Cara Kamehiro
May 5, 2011
FD4
One Thousand Words Equals Tatau
A picture is said to be worth a thousand words. Yet it is known that actions speak louder than words. There are many different types of art from paintings, sculpture, photography, sketching and even tattooing. Many might not consider tattooing to be a form of art. Tattoos date back in history for over a thousand years in each culture from the tiny islands in the Pacific Ocean to the huge countries like China. Many cultures like the Japanese and the Polynesians consider tattoos a form of art, and have been displaying this art for over thousands of years. The art of tattooing is a story of each persons journey in life, and a way of making the body "beautiful." The human body is an amazing work of art itself of evolution. Who would have thought that the body could be used as a canvas for artists around the world? A picture in someones' living room or bed room can define the whole room or even the whole house. [Thesis] A picture is worth a thousand words and if actions speak louder than words, is a tattoo a picture of a thousand words or an action that speaks louder than the picture? [Thesis]
Tattoos in Polynesia has been around since the 1400s, and was believed to be the start of this tattoo art. The word tattoo can be broken down into two parts: 'ta' which means striking something and the word 'tatau' which means to mark something. 'Tatau' is used in the little islands of Polynesia like Tahiti, Tonga, and Samoa. In Hawaii instead of the word tatau the Hawaiians use the word 'kakau.' Another way of breaking down the word tattoo is 'tata' means repeatedly done by hand and 'u' means color. When the westerners came to Polynesia the word 'tatau' became tattoo. These Polynesian tattoos are not just for show. They define who you are, your role in society, what you do-like a job, battles you won or people you killed in battles. These tribal tattoos are a sign of protection. The Polynesians believed that the right tattoo would shield you from bodily harm and evil spirits.
In Samoa tatau means honor, strength and virtue of Samoa. This is what they believe tattoos represent on their bodies. Polynesians used tools made by hand from the barbs of a fishes tail, birds' beak, or the boars' tooth. There are many different names for this tool like 'tapulu,' 'nefo,' and 'moli.' Since Polynesia has different cultures they all have different names for different things. In which ever language, this tool is known as the modern day needles. Their needles look like a hair comb that is 1-2 inches wide and has 30-40 teeth. Today they use metal instead of bones of animals. This metal or bone is attached to a wooden stick used for the handle. The needles are dipped in the ink made from the burnt soot of Kukui nuts and are tapped into the skin by a stick called 'sausau' by the Samoans.
These tattoos would be received after a child goes through the adolescence stage and becomes the man of the house. This means taking on more responsibilities and more chores like work as a fisher or a hunter. These tattoos of the adolescence is a passage into adulthood, a mark that a transformation occurred in their life. Another reason to get a tattoo would be after accomplishing a milestone in life, for instance after graduating college or high school, or succeeding in work and settling down in life. Usually in Samoa the men have tattoos from their waist down to the end of their knees. This is a long process of 1-2 weeks and Samoans would need a tattoo to enter a chiefs' house. After getting this full body tattoo completed in Samoa you were believed to be a better man, like to be reborn.
Till today the art of tattoos by the Polynesians is a very spiritual process. The person receiving the tattoo usually does not tell the artist what he or she wants. The artist decides what is to be imprinted on each persons' skin based on where they want the tattoo and the reasoning for their tattoo. The artist allows the sketch pen to flow freely by what is believed to be the gods drawings. This is why the tattoos are known to be a spiritual form of art. Each artist has 2-3 men who help stretch the skin for an easier process. The skin stretchers are believed to help share and relieve the pain from the "patient" through their hands.
In Japan the art of tattoos were believed to start over fifteen hundred years ago. The earliest evidence of tattoos in Japan were on life size clay figurines sculpted after real people when they died. These tattoos were supposedly religious and magical in the after life to protect them from the unknown. In the middle ages Japanese government banned certain theaters, paintings, and dresses known as kimonos. Since these dresses and paintings were banned, the Japanese would tattoo their whole body known as body suits that were colorful tattoos that looked like the kimonos and the paintings. This body suit looked like clothes on a person, even though they were basically naked.
In 297 AD the Chinese saw these behaviors of the Japanese and in all of Chinese context, tattoos were always negative. During the seventh century most of the Chinese cultures were adopted by the Japan rulers. In a result of these rulers, the tattoo became a form of punishment instead of an art. In 720 AD was the first record of tattooing used as a punishment. After the sixth century tattooing was used to identify criminals and outcasts. Outcasts would be marked with a cross on their inner forearm, a straight line on either their outer forearm or upper arm. For criminals there were different symbols tattooed on their arms or sometimes forehead that symbolized where the crime was committed in Japan. For instance there were symbols of pictograph dogs, patterned bars, crosses, double lines, or circles that all depended on what area of Japan the crime took place in. Any tattoo till today on any part of your body, any picture, character or symbol is looked down upon in Japan. Family members find it dishonorable and the community makes it hard for someone with a tattoo to find a job and to live in Japan. Tattooing was the worst sort of punishment you could get for being an outcast or for committing a crime.
