Tribal Style Tattoos

This post about tribal style tattoos is the third post in my series about tattoo styles. For previous posts, check out Traditional Style Tattoos, Watercolor Style Tattoos, and Realism Style Tattoos. Additionally, for a brief overview of several different tattoo styles at once, read my post Styles Of Tattooing.

Tribal tattoos are one of the oldest forms of tattooing known to man. These tattoos originated as a way for individual tribes or groups to differentiate themselves from other tribes or groups. Tribal style tattoos vary based on the culture of the individual. A few types of tribal tattoos include Maori, Polynesian, and Samoan.

As before stated, tribal tattoos served to distinguish individuals as belonging to a certain group, but they also signified an individual’s social standing within that group. These tattoos usually depict animals or nature-inspired designs that exhibit a metaphorical truth about the tattooed individual. The placement of the tattoo on the body was also significant to the specific tribe of the tattooed individual.

Since tribal tattoos existed way before the invention of tattoo guns, they were usually done in black ink with a hollow needle. The needle was often made of bamboo, porcupine quill, or bone.

Today, modern tribal tattoos look somewhat reminiscent of true tribal tattoos, but have generally lost all of their symbolic meaning. Many people who belong to cultures with a long-standing tradition of tribal tattooing reject the popularization of the art form. These individuals often still wear tribal tattoos with significant cultural importance to them, but are (understandably) frustrated with those who take their traditions and use them for merely aesthetic purposes.

For more information on tribal style tattoos, check out Tribal Tattoos History and Meaning.

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