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Tattoo - Amazing Tribal Arts 2 of 6

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Uploaded by on Jul 28, 2008

The word "tattoo" is a borrowing of the Samoan word tatau, meaning to mark or strike twice (the latter referring to traditional methods of applying the designs). The first syllable "ta", meaning "hand", is repeated twice as an onomatopoeic reference to the repetitive nature of the action, and the final syllable "U" translates to "color".[citation needed] The instrument used to pierce the skin in Polynesian tattooing is called a hahau, the syllable "ha" meaning to "strike or pierce".[citation needed] Still others attribute the modern word to the phrase used by The Polynesians. The word "tatao", which means "to tap" (whice goes along with the method they used of tapping the skin with the long metal instrument they used with a finely sharpened end. The OED gives the etymology of tattoo as "In 18th c. tattaow, tattow. From Polynesian (Tahitian, Samoan, Tongan, etc.) tatau. In Marquesan, tatu." The first closest known usage of the word in English was recorded in the diary of Captain James Cook in 1769 during his voyage to the Marquesas Islands. The text reads, "...they print signs on people's body and call this tattaw", referring to the Polynesian customs.[citation needed] Sailors on the voyage later introduced both the word and reintroduced the concept of tattooing to Europe.[1]] In Japanese the most common word used for traditional designs is, "Horimono". The traditional Japanese hand method is called, "Tebori". The word, "Irezumi," simply means, "insertion of ink," and could mean tattoos using Tebori, or Western style machine, (Or for that matter, any method of tattoing using insertion of ink). Japanese may use the word, "Tattoo," to mean non-Japanese styles. Tattoo enthusiasts may refer to tattoos as, "Tats," "Ink," "Art," or, "Work," and to tattooists as, "Artists". The latter usage is gaining greater support, with mainstream art galleries holding exhibitions of both traditional and custom tattoo designs. Copyrighted tattoo designs that are mass-produced and sold to tattoo artists are known as flash, a notable instance of industrial design. Flash sheets are prominently displayed in many tattoo parlors for the purpose of providing both inspiration and ready-made tattoo images to customers

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  • @DooReign yeah in new zealand we swear at teachers and just tell them we speaking Maori but we are still respectful to our culture as a Maori

  • @bmonz08 exactly how are gangs partly to thank for the survival of moko today?

  • My people, the Polynesians found America before Columbus, and the Vikings. So who is really the savage?

  • @bmonz08 i disagree about the maori being savage, if anyone on the planet were savages it was the white colonials.

  • @bmonz08 yea.. i wouldn't really know since i grew up in a little ass town with just Rasta Maori lol

  • @bmonz08.. If you take notice of the trends over the past 50years, moko became almost extinct. Modern Maori were too timid to get moko as it was shunned upon by NZ society as an outdated art form of a once savage race. Too few young men were interested and there were not many kaumatua left who had them. The mob used it as a way of holding on2 some sort of cultural identity while at the same time defying the norm within NZ society! Today most ppl only use tamoko as fashion statements!!!

  • @DevilKeyz.. I don't disagree with the disrespect and offence it causes to our Maoritanga.. non the less we must remember it's all apart of the times. It wasn't always easy for some of the youngsters of the 60/70's who were uprooted from their rural self sustaining communitites and thrown into oppressive urban societies where they were classed as scum from the get go. Loss of cultural identity was a major factor and in fact the gangs are partly to thank for the survival of moko today!

  • @bmonz08 yea, but the fact they are putting it with the tamoko, putting british bull dogs by tamoko is disgraceful.. i ain't preachin' no shit, im just stating, it maybe another tatt, but in the eyes of their ancestors its a disgrace.

  • @DevilKeyz.. they arn't ta moko, if it don't mean shit.. its just another tatt!! Mobsters knw that themselves so don't be preaching to me lol.

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