TATTOOIST INTERVIEWOne thing we're noticing
in the UK is that some
traditional tattooed
images are being seen as
potentially problematic –
Indian heads for
example. Is that
happening in the US too?
I don’t hear much about tattoo
imagery being a problem. I
mean, Native Americans were
put in such a horrible position;
their culture was completely
beaten and stripped down. So
it's an emotive subject. But I
think the imagery is really
beautiful and maybe there to
be celebrated. The more you
know about the culture, the
more appreciative your tattoo
can be – for example if you
know about types of headdress
or the animals that might have
been worn. Geographical
knowledge about tribes also
helps to make a more correct
tattoo. But I think people
mainly just like the imagery –
and that’s not just in the US,
but all over the world. When I
first came to Europe I was very
surprised by the number of
people wanting Native
American girl heads, but I
think that’s because it was
something new. It's just like the
popularity of Day of the Dead
designs. That imagery is
celebrated all over the world
because it’s so different and
unique. The classics will always
stay classic.