TATOOING

Shannon News, 8 June 1926, Page 1

TATOOING

Professor, J. Arthur Thomson, in 'John o* London's Weekly," reviews a new book ) The History of Tattooing and Its Significance," by W. D. Hambly. Here is an ancient custom, he says, going back to prehistoric times, occurring from China to Peru, from Babylon to Brazil, affecting dark skins and light skins—what does 1$ mean? Many answers there ' have been, some top simple—e.g., in linking it to the use of insecticides, and others probably too subtle —e.g., that the .marks were rjeant to secure a pjace in heaven. The probability is that .tattooing has had different meanings in different places ana among different but one cannot help looking 1 for some relatively simple and primitive motives behind the practice of body-marking. But the search for asimpla significance does not seem to be promising If we ask a sailor or a fisherman today why lie is ,so elaborately tattooed, he tells us that the detailed markings will .secuja the identification of his body if ho should "be drowned. But this is almost certainly a modern rationalising of what was much less matter-of.facjt to begin with. Moreover, the 'identification could be secured more simply by merely tattooing a name or a number. The re. cognition mark theory will not work, especially since the same elaborate design may be found repeated on the body of all the 'members of a jtribe. Beauty Marks.

Another over simple, theory is that the tatooings are purely decorative calling attention, as it were, to the good poinlts of the' body. Just as ladies in modern times have worn dark patches on fair faces, so dusky "damsels have put on an elaborate display of "integumentary hieroglyphics. But this would not acount for the repetition of. the same especial y when that is {the totem animal of the tribe—a scorpion or a centipede, a sting-ray or a turtle, an eagle or a tiger. Sometimes, no doubt there is an enhancement of charms, but this cannot be the true inwardness of tattooing. We must keep in mind that for women especially It is a secret affair, not to be spoken of, wrapped up with ritual and initiations. Somettimes it is abominably elaborate the face, breast and arms being covered with figures so , that they "present the appearance of a Turkish carpet." It must ofiten fee very painful when thorns are used as fapencil and th<? pigment consists or ashes 'mixed w.'.h blood. The deeper meaning is in the great part religious Tattooing of women is often an expression of a belief that fertility, safe motherhood, {tnd persistence of life in heaven ( or in the underworld may be thus secured. Mag'c Symbols.

The beliefs behind tattooing are often magical rather than religious buft the boundary line is vague. It is difficult for us to realise primitive mentality, though we are not always ,remote from it in some of our lingernig superstitions. We have got be yond peopling our world with male volent spirits who inflict diseases and causo accidents, but how natural is this hypotheis 'to minds who are ignorant of physiology and very vague about every effect having a cause. So the simple people make specific (tattoo marks to ward off specific dangers, such as snake bite, or use particular designs to induce, if so be, the exhibition of a particular virtue, such as the courage of the lion. These skin charms have the great advantage that they cannot be lost. Mr. Hambly proves his points in a scholarly way; wo. are only concerned here with the general conclusion thajt besides having a religious significance, the tattooing is often one of the methods of magic l —of warding off evil and bringing good luck.

Kin-Marks. A tattooed mark may be a sacred symbol and meant to serve as a passport to heaven Or It may be, an vndetachable amulet that protects its bearer from the wild beast, the Bpear, or the plague. In the third place, as Mr. Hambly shows, it may have a social significance in marking the man, woman, or child as a member of a particular tribe. This may serve for ready identification, but it is rather to be regarded as a crude objective expression of a growing social solidarity. It is in this form that it seems most frequently to persist in civilised society, thus! the sailor will have his anchor and the soldier his cannon.

In coneetion with the social aspect of tattooing, it should be noted that its particular form may indicate the status, serving as a skin-deep heraldry. Furthermore, the marking of women as belonging to a certain community is said to be useful even to.day in some fierce tribal feuds, for the tattooed woman goes unscathed. Thus to the religious and the magical origins of tattooing the social must be added, atttf there may have been other origtes of the universal and ancient pracMcei. In some cases, for instance, it msy possibly be linked on to the blood-letting craft of the medicine man. But whatever be its origin and signiflwo* .to the pais* and in wild peoples to-day, tattooing requires some apology in modern society.