Today tattooing has changed in so many ways. There is only one needle and it is attached to a handheld tool that moves it up and down at a rate of several hundred vibrations per minute. This needle penetrates the skin about one millimeter deep and is electrical, which means no pounding by hand and a faster process. The tattoos today have fancier symbols, figures, and pictures than just the ancient geometric shapes and lines.
People still get body suits like the ancient Japanese but they are not displayed how the Japanese use to. People with tattoos in Japan are known to be the Yakuza, or the under ground gangs. People with Polynesian font phrases and the ancient symbols of Polynesians are usually the people who still have the Hawaiian, Tahitian, Tongan, or Samoan blood in them. There are tattoos of pictures, shapes, and phrases with meanings to their lives and their journeys. In Hawaii, tattoos are viewed harsher than how the ancient Hawaiians viewed tattoos. It used to be a norm, a gift, an honor to get a tattoo in the past, and today it is viewed as unnatural, a choice, and is looked down upon if you have a tattoo. Tattoos used to identify a persons' job and now it is harder to find a job with a tattoo. Tattoos would identify a persons' strength, honor, role in society, and now people just stereotype people with tattoos.
Another way tattoos have differed from the past is the ancient Polynesians had a tattoo called henna. The henna tattoo is the ink from an acidic plant that is pounded into the skin that lasts only six months to a year. This was a temporary tattoo used to mark the death of a loved one. Since today henna tattoos are not pounded in the skin, and only applied to the surface of the skin, they only last for a couple of months instead of six months to a year. There is now cosmetic tattoos like the eye liner, eye brows, and lip lining tattoos which is permanent make up.
Tattoos have spread to places all over the world. It is said to have started in the Polynesian triangle. To have a tattoo depends on the culture you live in. Everyone is different and will have a different reason for getting the type of picture, phrase, or symbol embedded in their skin. Some use this form of art as a helpful remember of a certain moment in their life of success or accomplishment, being a better person, having a better life, to remember another form of art, or represent respect of a loved one. The human body has become a permanent living canvas to artists not only of pictures and sketches but to help make the body beautiful, like permanent make up.
A picture is said to be worth a thousand words, and multiple permanent pictures on our body makes it easy for society to judge us. In the ancient days of Polynesia it would define who a person is and what they did, but since tattoos have come a long way in history, shouldn't we change and accept tattoos as a form of art again and not stereotype a person? Now the art of tattoos are frowned upon. A lot of tattoos are created by a person for their own reasons and not by the "artist" or the one who applies the tattoo. The "patients" are the artists now and all artists want is to be heard and when one sees this art displayed in such a bold way, people tend to turn a blind eye and disregard what people are trying to say. A tattoo starts off as an idea, a drawing, an emotion, and a picture, and instead of turning away at the sight of a bold statement, we should embrace it and accept what truly lies inside our minds, hearts, and skin.
_X__ Apr. 7- Intro to Paper #4: Read Guidelines for Paper #4: Literary Journalism
_X__ Apr. 11- Complete readings for paper #4: chap. 15
_L__ Apr. 15- Laulima Discussion #1.
_L__ Apr. 21- Laulima Discussion #2.
_L__ Apr. 29- RD4 due [50 pts] Review the guidelines.
_X__ May 2- Submit three RD4 evaluations. [50 pts] Review the guidelines.
_X__ May 4-9- FD4 due [150 pts] Review the guidelines.
Monday, May 9, 2011
Saturday, May 7, 2011
FD5 To Enter A Door, You Must Exit A Door.
Cara Kamehiro
May 6, 2011
FD5
To Enter A Door, You Must Exit A Door
Through a window, there are mountains in the distance and are surrounded by dark grey clouds. All around the window there is a yellow glow. Is it possible that this bright light glow surrounding the window is a huge light bulb that can hidden to many if they choose not to see it and look right through it? [Thesis] I am a victim of being blinded by this glow for nineteen years, but I am glad to say I retrieved my vision. [Thesis]
My older sister has a birth mark on her back in the shape of kissing lips. My mother told her that before she was brought into this world the angels kissed her good-bye and sent her to my mom. I was always jealous of that story so my mom would tell me that, “I was her sweet heart, angel who God sent and always heard whenever I prayed to him.” Of course I believed her because she was my mother but there was something else that drew me to the conclusion that I was an angel sent from God to help my mother. Whenever my mom needed to find parking, was stressed, or if she was ill I would always find myself sitting in my car seat or my bed with my hands together and my eyes closed. I never understood what I would say or even know what I was feeling, but all I remember was hearing this instinct inside my heart telling me what to say and do. Some would call this a gut feeling but I knew it was something else. For every time my eyes closed and my hands touched, I heard this little voice and every time it would tell me to say or do something it was right.
