July 16, 2014--Tatts

"When I was in the Coast Guard," Al said in answer to me, "which was a long time ago, and we were in port, the older guys would get the kids right off the farms drunk and then take them to tattoo parlors and get them an anchor or heart with MOM inked on their arms. When they came to they were men."

"But what about you? You have that amazing tiger tattooed on your arm and had it done only a few years ago. What were you thinking? Why did you do it? I mean it's beautiful and all that."

"I'd been thinking about it for years and nobody had to get me liquored up to get it done."

"I assumed that but I'm trying to understand why so many people, very much including girls and women, are getting tattooed. So I thought, why . . . ?"

He smiled, "I just liked the idea and how it looks." He pulled up his sleeve and the crouching tiger, in vivid colors, slowly emerged.

Al clearly wasn't in an introspective mood, but I kept trying, "My whole thing about tattoos is because of something that popped up on my MSN homepage. I think it's programmed to report gossip, which I confess to enjoying. There was a story about Rihanna getting another tattoo. I think it's at least her 19th, if you can believe that. I admit I was intrigued why someone as beautiful as she would have tattoos all over her body, including, the piece said, a huge image of the goddess Isis on her chest with her wings extended under each of her breasts. She needs that?"

"I read about that too," Al chuckled, "It's apparently a tribute to her grandmother who died recently."

"Some tribute," Rona chimed in, "though in Greek mythology she is considered the ideal mother and protectoress. So I get the Isis thing but not the disfiguring tattoo. I guess that tells you how I think about the whole thing. Tattoos."

Sitting at the counter of the diner were a couple of young women, maybe in their early 20s, both with tattoos visible on their backs and arms. I wondered how many more might be hidden from view. I had too much caffeine in my bloodstream and called out to them. "Can I ask you something?"

Both women swiveled towards us. "You mean us?"

"Yes," I said. "Forgive me for being personal but I'm writing something about tattoos, about why so many young people get them. Could you . . .?"

"Sure," the woman on the left said, who had a large bird tattooed on her back with its tail feathers wrapping around to the front of her right arm. "I wanted something that would distinguish me. You know, something that would stand out. Be unique."

"If I may?" I said.

"Sure," she said, "Anything. I'm cool to talk about this."

"There's a lot that's unique about you without needing a tattoo. Your face, for example. Unless you have an identical twin no one else in the world of seven billion people looks like you. Or, for that matter, sounds like you, has thoughts like you, has . . ."

"I get your point," she cut me off.

But I pressed on, "No one else has had the experiences you've had. So why do that bird and any others you may have make you unique?"

"You have a point. But it's also body art. A way to express my creativity."

"But couldn't you do that on paper? On canvas? Sculpt, paint, draw, take photographs?"

"I could and I do. I feel I'm a very creative person and I guess I want to put my creativity on display."

"I get that. I respect that. But what happens if ten years from now you feel you made a mistake? They're permanent, no?"

"Basically, yes. You can get them sort of lasered off. But that costs a fortune. Maybe if ten years from now I want them removed there'll be an easier way to do it."

"And cheaper," her friend said, smiling broadly.

"The same is true for you?" I asked, looking at the bouquet of flowers on her shoulder.

She kept smiling and nodded. And then they both swung around to finish their breakfasts.

Later in the day I did a little research about what people say about being tattooed.

Rihanna herself says, "I am so intrigued by tattoos. It's an entire culture, and I study it."

Intrigued indeed and she's also right about it being an "entire culture." Many tribal people routinely are tattooed or painted as a way to mark them as a part of a tribe or member of a religion or sect. Also to delineate their social status or, as in India, their caste or marital status. So people now who think of themselves as tribal or members of a world culture or indigenous religion may get tattooed as a way of connecting them to, to them, more authentic, less hybrid cultures.

Tattoos have also been used to stigmatize people. Criminals, for example, in the Western world until the last century were often tattooed on the face to warn others of their potential to do harm. As a way to offset and undermine this, imprisoned criminals, on their own frequently will tattoo themselves as a way of flaunting their outlaw status. Gangsta rappers, as a show of solidarity and to proclaim their own toughness and authenticity, are frequently extensively tattooed.

Gang members, to tag themselves as members of the Bloods or Crips have certain symbols tattooed on they bodies. As a right of passage.

Some young people, also to demonstrate their "badness," emulate prisoners by getting tattoos similar to the ones common in prisons.

And of course tattoos can be expressions of undying love. Though their permanence can be a problem when relationships sour and love turns to animosity.

Then of course, in Nazi Germany, Jews in concentration camps were tattooed on their arms to identify them as Jews and, in the unlikely case they were able to escape, could be easily identified and sent back directly to the gas chambers. So some, who know that history, may be showing solidarity with the persecuted.

This is a long way from Al's tiger or the women's tattooed bird and flowers. But perhaps, as Rihanna said, even these benign and decorative tatts connect them to this "entire culture."