Tribal Tattoos

In the 1990s and the early 2000s, getting a tribal tattoo was an extremely popular fad. It's popularity slowly and eventually diluted it's symbolism and meaning. Most people would flock to their nearby tattoo parlor and be permanently marked with a tribal tattoo and not even know what it meant.

But what exactly does it mean when someone says they have a tribal tattoo? That actually depends on where that person is located, geographically. If they live in the Southwest United States they most likely mean Native American when they say tribal. If they live somewhere else in the world this could mean somewhere in the jungles of the Congo, or in the African bush. Tattooing is an art that has been performed for centuries throughout the cultures of the world. This makes it impossible to say one group of people's tattoos are tribal.

In the tattoo industry the word tribal is a bit misleading. It simply means a tattooing style inspired by Polynesian body art. If you are a Pacific Islander, than your idea of a tribal tattoo is the closest to being right.  Some people think that a tribal tattoo is more meaningful or closer to the roots of tattooing. The truth is no one really knows for sure. Although some people point to the fact that a tribal tattoo is solid black and this suggest it is pure and undiluted.

Is the tattooing industry trying to pull the wool over your eyes? Doubtful. But they should change the name to reflect that when they say tribal tattoo they mean a Polynesian inspired tattoo.  Tribal tattoos are thought to have some kind of mysterious or deep, symbolic meaning. The truth is that the mainstream, Polynesian based tattooing has no meaning except for the sentimental values that an individual places on it.

You should not be disappointed in your tribal tattoo. If you feel that you made a bad choice after getting your tattoo, think back to when you chose it. What drew you to that design? Whatever it was, it is still there, and will be a permanent part of you.  Do not regret your decision but rather love your tattoo for what it is and wear it with pride. If your tribal tattoo has meaning to you, such as it is in honor of a loved one or an event, when people ask about your tattoo, tell them what it means to you and why you chose it in the first place.