This little voice would tell me what to do and how to do things to please my mom and make her life just a little easier. I remember when I was 5 years old I could barely see the sink faucet if I tippy toed. That day my mom was feeling under the weather and I heard something tell me to wash the dishes. I never remembered any one telling me how to wash the dishes, or to grab a stool so I could reach the dishes at the bottom of the sink. I remember standing at the sink with a plate in my left hand and the soapy sponge in the other and my mother walking downstairs starring at me in shock. She said,"What are you doing? How did you know how to wash the dishes? Why are you washing the dishes?" And so fourth, it was almost like an out of body experience when I had these little voices guiding me what to do. I loved this feeling of accomplishment and the smile I seen on my moms face every time I did little things like this for her.
My family was the best one I could ever imagine, until the day my father left our family. My mom, sister, and I were very sad, as my mom told us the news in our brown Honda Accord car after a basketball heading home. I remembered that night, it was dark and rainy, almost as if a higher being knew that bad news was approaching in my life. So, I prayed to this higher being and being so impatient I never could find what blessing I was received as my father stepped out the front door. Than a couple years after my brother followed his footsteps right out the very same door, twice. I was such a confused little girl. I felt that this higher being who always helped me, guided me and was there for me, betrayed me and punished me for something that I never did. That was the day I lost faith in prayer. That was the last day I prayed as a little girl.
On the day of April 22, 2010, I started this amazing day by forgetting my phone in the car. The one day I needed it the most. I remember feeling lost with no way to call for a ride home or help to dodge the rain. I decided to walk home after class which was a normal thing for me to do. I walked out of the library and I saw bright sun shine. Than to my surprise it was raining, hard. Thought to myself, “Great, could my day get any better?” To kill some time hoping the rain would stop, I walked to the cafeteria to grab something to drink for my journey home. I paced down the white sidewalk next to "the great lawn" and I headed down towards the cafeteria, I noticed the clouds started to hold back the drops like someone catching their breath right before the tears flow down their face. One foot in the cafeteria, I turned to peek behind me and it poured cats and dogs for a good five minutes. I grabbed my drink and the next thing I noticed was the strangest thing, as I set foot out the door deciding to just suck it up and take the rain head on; the sun started to shine and the drops got lighter. Yes, maybe this walk will not be so bad after all.
As I left the campus, it meant beginning the journey of the two-mile walk home. I walked with my head bowed down to protect my eyes from the piercing raindrops, like how people in Japan say hello to each other. I remembered I cleared my mind and closed my eyes and I heard something tell me to look up. I heard the piercing raindrops fall to the ground and not pinching my skin anymore. There was like a force field surrounding me and protecting me from any harm around me. I saw what seemed to be a yellow aura bubble around me as the dark clouds and rain still pouring down. Dark clouds and rain drops were everywhere except for a quarter mile radius around me. I continued to float along the sidewalk that was soaking wet with the fallen raindrops that were shinning like the morning sunrise reflecting off the ocean.
I live in a valley, between two mountains on an island. When it rains there are stronger raindrops the closer I get to my house. I approach a bridge that shelters me for the time I am there. It was a good thing I got there in time as the rain poured down like a sheet of glass being shattered on cement, that would break through my bubble. Worrying out of my mind to step out of the shelter I had by the bridge I said, “Oh well, it is just rain and I am almost home, once there I can dry off quickly.” I tried to walk as fast as my slippery slippers could take me. I gradually picked up the pace and realized again that the yellow bubble still surrounded me. I decided I could walk a little slower so that I would not slip from my slippers. Finally, I arrived at my warm home. I felt completely weird as I stepped in my house and another glass shattered to the ground.
At home I realized when I left campus, I was saying in my head over and over, "Please don't rain on me." I heard a real faint voice inside telling me to go with my cousin to “bring a friend to church day” that coming Sunday. I always believed in a higher spiritual power, but never did I believe I would worship God. Even though I was always a believer in prayer, I always prayed like that little girl with no idea how to pray, who to pray to, but always with the hope she had. I have not prayed for anything drastic like answers for my father leaving or why I could not make my mother feel happy again, in a while.
