before any tattooing pattern was
initiated for a female client. The prayer
announced to the spirit which particular
design was to be applied, and asked for
the client to feel little pain and that the
tattooist make beautiful designs.”
Kayan women were extensively
tattooed on their hands, arms, feet, and
legs. One of the most powerful tattoo
motifs was the lukut, or bead design,
resembling a star. This powerful tattoo
was worn on the knuckles, wrists, or
forearms and was believed to keep
the soul from wandering away from its
human host.All but lost
The Mentawai of Siberut Island in
Indonesia live some 2,300 kilometres
west of Borneo, and are some of the
most profusely tattooed indigenous
people living today. The tattooing
customs of the Mentawai are closely
connected to their religious beliefs and
their concept of the soul. Keeping the
human soul in balance or harmony with
the spirits that govern the world is a
guiding principle in daily life. And oneway to keep it ‘close’ is by beautifying
the body with tattoos.
But Mentawai tattooing fulfills other
functions. It allows one’s ancestors to
recognise the deceased after death.
Tattoos also serve to distinguish clans
regionally, as each group employs
unique identifying patterns.
Traditionally, tattoos were applied
by a shaman (sikerei, translated as
‘one who has magic power’), but their
numbers are steadily declining. In
turn, Mentawai tattooing practices
are gradually being discarded. Some
youths complain that they cannot locate
experienced artists; others say because
Indonesia is an Islamic country,
tattooing is taboo given associations
with religious impurity and criminality.
“The younger generation no longer
want to get their bodies tattooed,”
says shaman Aman Lau Lau, who still
dons a traditional loin cloth. “They’ve
travelled to the end of the river, and
they’ve seen people wearing T-shirts,
shoes, and modern clothes. And they
want a modern lifestyle, too. So they are
leaving our tattoos behind.”Old Hands, New Ink
Thinking of getting a traditional-
style tattoo in Asia? Here are five
recommended tattoo artists who are
keeping their traditions alive.- Age Old Experience
Home to the world’s oldest practicing
tribal tattoo artist, this Kalinga village,
Buscalan, on the island of Luzon, is
set amidst ancient rice terraces with
commanding views of the Cordillera
Mountains with the Chico River Valley
below. At 97, Whang-Od Oggay and her
much younger tattoo apprentices Grace
and Ilyan apply various traditional
patterns through the traditional
technique of hand-tapping. You will
need to make the trek to the rustic
village, but many families operate
homestays for the intrepid visitor. - Preserving Tradition
Opened in 2016, Godna Gram, a
state-of-the-art tattoo studio and
research centre, was founded by one
of India’s most talented tattoo artists,
Moranngam Khaling (known as Mo
© Shutterstock/Gudkov Andrey
70 CULTURE