by Jennifer Smith

Created on: May 10, 2008

FREEDOM IN EXPRESSION

Prehistoric humans believed that the soul was guided by the spirit of another creature. This belief gave birth to the artistic expression of body art. They believed that the creature's soul guarded, gave safety, and led the human soul down the path of life. Body art later became an expression of social importance that symbolized a power or favor of a god.

Status became the chief reasoning for body art. Married women had different markings than single women. Hunters had art and chiefs donned elaborate expressions to represent their authority and power. Religious beliefs played a large role in the kind of body art that a person might have.

Some Americas believe that body art grew in popularity in the 1960s. In an effort to revolt against the formalism of society, as some "flower children" used body art to demonstrate the incompleteness of all kinds of art.

Today body art is still used in ancient practices to show tribal status. An example of this can be seen by the Surma of Ethiopia where young boys still use lip plates. In the Surma society the lip plates indicate how many cattle a man's family will receive from the bride's family when they are married. When the women were married they could then receive different tattoos which included symbols of prosperity and well being.

The world has been host to many different cultures using body art for all sort of things and meanings. Egyptians were tattooing themselves for decorative reasons back in the days of the pyramids'. The Chinese adopted the form around 2000 B.C. A man found in the Swiss mountains, who is said to have been a prehistoric human, had multiple tattoos on him. One of the most notorious uses of tattooing was in ancient China where the offender was marked with three lines on the forehead which formed the tattoo for dog. The term "dog" was used to refer to the third offense. In Japan, Yakuza, a Japanese crime syndicate has used full-bodied tattooing as a way of identifying a member or proving a member's commitment.

It was not until the Victorian Era that the modern tattoo machine was invented and patented. Explorers from the Victorian Era crossed over into primitive cultures and picked up the art of tattooing. Audiences would gather for exhibitions in Europe to show off the art form. Religious cultures have sought to put an end to the practice of tattooing and body piercing.

The term "tattoo," is a fairly modern term that was first used as and entry in British sea Captain James Cook's diary. The entry was dated from 1976. Tattoo is derived from the Polynesian/Samoan root word "tatu," and used as a verb that means "to strike." Today, yesterday, and forever more humans will seek to discover more and explore more of the natural cultural roots that have come to be a very common tradition in today's ever changing society.

Learn more about this author, Jennifer Smith.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.