Sunday rolled around the corner in a blink of an eye. That day the pastor talked about how Jesus had the heart to love everyone, even if they hated him. How Jesus found a strength in himself that allowed him to give his life happily by loving and forgiving everyone in his life. The pastor also talked about how we all can find this strength that Jesus had. He referred this strength to a cartoon of Popeye the sailor man. How Popeye found his strength from a can of spinach and how we can do extraordinary things if we found our “can of spinach.” The pastor also talked about how Jesus prayed for the little things, and that the little things make up the bigger picture in life. As soon as the pastor said, “prayer,” it clicked in my mind like a light bulb being switched on that ever since I was a little girl God has been with me.
I did not see the prayer of my fathers' absence being answered right than and there when I was a little girl because it was the little things that God blessed me with to make up for the bigger picture of my father’s absence in my life. The little things were the things that I have not been appreciating everyday. The family I have that loves me and cares for me and who will protect me from things in life like betrayal and pain. My family is like the bridge that sheltered me from the rainy day. The bridge that broke my yellow aura only to shelter me when the rain was too strong for a bubble to handle. Not having a father all these years, I could not see how God could take him away from me and my family and how hurt we were. Now I see how he has been my father all along guiding me and advising me, as a real good father should do making me stronger and giving me nothing but the best in my life. My Father up above has been my yellow bubble of sunshine, the light bulb always on that protects me and makes me stronger as a person, working with the bridge to shelter me as best they can. He is the yellow glow around that window that I would look through and not noticing the little things that made up that big picture. My birth father leaving me, God blessed me with him being my father figure who guided me to a better life. I can see clearly now the rain is gone, the light hidden by the window I looked through is now a window filled with the yellow light shinning on my journey through all the darkness ahead.
May 6, 2011
FD5
To Enter A Door, You Must Exit A Door
Through a window, there are mountains in the distance and are surrounded by dark grey clouds. All around the window there is a yellow glow. Is it possible that this bright light glow surrounding the window is a huge light bulb that can hidden to many if they choose not to see it and look right through it? [Thesis] I am a victim of being blinded by this glow for nineteen years, but I am glad to say I retrieved my vision. [Thesis]
My older sister has a birth mark on her back in the shape of kissing lips. My mother told her that before she was brought into this world the angels kissed her good-bye and sent her to my mom. I was always jealous of that story so my mom would tell me that, “I was her sweet heart, angel who God sent and always heard whenever I prayed to him.” Of course I believed her because she was my mother but there was something else that drew me to the conclusion that I was an angel sent from God to help my mother. Whenever my mom needed to find parking, was stressed, or if she was ill I would always find myself sitting in my car seat or my bed with my hands together and my eyes closed. I never understood what I would say or even know what I was feeling, but all I remember was hearing this instinct inside my heart telling me what to say and do. Some would call this a gut feeling but I knew it was something else. For every time my eyes closed and my hands touched, I heard this little voice and every time it would tell me to say or do something it was right.
This little voice would tell me what to do and how to do things to please my mom and make her life just a little easier. I remember when I was 5 years old I could barely see the sink faucet if I tippy toed. That day my mom was feeling under the weather and I heard something tell me to wash the dishes. I never remembered any one telling me how to wash the dishes, or to grab a stool so I could reach the dishes at the bottom of the sink. I remember standing at the sink with a plate in my left hand and the soapy sponge in the other and my mother walking downstairs starring at me in shock. She said,"What are you doing? How did you know how to wash the dishes? Why are you washing the dishes?" And so fourth, it was almost like an out of body experience when I had these little voices guiding me what to do. I loved this feeling of accomplishment and the smile I seen on my moms face every time I did little things like this for her.
My family was the best one I could ever imagine, until the day my father left our family. My mom, sister, and I were very sad, as my mom told us the news in our brown Honda Accord car after a basketball heading home. I remembered that night, it was dark and rainy, almost as if a higher being knew that bad news was approaching in my life. So, I prayed to this higher being and being so impatient I never could find what blessing I was received as my father stepped out the front door. Than a couple years after my brother followed his footsteps right out the very same door, twice. I was such a confused little girl. I felt that this higher being who always helped me, guided me and was there for me, betrayed me and punished me for something that I never did. That was the day I lost faith in prayer. That was the last day I prayed as a little girl.
