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The Symbolism Of Having A Tattoo In Nigeria. - Culture - Nairaland

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The Symbolism Of Having A Tattoo In Nigeria. by ournaijablog(f): 10:04pm On Mar 25, 2016
The symbolism of having a tattoo in Nigeria.

What has your tattoo been associated with? It’s different for everyone right? I have been asked are you a cultist? Why a dragon? No man will ever marry you, having a tattoo doesn’t make you look decent bla bla bla, the list goes on and on and on and on.

I have told people severally, a tattoo is a form of art which represents people’s feelings either at a particular time in their life, an experience they do not want to forget or how they want to be seen. People have drawn the faces of relatives, lost love one’s, present love one’s, their parents, sister’s, brother’s, and so on.

Image result for nigerians with tattoosImage result for nigerians with tattoosImage result for nigerians with tattoos

Tattooing has been practiced across the globe since at least Neolithic times, In Egypt the majority of tattoos were found on women, indicating status. They also used tattoos for healing, religion, and as a form of punishment.

Tattoos were probably also used in ancient medicine as part of the treatment of the patient. In 1898, Daniel Fouquet, a medical doctor of Cairo, wrote an article on "medical tattooing" practices in Ancient Egypt, in which he describes the tattooed markings on the female mummies found at the Deir el-Bahari site. He speculated that the tattoos and other scarifications observed on the bodies may have served a medicinal or therapeutic purpose.

In Nigeria having a tattoo has branded you an outcast; you are seen as indecent or irresponsible and shouldn’t be taken serious even though you IQ may be off the roof loll, how shallow can we be?. I read an article once about a Youngman who went for an interview and passed all stages because he had a tattoo he wasn’t offered the job, well now do you see my point?

Have we all heard about the Danish woman Anjan Ringgren Loven with tattoos all over her body? I am very sure we all have and ofcourse we know what she does and how much of a great woman she is Godbless her soul, her helping all those kids and doing other charitable works. Why has no one rejected help from her because she has tattoos all over her body? Why has no one rejected money or help from celebrities because they have tattoos all over their body? Like I said we are a hypocritical lot, if it doesn’t favor us we want no part in it. Once again a tattoo is a form of expressional art.



Do we not know as Africans that tattoo originated from Africa? And having a tattoo on your body has a symbolic meaning? I have seen tattoos on a body which quoted scriptures or poem, feelings and words which cannot be said but can be expressed through Arts, of course some people still disagree tattoos aren’t Art. Our ancestors had tattoos all over their body, they used tattoos to dignify class and status, Oh Africa! how have we forgotten our cultures and the basis of our traditions?.



In the west, early Britons used tattoos in ceremonies. The Danes, Norse, and Saxons tattooed family crests (a tradition still practiced today. Tattoos have always had an important role in ritual and tradition. In Borneo, women tattooed their symbols on their forearm indicating their particular skill. If a woman wore a symbol indicating she was a skilled weaver, her status as prime marriageable material was increased. Tattoos around the wrist and fingers were believed to ward away illness. Throughout history tattoos have signified membership in a clan or society. It has been believed that the wearer of an image calls the spirit of that image. The ferocity of a tiger would belong to the tattooed person. That tradition holds true today shown by the proliferation of images of tigers, snakes, and bird of prey.

I do not know if it is just a Nigerian mentality, but having a tattoo should not automatically tag you a wayward person, a scum of society, a reject, an infidel, or the last option on the human food chain. People have tattoos for different reasons, like I have stated earlier get to know someone before judging from afar, before you refuse them that job opportunity why not give them a trial, before you call that girl a prostitute because she has tattoos crested on her body have you gotten to know her personally, like I said in my article about Gayism Africans are really a hypocritical lot, they would rather hail a pretender, a criminal or rather a pedophile than someone who’s real and isn’t ashamed of who they are and what they represent.



I am Isabella Ibeji and I have tattoos on me, it is symbolic and wasn’t drawn because I got nothing else to do, it is a representation of how I feel and felt at the moment I had it and a personality I wanted to be associated with, if you feel disturbed and threatened by it then you are the one who’s got a problem.

