Tattooing In Australia

Australia has a rich historical background in which art of tattooing has a special place. Date back to almost 40, 000 years, the Samoan tribes and the Maori tribes used to display a wide range of tattoos on some specific parts of their body. In fact, these tribes of Australia represent the major history of tattooing. The Samoan tribes, without signifying any ritual or cultural implication, used to cover their lower body completely with all-embracing tattoos, making their own fashion statements.

Samoan Tribe Extensively Tattooed Lower Body Parts
In the Samoan tribe, tattoos had a significant weightage and people with tattoos got social respect and acceptance, while people without tattoos were regarded weak and coward. Amongst the Samoans, person, who had the most extensive tattoo on his body, was considered brave enough to undergo the pain of the craft. Consequently, the tattooing was done so widely that it took even six months to complete a person’s body. While practicing the art of tattooing, the Samoans used a special comb with pointed end. These pointed ends of the comb would pierce the body inserting the ink under the skin. A special tattooing shed was built and was burned when the process was completed. The women were not far in getting their bodies tattooed, although the patterns of women tended to be daintier.

Maoris Tribe Wore Tattoos On Faces
The Maoris tribe had a different touch as these people wore tattoos on their faces. This tattooing technique is called "moko" and was unique to the Maori. Every man wore an individualized pattern, as the design was based directly on his own particular face. The tattooing artist would study the man's facial features and lines to create a design that would accentuate them, making his appearance more dignified and forceful. The pattern was literally carved into the skin with a bone chisel much like the way designs are carved into wood. Ink would be placed in the cuts to create the tattoo. The whole process, which these people used, was extremely painful and used to cause a lot of swelling over face. It used to take days, in fact weeks, to complete one face. Maori women also tattooed their faces, but it was limited to the lips and chin.

Modern Day Art of Tattooing
In Australia, the modern art of tattooing began when the European prisoners were sent into exile here in the early 1800's. To express diverse human emotions, the prisoners used to make tattoos by etching the black sediments of the oil lamps into their skin. The positioning of a tattoo was also significant, with the most personal messages reserved for parts of the body that were usually covered up. Convicts wore a large variety of decorative tattoos including triumphal arches, marine trophies, monuments, lovers' knots, crocodiles, and kangaroos. At the present time, tattoos are rather extensively worn by people from different walks of life. This art has become a major fashion statement among people, especially youngsters. Though it's entirely personal choice of the wearer, tattoo designs reflect the personality of the wearer.

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