On the day of April 22, 2010, I started this amazing day by forgetting my phone in the car. The one day I needed it the most. I remember feeling lost with no way to call for a ride home or help to dodge the rain. I decided to walk home after class which was a normal thing for me to do. I walked out of the library and I saw bright sun shine. Than to my surprise it was raining, hard. Thought to myself, “Great, could my day get any better?” To kill some time hoping the rain would stop, I walked to the cafeteria to grab something to drink for my journey home. I paced down the white sidewalk next to "the great lawn" and I headed down towards the cafeteria, I noticed the clouds started to hold back the drops like someone catching their breath right before the tears flow down their face. One foot in the cafeteria, I turned to peek behind me and it poured cats and dogs for a good five minutes. I grabbed my drink and the next thing I noticed was the strangest thing, as I set foot out the door deciding to just suck it up and take the rain head on; the sun started to shine and the drops got lighter. Yes, maybe this walk will not be so bad after all.
As I left the campus, it meant beginning the journey of the two-mile walk home. I walked with my head bowed down to protect my eyes from the piercing raindrops, like how people in Japan say hello to each other. I remembered I cleared my mind and closed my eyes and I heard something tell me to look up. I heard the piercing raindrops fall to the ground and not pinching my skin anymore. There was like a force field surrounding me and protecting me from any harm around me. I saw what seemed to be a yellow aura bubble around me as the dark clouds and rain still pouring down. Dark clouds and rain drops were everywhere except for a quarter mile radius around me. I continued to float along the sidewalk that was soaking wet with the fallen raindrops that were shinning like the morning sunrise reflecting off the ocean.
I live in a valley, between two mountains on an island. When it rains there are stronger raindrops the closer I get to my house. I approach a bridge that shelters me for the time I am there. It was a good thing I got there in time as the rain poured down like a sheet of glass being shattered on cement, that would break through my bubble. Worrying out of my mind to step out of the shelter I had by the bridge I said, “Oh well, it is just rain and I am almost home, once there I can dry off quickly.” I tried to walk as fast as my slippery slippers could take me. I gradually picked up the pace and realized again that the yellow bubble still surrounded me. I decided I could walk a little slower so that I would not slip from my slippers. Finally, I arrived at my warm home. I felt completely weird as I stepped in my house and another glass shattered to the ground.
At home I realized when I left campus, I was saying in my head over and over, "Please don't rain on me." I heard a real faint voice inside telling me to go with my cousin to “bring a friend to church day” that coming Sunday. I always believed in a higher spiritual power, but never did I believe I would worship God. Even though I was always a believer in prayer, I always prayed like that little girl with no idea how to pray, who to pray to, but always with the hope she had. I have not prayed for anything drastic like answers for my father leaving or why I could not make my mother feel happy again, in a while.
Sunday rolled around the corner in a blink of an eye. That day the pastor talked about how Jesus had the heart to love everyone, even if they hated him. How Jesus found a strength in himself that allowed him to give his life happily by loving and forgiving everyone in his life. The pastor also talked about how we all can find this strength that Jesus had. He referred this strength to a cartoon of Popeye the sailor man. How Popeye found his strength from a can of spinach and how we can do extraordinary things if we found our “can of spinach.” The pastor also talked about how Jesus prayed for the little things, and that the little things make up the bigger picture in life. As soon as the pastor said, “prayer,” it clicked in my mind like a light bulb being switched on that ever since I was a little girl God has been with me.
I did not see the prayer of my fathers' absence being answered right than and there when I was a little girl because it was the little things that God blessed me with to make up for the bigger picture of my father’s absence in my life. The little things were the things that I have not been appreciating everyday. The family I have that loves me and cares for me and who will protect me from things in life like betrayal and pain. My family is like the bridge that sheltered me from the rainy day. The bridge that broke my yellow aura only to shelter me when the rain was too strong for a bubble to handle. Not having a father all these years, I could not see how God could take him away from me and my family and how hurt we were. Now I see how he has been my father all along guiding me and advising me, as a real good father should do making me stronger and giving me nothing but the best in my life. My Father up above has been my yellow bubble of sunshine, the light bulb always on that protects me and makes me stronger as a person, working with the bridge to shelter me as best they can. He is the yellow glow around that window that I would look through and not noticing the little things that made up that big picture. My birth father leaving me, God blessed me with him being my father figure who guided me to a better life. I can see clearly now the rain is gone, the light hidden by the window I looked through is now a window filled with the yellow light shinning on my journey through all the darkness ahead.
