African Tribal Tattoos

African Tribal Tattoos

African tribal tattooing differs completely from the conventional tattooing artwork. These tribal tattoos owe their origin to African tribal belts where pigment is not used for tattooing rather cuts on skin are inflicted to create scars. These wounded scars are considered as tattoos.

According to the African scarification history, Africa tribal tattoos/scars were created in two different ways. While some cuts were done with sharp blades, others were created by pulling the skin with fish hooks and then slicing the skin with the blade. The inflicted wounds were further inflamed by rubbing ashes and other substances to make them swell and to leave a distinctive mark on the skin. However, with time there have been significant changes in this art form. The modern African tribal tattooing procedure is done in a better and more sterile environment. Today the scaring process takes place in well-lighted tattoo art shops, where sterilized tools are used for creating scars. Moreover, the inflammation of wound is achieved by applying peroxide/ petroleum jelly and scabs are peeled away to prolong the healing process, in oredr to create everlasting marks on the skin.

Reasons for Getting African tribal Tattoo

Whether you want to go for a painful African tribal scarring or not is totally a matter of personal choice. Practiced by Africans and some Europeans and Americans, the African tribal scarring is done for following reasons:

• To beautify the body with enticing and everlasting patterns
• To test ones inner strengths
• To mark significant moments in ones life1.There are some African tribal designs that are drawn to give the wearer protection from dangers. The pattern usually depicts an image that is expected to guard the person from harms throughout life.
• African tribal scarring did not originate just as body decoration art form. They were drawn so that the wearer can take on a supernatural state, representing qualities that supersede human abilities.
• The origin of African tribal scarring/tattooing body work dates back to 2000BC. The first few revelations depicted images of Egyptian High Priestesses with tattooed arms.
• There is a specific African tribal scarring called cicatrisation. It is done by people with too dark skin tone for regular tattoo coloration to appear.