Isabella Ibeji

Cant paste much pictures here but you can visit my blog

https://ournaijablog./2016/03/25/the-symbolism-of-having-a-tattoo-in-nigeria/

Thanks

Re: The Symbolism Of Having A Tattoo In Nigeria. by Isaacmacdon(m): 10:23pm On Mar 25, 2016
The reason I decided to comment is because I sense a lost soul dat needs retribution... Wakeup before its too late.. That form of art has lead many to eternal death.. Go n read ur bible cos its obvious u r lost in iniquity..
Re: The Symbolism Of Having A Tattoo In Nigeria. by Tocheagle(m): 10:27pm On Mar 25, 2016
¤
Re: The Symbolism Of Having A Tattoo In Nigeria. by ournaijablog(f): 12:42am On Mar 26, 2016
Isaacmacdon:
The reason I decided to comment is because I sense a lost soul dat needs retribution... Wakeup before its too late.. That form of art has lead many to eternal death.. Go n read ur bible cos its obvious u r lost in iniquity..
lost soul? Lol

2 Likes

Re: The Symbolism Of Having A Tattoo In Nigeria. by 1shortblackboy: 1:02am On Mar 26, 2016
ournaijablog:
lost soul? Lol
what do u think about the place in d bible that says we should not mAke markings on our bodies
Re: The Symbolism Of Having A Tattoo In Nigeria. by Nobody: 3:23am On Mar 26, 2016
Isaacmacdon:
The reason I decided to comment is because I sense a lost soul dat needs retribution... Wakeup before its too late.. That form of art has lead many to eternal death.. Go n read ur bible cos its obvious u r lost in iniquity..
Sarcasm. Very evident.
Re: The Symbolism Of Having A Tattoo In Nigeria. by Nobody: 3:31am On Mar 26, 2016
Honestly I like tattoos especially sleeve ones; they've a way of making even the skinniest most-effeminate of males look like a total badass. Sadly I'm in a country that discourages bodily markings of any sort. I also fear getting tired and maybe disgusted of the patterns later in life.

If you've a tattoo more grease to your elbow; you're a brave individual. Our African mentality holds us back in more ways than one. I'm also very sure deeply-conservative Caucasians view tattoos the same way Africans do, don't forget it's from their religion our hatred of bodily markings stem from.

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Re: The Symbolism Of Having A Tattoo In Nigeria. by 124mumsy: 4:52am On Mar 26, 2016
Mr man pls in Nigeria we have our culture, it was never build on this ground, if you find it nice and accommodating u can draw them on your children, but it is never our ways and we can never find them interesting no matter your education on this subject, pls endeavor to attend deliverance class for further knowledge and side effects.
Re: The Symbolism Of Having A Tattoo In Nigeria. by 124mumsy: 4:56am On Mar 26, 2016
charix:
Honestly I like tattoos especially sleeve ones; they've a way of making even the skinniest most-effeminate of males look like a total badass. Sadly I'm in a country that discourages bodily markings of any sort. I also fear getting tired and maybe disgusted of the patterns later in life.

If you've a tattoo more grease to your elbow; you're a brave individual. Our African mentality holds us back in more ways than one. I'm also very sure deeply-conservative Caucasians view tattoos the same way Africans do, don't forget it's from their religion our hatred of bodily markings stem from.


your life, your body, your choice be decisive sycophant
Re: The Symbolism Of Having A Tattoo In Nigeria. by ournaijablog(f): 10:52am On Mar 26, 2016
1shortblackboy:
what do u think about the place in d bible that says we should not mAke markings on our bodies
Wah do you think about the place in the bible which is against fornication?
Re: The Symbolism Of Having A Tattoo In Nigeria. by ournaijablog(f): 10:53am On Mar 26, 2016
124mumsy:
Mr man pls in Nigeria we have our culture, it was never build on this ground, if you find it nice and accommodating u can draw them on your children, but it is never our ways and we can never find them interesting no matter your education on this subject, pls endeavor to attend deliverance class for further knowledge and side effects.
I am a woman lol not a man and our hypocrisy is gonna be our downfall in this country
Re: The Symbolism Of Having A Tattoo In Nigeria. by 1shortblackboy: 12:04pm On Mar 26, 2016
ournaijablog:

Wah do you think about the place in the bible which is against fornication?
I think anyone who has sex outside of marriage is committing a sin because its there in the bible. So now answer my previous question
Re: The Symbolism Of Having A Tattoo In Nigeria. by ournaijablog(f): 1:13pm On Mar 26, 2016
1shortblackboy:
I think anyone who has sex outside of marriage is committing a sin because its there in the bible. So now answer my previous question
You think? Do you also know that was in the old testament? Why when we want to look for faults we revert back to the old testament why don't we talk about the new testament where jesus gave only 2 commandments
Love ye thy neighbours
Spread my gospel
Tattoos are symbolic arts of expression our ancestors had It are you saying they all went to hell?
Re: The Symbolism Of Having A Tattoo In Nigeria. by Nobody: 2:48pm On Mar 26, 2016
ournaijablog:

You think? Do you also know that was in the old testament? Why when we want to look for faults we revert back to the old testament why don't we talk about the new testament where jesus gave only 2 commandments
Love ye thy neighbours
Spread my gospel
Tattoos are symbolic arts of expression our ancestors had It are you saying they all went to hell?
Leave them. That's why black Africans don't progress while the white people who created the religion and abandoned it keep inventing and innovating daily. An environment of hypocrites would lock you in a box where you'd find it very difficult to meet your full potential in life. Take your observation and keep it moving.

our hypocrisy is gonna be our downfall in this country

1 Like

Re: The Symbolism Of Having A Tattoo In Nigeria. by datGuyJoo: 10:26pm On Apr 25, 2016
Interesting. Everyone up in arms over tattoos because it's not our culture and it's not in the holy books?!

But our culture is okay with the pics below.
Funny how when it suits us we claim culture and when it doesnt we claim religion.
Which one came first? Culture or religion, i digress





[img]http://2.bp..com/-zFJXaWwUThU/UK956oAuQKI/AAAAAAAAAIo/iKJ8SKUUkxk/s320/Tribal%2BMark.jpg[/img]

www.nairaland.com/attachments/1987564_tumblrn99r8aacvx1ruwm6no1500_jpege8ced015d4bf87ccf7973b749d4b8ef3

3 Likes

Re: The Symbolism Of Having A Tattoo In Nigeria. by Nobody: 4:44pm On Apr 27, 2016
ournaijablog:
The symbolism of having a tattoo in Nigeria.

What has your tattoo been associated with? It’s different for everyone right? I have been asked are you a cultist? Why a dragon? No man will ever marry you, having a tattoo doesn’t make you look decent bla bla bla, the list goes on and on and on and on.

I have told people severally, a tattoo is a form of art which represents people’s feelings either at a particular time in their life, an experience they do not want to forget or how they want to be seen. People have drawn the faces of relatives, lost love one’s, present love one’s, their parents, sister’s, brother’s, and so on.

Image result for nigerians with tattoosImage result for nigerians with tattoosImage result for nigerians with tattoos

Tattooing has been practiced across the globe since at least Neolithic times, In Egypt the majority of tattoos were found on women, indicating status. They also used tattoos for healing, religion, and as a form of punishment.

Tattoos were probably also used in ancient medicine as part of the treatment of the patient. In 1898, Daniel Fouquet, a medical doctor of Cairo, wrote an article on "medical tattooing" practices in Ancient Egypt, in which he describes the tattooed markings on the female mummies found at the Deir el-Bahari site. He speculated that the tattoos and other scarifications observed on the bodies may have served a medicinal or therapeutic purpose.

In Nigeria having a tattoo has branded you an outcast; you are seen as indecent or irresponsible and shouldn’t be taken serious even though you IQ may be off the roof loll, how shallow can we be?. I read an article once about a Youngman who went for an interview and passed all stages because he had a tattoo he wasn’t offered the job, well now do you see my point?