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
RD4 One Thousand Words Equals Tatau
Cara Kamehiro
May 2, 2011
RD4
One Thousand Words Equals Tatau
A picture is worth a thousand words and actions speak louder than words. There are a bunch of different types of art from paintings, sculpture, photography, sketching and so on, but many might not consider tattooing to be a form of art. Tattoos date back in history for over a thousand years in each culture from the tiny islands in the pacific to the huge countries like China. Many cultures like Japanese and the Polynesians consider tattoos a form of art, and have been displaying this art for thousands of years. The art of tattoo and the tattoos itself is like a story of each persons journey of life, and a way of making the body "beautiful." The human body is an amazing work of art itself of evolution but who would have thought that this would be a canvas for artists around the world? A picture in someones' living room or bed room can define the whole room or even the whole house. [Thesis] A picture is worth a thousand words and if actions speak louder than words, is a tattoo a picture of a thousand words or an action that speaks louder than the picture? [Thesis]
Tattoos in Polynesia has been around since the 1400s, and was believed to be the start of this tattoo art. The word tattoo can be broken down into two parts, 'ta' which means striking something and the word 'tatau' which means to mark something. 'Tatau' is used in a lot of the little islands of Polynesia like Tahiti, Tonga, and Samoa, but the Hawaiians use the words 'kakau.' Another way of breaking down how the word tattoo came about is that 'tata' means repeatedly done by hand and 'u' means color, when the westerners came to Polynesia the word 'tatau' became tattoo. These Polynesian tattoos are not just for show, they define who you are, your role in society, what you do-like a job, battles you won, and people you killed in battles. These tribal tattoos are a sign of protection, and it was believed that the right tattoo would shield you from bodily harm and evil spirits. In Samoa tatau means honor, strength and virtue of Samoa, this is what they believe tattoos represent on their bodies. Polynesians used tools made by hand from the barbs of a fishes tail, birds' beak, or the boars' tooth. There are many different names for this tool like 'tapulu,' 'nefo,' and 'moli,' because Polynesia has different cultures their languages have different names for different things. In which ever language, this tool is the modern day needles that are 1-2 inches wide and has 30-40 teeth, today they use metal instead of bones of animals. This metal or bone is attached to a wooden stick for the handle. The needles are dipped in the ink made from the burnt soot of Kukui nuts are tapped into the skin by a stick called sausau by Samoans. These tattoos are believed to be received after a child goes through adolescence and becomes the man of the house taking on more responsibilities and more chores like work as a fisher or a hunter. These tattoos of the adolescence is a passage into adulthood, a mark that a transformation in your life occurred. Another reason to get a tattoo would be after accomplishing a milestone in life like after graduating college or high school, or succeeding in work and settling down in life. The person receiving the tattoo, usually does not tell the artist what he or she wants, but he desides based on the reasons why you want to get a tattoo and where you want it. The artist allows the sketch pen to flow freely by what just comes to him spiritually. Most of these tattoos are a symbol of a spiritual art. Usually in Samoa the men have tattoos from their waist down to the end of their knees, it is a long process of 1-2 weeks. You would need a tattoo to enter a chief's house, and after getting the full complete tattoo in Samoa you were believed to be a better man, like a rebirth.
In Japan the art of tattoos were believed to start over fifteen hundred years ago. The earliest evidence of tattoos in Japan were on life size clay figurines sculpted after real people after they died. These statues were tattooed to prepare this person to enter the spiritual unknown. These tattoos were supposedly religious and magical in the after life to protect them from the unknown. In the middle ages Japanese government banned certain theaters, paintings, and dresses known as kimonos. Since these dresses and paintings were banned, the Japanese would tattoo their whole body known as body suits that were colorful tattoos that looked like the kimonos and the paintings. In 297 AD the Chinese saw these behaviors of the Japanese and in all of Chinese context of tattoos were always negative. The body suits were only done on the men ranging of all different ages. During the seventh century most of the Chinese cultures were adopted by the Japan rulers and the tattoo became a form of punishment instead of an art. In 720 AD was the first record of tattooing used as a punishment. After the sixth century tattooing was used to identify criminals and outcasts. Outcasts would be marked with a cross on their inner forearm, a straight line on either their outer forearm or upper arm. For criminals the symbol tattooed on their arms or sometimes forehead were symbols of the different areas of Japan. For instance there were symbols of a pictograph of a dog, patterned bars, crosses, double lines, or circles all depended on what area of Japan the crime was committed. Any tattoo till today on any part of your body, any picture or symbol is looked down upon in Japan. Family members find it dishonorable and the community makes it hard for someone with a tattoo to find a job and to live in Japan. Tattooing was the worst sort of punishment you could get for being an outcast or for committing a crime.
