriors are) and as a means of decoration to make yourself stand out and attract the opposite sex.
In some tribal cultures, tribal tattoo designs were said to have magical, spiritual or ritual meanings ranging from protection to healing and so on. The Maori tribe of New Zealand was famous for their facial tattoos, all of which were intricate and unique. These tattoos represented inner strength and were said to be used as a marking that could be recognized upon an individual’s death.
Popular Tribal Tattoo Designs Today
One of the most popular forms of tattooing done today is incorporating tribal tattoo designs in with other, more Western, designs. A tribal dragon tattoo will incorporate an image of a dragon with a long tail and/or flames that are tribal in nature. A tribal rose tattoo will have stems and/or thorns that blend in with tribal tattoo designs. Other animals and symbols are used either in the center of a tribal tattoo or in front of, or behind, a tribal tattoo. Some of the common combinations include the tribal sun tattoo, tribal butterfly tattoos and tribal cross tattoos.
Some of the tribal tattoo designs you will find today will try to have a hidden image located within an intricate tribal design. Additionally, color is now being used in tribal tattoos which were traditionally all black. Many people choose to put their tribal tattoo on their lower back or on their arm as a band or larger sleeve.
Image via Wikipedia
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