Have we all heard about the Danish woman Anjan Ringgren Loven with tattoos all over her body? I am very sure we all have and ofcourse we know what she does and how much of a great woman she is Godbless her soul, her helping all those kids and doing other charitable works. Why has no one rejected help from her because she has tattoos all over her body? Why has no one rejected money or help from celebrities because they have tattoos all over their body? Like I said we are a hypocritical lot, if it doesn’t favor us we want no part in it. Once again a tattoo is a form of expressional art.



Do we not know as Africans that tattoo originated from Africa? And having a tattoo on your body has a symbolic meaning? I have seen tattoos on a body which quoted scriptures or poem, feelings and words which cannot be said but can be expressed through Arts, of course some people still disagree tattoos aren’t Art. Our ancestors had tattoos all over their body, they used tattoos to dignify class and status, Oh Africa! how have we forgotten our cultures and the basis of our traditions?.



In the west, early Britons used tattoos in ceremonies. The Danes, Norse, and Saxons tattooed family crests (a tradition still practiced today. Tattoos have always had an important role in ritual and tradition. In Borneo, women tattooed their symbols on their forearm indicating their particular skill. If a woman wore a symbol indicating she was a skilled weaver, her status as prime marriageable material was increased. Tattoos around the wrist and fingers were believed to ward away illness. Throughout history tattoos have signified membership in a clan or society. It has been believed that the wearer of an image calls the spirit of that image. The ferocity of a tiger would belong to the tattooed person. That tradition holds true today shown by the proliferation of images of tigers, snakes, and bird of prey.

I do not know if it is just a Nigerian mentality, but having a tattoo should not automatically tag you a wayward person, a scum of society, a reject, an infidel, or the last option on the human food chain. People have tattoos for different reasons, like I have stated earlier get to know someone before judging from afar, before you refuse them that job opportunity why not give them a trial, before you call that girl a prostitute because she has tattoos crested on her body have you gotten to know her personally, like I said in my article about Gayism Africans are really a hypocritical lot, they would rather hail a pretender, a criminal or rather a pedophile than someone who’s real and isn’t ashamed of who they are and what they represent.



I am Isabella Ibeji and I have tattoos on me, it is symbolic and wasn’t drawn because I got nothing else to do, it is a representation of how I feel and felt at the moment I had it and a personality I wanted to be associated with, if you feel disturbed and threatened by it then you are the one who’s got a problem.

Isabella Ibeji

Cant paste much pictures here but you can visit my blog

https://ournaijablog./2016/03/25/the-symbolism-of-having-a-tattoo-in-nigeria/

Thanks






Why would you have tattoos and have them on display during a job interview, that's just dumb. I have 3 tattoos, and they are not negatively affecting my career. They are in places that can easily be concealed.
Re: The Symbolism Of Having A Tattoo In Nigeria. by macof(m): 9:41pm On Apr 27, 2016
124mumsy:
Mr man pls in Nigeria we have our culture, it was never build on this ground, if you find it nice and accommodating u can draw them on your children, but it is never our ways and we can never find them interesting no matter your education on this subject, pls endeavor to attend deliverance class for further knowledge and side effects.


in Nigerian cultures tattoo is very much a part of them
the whites came told us tattoos are bad, we foolishly stopped and they took it up

1 Like

Re: The Symbolism Of Having A Tattoo In Nigeria. by macof(m): 9:42pm On Apr 27, 2016
Isaacmacdon:
The reason I decided to comment is because I sense a lost soul dat needs retribution... Wakeup before its too late.. That form of art has lead many to eternal death.. Go n read ur bible cos its obvious u r lost in iniquity..


Pls as you don't have tattoo. . who you epp?

2 Likes

Re: The Symbolism Of Having A Tattoo In Nigeria. by Depressedkidd: 10:43am On Nov 21, 2022
124mumsy:
Mr man pls in Nigeria we have our culture, it was never build on this ground, if you find it nice and accommodating u can draw them on your children, but it is never our ways and we can never find them interesting no matter your education on this subject, pls endeavor to attend deliverance class for further knowledge and side effects.
Bro tattoos were a part of Nigerian culture before the white men came. Stop claiming what you do not know. Make your research. Some of.you come and say this and that was not part of our culture but those things were very well part of our culture and only forgotten because we let the white man brainwash us and give us their religion.

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