Today tattooing has changed in so many ways. The needle is attached to a handheld tool that moves the needle up and down at a rate of several hundred vibrations per minute. This needle penetrates the skin about one millimeter deep and electrical, which means no pounding by hand. The tattoos today have fancier symbols, figures, and pictures than just the ancient geometric shapes and lines. People still do body suits like the ancient Japanese, but in Japan it is still frowned upon to have any sort of tattoo. People with tattoos in Japan are known to be the Yakuza, or the under ground gangs. People with Polynesian font phrases and the ancient symbols of Polynesians are usually the people who still have the Hawaiian, Tahitian, Tongan, or Samoan blood in them. There are tattoos of pictures, shapes, and phrases with meanings to their lives and their journeys. In Hawaii, tattoos are viewed harsher than the ancient Hawaiians seen tattoos. It used to be a norm, a gift, an honor to get a tattoo in the past, and today you get might not be allowed a job if you have tattoos. Society has changed a lot from the ancient times and like Japan tattoos in Hawaii are not as exposed on the body as they used to be. Nowadays there is a tattoo called Henna that is a tattoo that only lasts for about a month or two. In the ancient Polynesian days the henna tattoo is the ink from an acidic plant that is pounded into the skin that lasts only six months to a year. Since today henna tattoos are not pounded in the skin, and only applied to the surface of the skin they only last for a couple of months. There is now cosmetic tattoos like the eye liner, eye brows, and lip lining tattoos which are just like permanent make up.
Tattoos have spread to places all over the world. It is said to have started in the Polynesian triangle, and to have a tattoo depends on the culture you live in. Everyone is different and will have a different reason for getting the type of tattoo, picture, phrase, symbol embedded in their skin. Some use this form of art to remember a certain moment in their life of success or accomplishment, help them remind themselves of a better life, help remind them to be their better self, remember another form of art, or represent respect of a loved one. The human body has become a permanent living canvas to artists not only of pictures and sketches but to help make the body beautiful, like permanent make up. A picture is said to be worth a thousand words, and multiple permanent pictures on our body gives society a thousand reasons to judge us as now an art of tattoos are frowned upon. Artists want to be heard and when one sees this art displayed in such a bold way, people tend to turn a blind eye and disregard what people are trying to say. A tattoo starts off as an idea, a drawing, an emotion, and a picture, instead of turning away at the sight of a bold statement, we should embrace it and accept what truly lies inside our minds, hearts, and skin.
May 2, 2011
RD4
One Thousand Words Equals Tatau
A picture is worth a thousand words and actions speak louder than words. There are a bunch of different types of art from paintings, sculpture, photography, sketching and so on, but many might not consider tattooing to be a form of art. Tattoos date back in history for over a thousand years in each culture from the tiny islands in the pacific to the huge countries like China. Many cultures like Japanese and the Polynesians consider tattoos a form of art, and have been displaying this art for thousands of years. The art of tattoo and the tattoos itself is like a story of each persons journey of life, and a way of making the body "beautiful." The human body is an amazing work of art itself of evolution but who would have thought that this would be a canvas for artists around the world? A picture in someones' living room or bed room can define the whole room or even the whole house. [Thesis] A picture is worth a thousand words and if actions speak louder than words, is a tattoo a picture of a thousand words or an action that speaks louder than the picture? [Thesis]
Tattoos in Polynesia has been around since the 1400s, and was believed to be the start of this tattoo art. The word tattoo can be broken down into two parts, 'ta' which means striking something and the word 'tatau' which means to mark something. 'Tatau' is used in a lot of the little islands of Polynesia like Tahiti, Tonga, and Samoa, but the Hawaiians use the words 'kakau.' Another way of breaking down how the word tattoo came about is that 'tata' means repeatedly done by hand and 'u' means color, when the westerners came to Polynesia the word 'tatau' became tattoo. These Polynesian tattoos are not just for show, they define who you are, your role in society, what you do-like a job, battles you won, and people you killed in battles. These tribal tattoos are a sign of protection, and it was believed that the right tattoo would shield you from bodily harm and evil spirits. In Samoa tatau means honor, strength and virtue of Samoa, this is what they believe tattoos represent on their bodies. Polynesians used tools made by hand from the barbs of a fishes tail, birds' beak, or the boars' tooth. There are many different names for this tool like 'tapulu,' 'nefo,' and 'moli,' because Polynesia has different cultures their languages have different names for different things. In which ever language, this tool is the modern day needles that are 1-2 inches wide and has 30-40 teeth, today they use metal instead of bones of animals. This metal or bone is attached to a wooden stick for the handle. The needles are dipped in the ink made from the burnt soot of Kukui nuts are tapped into the skin by a stick called sausau by Samoans. These tattoos are believed to be received after a child goes through adolescence and becomes the man of the house taking on more responsibilities and more chores like work as a fisher or a hunter. These tattoos of the adolescence is a passage into adulthood, a mark that a transformation in your life occurred. Another reason to get a tattoo would be after accomplishing a milestone in life like after graduating college or high school, or succeeding in work and settling down in life. The person receiving the tattoo, usually does not tell the artist what he or she wants, but he desides based on the reasons why you want to get a tattoo and where you want it. The artist allows the sketch pen to flow freely by what just comes to him spiritually. Most of these tattoos are a symbol of a spiritual art. Usually in Samoa the men have tattoos from their waist down to the end of their knees, it is a long process of 1-2 weeks. You would need a tattoo to enter a chief's house, and after getting the full complete tattoo in Samoa you were believed to be a better man, like a rebirth.
In Japan the art of tattoos were believed to start over fifteen hundred years ago. The earliest evidence of tattoos in Japan were on life size clay figurines sculpted after real people after they died. These statues were tattooed to prepare this person to enter the spiritual unknown. These tattoos were supposedly religious and magical in the after life to protect them from the unknown. In the middle ages Japanese government banned certain theaters, paintings, and dresses known as kimonos. Since these dresses and paintings were banned, the Japanese would tattoo their whole body known as body suits that were colorful tattoos that looked like the kimonos and the paintings. In 297 AD the Chinese saw these behaviors of the Japanese and in all of Chinese context of tattoos were always negative. The body suits were only done on the men ranging of all different ages. During the seventh century most of the Chinese cultures were adopted by the Japan rulers and the tattoo became a form of punishment instead of an art. In 720 AD was the first record of tattooing used as a punishment. After the sixth century tattooing was used to identify criminals and outcasts. Outcasts would be marked with a cross on their inner forearm, a straight line on either their outer forearm or upper arm. For criminals the symbol tattooed on their arms or sometimes forehead were symbols of the different areas of Japan. For instance there were symbols of a pictograph of a dog, patterned bars, crosses, double lines, or circles all depended on what area of Japan the crime was committed. Any tattoo till today on any part of your body, any picture or symbol is looked down upon in Japan. Family members find it dishonorable and the community makes it hard for someone with a tattoo to find a job and to live in Japan. Tattooing was the worst sort of punishment you could get for being an outcast or for committing a crime.
Today tattooing has changed in so many ways. The needle is attached to a handheld tool that moves the needle up and down at a rate of several hundred vibrations per minute. This needle penetrates the skin about one millimeter deep and electrical, which means no pounding by hand. The tattoos today have fancier symbols, figures, and pictures than just the ancient geometric shapes and lines. People still do body suits like the ancient Japanese, but in Japan it is still frowned upon to have any sort of tattoo. People with tattoos in Japan are known to be the Yakuza, or the under ground gangs. People with Polynesian font phrases and the ancient symbols of Polynesians are usually the people who still have the Hawaiian, Tahitian, Tongan, or Samoan blood in them. There are tattoos of pictures, shapes, and phrases with meanings to their lives and their journeys. In Hawaii, tattoos are viewed harsher than the ancient Hawaiians seen tattoos. It used to be a norm, a gift, an honor to get a tattoo in the past, and today you get might not be allowed a job if you have tattoos. Society has changed a lot from the ancient times and like Japan tattoos in Hawaii are not as exposed on the body as they used to be. Nowadays there is a tattoo called Henna that is a tattoo that only lasts for about a month or two. In the ancient Polynesian days the henna tattoo is the ink from an acidic plant that is pounded into the skin that lasts only six months to a year. Since today henna tattoos are not pounded in the skin, and only applied to the surface of the skin they only last for a couple of months. There is now cosmetic tattoos like the eye liner, eye brows, and lip lining tattoos which are just like permanent make up.
Tattoos have spread to places all over the world. It is said to have started in the Polynesian triangle, and to have a tattoo depends on the culture you live in. Everyone is different and will have a different reason for getting the type of tattoo, picture, phrase, symbol embedded in their skin. Some use this form of art to remember a certain moment in their life of success or accomplishment, help them remind themselves of a better life, help remind them to be their better self, remember another form of art, or represent respect of a loved one. The human body has become a permanent living canvas to artists not only of pictures and sketches but to help make the body beautiful, like permanent make up. A picture is said to be worth a thousand words, and multiple permanent pictures on our body gives society a thousand reasons to judge us as now an art of tattoos are frowned upon. Artists want to be heard and when one sees this art displayed in such a bold way, people tend to turn a blind eye and disregard what people are trying to say. A tattoo starts off as an idea, a drawing, an emotion, and a picture, instead of turning away at the sight of a bold statement, we should embrace it and accept what truly lies inside our minds, hearts, and skin.
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