Body Art and Ornamentation Essays

Miner’s 1956 ‘Body Ritual Among the Nacirema’ is an account of a fictitious tribe which displays negative dispositions of the human body and how it is regarded as sick and hideous. Miner describes how the entire ritualistic practices of the Nacirema revolve around this core issue of the body and “an example of the extremes to which human behaviour can go” (Miner, 1956). Vanity and self-image are evident throughout the account, the “Nacirema” people are using body modification from the “holy-mouth man” and “medicine men” to alter their self- image. “The human body is so bland and unexciting… just as we possess no natural weapons or protective armour, so too must we resort to techniques of our own invention in order to be visually striking.” (Polhemus and Morenko, 2004). This suggests the body is central to the ‘I’ who speaks and it is also fundamental to how we are recognised by others. Sometimes aspects of the body only appear important to us when things go wrong but, hence the tribe’s continual visitation to these “medicine men” because as humans they are trying to modify their self-image.

Traditionally, tattoos were meant for sailors, soldiers, bikers and gangs. Along with several changes in the industrialized and technological society of the twenty-first century, the standard for getting body modifications have altered as well. Everyday, people are willing to get permanently marked as an individual choice rather than the customarily perception of belonging to a certain group. Tattoo and piercing shops are not seen as “the backstreet” of the commercial civilization today, it is somewhat an expected sight in all public places. Josie Appleton in “The Body

It is this sort of strictly prescribed, highly ritualistic decoration that Beckwith and Fisher depict in African ceremonies. “ We have tried to show how body art is relevant to every stage of development, from birth to death”, says Fisher. But while the traditional, often spiritually based versions of bod mod are quickly disappearing among indigenous peoples, the impulses behind personal adornment remain unchanged: attracting a mate, signaling status, declaring allegiance to a group( Lemonick 75). For men, the tattoo is a public identity symbol, and their first is usually on their arm. Women reserve their tattoo for a more intimate audience, and they usually choose their breast. For most, the tattoo is symbolic of their individuality and having withstood a painful and exciting event. Tattooees enjoy being noticed, although they reveal their tattoos selectively ( Davis 471). Anthropologists describe body art or modification as a way of identifying oneself as being a part of a group, a tribe, or a gang: of denoting one’s financial status or marital status: or even as a way of beautifying the body (Grief, Hewitt 368).

Body modifications have existed in our society for centuries and the way in which it is perceived has changed somewhat over the years. But certain stigmas still persists to this contemporary day. One such body modification is the act of inking or marking the skin: Tattooing. Like most body modifications, tattoos are an often misunderstood form of body modification. Despite the stigmas, tattoos have become a unique object of desire to diverse groups of people. But are the popular perceptions of tattoos out of synch with the true meaning behind them? This essay will explore the social and cultural practices of tattooing and the causal connection between the mind and the tattooed body. It will also explore why tattoos engender

Tattoos have been around throughout our history, from Egyptian times to the present day. Many people may say they know the history of tattoos, and where they originate from, but do they really? Does one know that there were reasons that some people had tattoos? There may be people who know the actual history of tattoos and body art and why one would decide to get one; however there are people who do not. To be able to understand the idea of tattoos, one should educate themselves to the history of tattoos. Although tattoos have been considered taboo and a stereotype, history reveals that this particular form of body art has been used for self expression, status and

Tattoos were not always used as therapeutic. In ancient China, tattoos were considered barbaric practice. Criminals were tattooed as a visible mark of

Different fashions will come in and out of style but people want to be able to stand out in their own manner showing the world how they express themselves. A common form of self-expression is by getting a piercing or tattoo, something that can set a person apart from the majority. Body piercings and tattoos on women at one time were unacceptable and distasteful in the United States. However over time women having assorted types of body art has become more acceptable in society. Today young women at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, use piercings and tattoos as a form of self-expression that is vastly encouraged by peers and social media. Each woman has a different reason for why they personally want a piercing or a tattoo but are there some factors that have influenced the college community of women as a whole?

The following is the summary of chapter 12 of the book named Written on the Body: The Tattoo in European and American History originally written by literature doctorate, Stephan Oettermann. The author is aimed to illustrate how the individuals get tattooed, entertained the people and displayed their life. Capturing, tattooing and displaying the savage individuals and having the voluntarily tattooed individuals had been the beginning of western tattooing in nineteen century. Being apart from a showman in performances, narrating biographies were one of the modes of display in the tattooed culture of the West.

An individual’s image is important when meeting somebody for the first time, an employer, family, peers, even strangers that a person might encounter while walking down the street can be judgmental. When are where did the world’s culture change with regards to tattoos? Tattoos were once considered a “rite of passage in some primitive cultures” (Johnson, Ileana, 2015), they were also linked to gang affiliations, military unity, “spirituality, devotion, religion, rewards and awards for bravery, amulets, talismans and security. Tattoos were also used as a symbol of punishments, being outcast, slavery and conviction” (A Brief History of Tattoos and Body Art, 2015). With shows like “LA Ink”, “Bad Ink, and “Miami Ink” body art is no longer looked as an offensive act but being used as a statement of freedom and worn by people of all ages from around the world.

In recent years tattooing and body piercing have become increasingly prevalent in popular culture. These forms of body modification are no longer tools used by criminals and gang member, showing their role in society. These practices are used by many of teenagers and young adults in our society today. In fact many of these practices have been a positive trend in American culture, giving adolescents a way of expressing themselves

Central Africa is home to many cultures and tribes that create beautiful art pieces and figures, one of those cultures being the Kingdom of the Kongo. A large portion of the Bakongo (another name for Kongo) people’s art pieces revolve around supernatural forces/magical figures. In this essay, I examine these magical objects/figures of the Bakongo people. I am able to do this by describing what objects/figures look like, presenting the ways in which they work, and explaining the changes or actions they intend to produce.

For centuries, humans around the world have been taking steps to alter their bodies. From foot binding and neck rings ear piercings or tattoos, the expansive list of human body modification practices shows that for one reason or another, every society has certain elements designed to purposefully change the structure of the human body.

The relative immaturity of today’s world has caused a great deal of calamity over certain issues. As an example, one main conflict has arisen between the general public of today and an artistic form that truly depicts the human body. This problem has arisen in museums of today, which by definitions are locations where objects of historical, scientific, artistic, or cultural importance are displayed. Nude photographs are appropriate, if not necessary in most museums of today because of their relative significance to our own backgrounds. Without going into too much detail, every facet of each human is different from that of another and neglecting that difference would be ignoring the artform that is the body. Due to the immaturity of today’s

Body modifications, with the focus of tattoos, have existed in our society for centuries and the way in which it is perceived has changed somewhat over the years, yet certain dishonors still remain our modern day. Like most body modifications, tattoos are an often misunderstood form of body modification. Despite the stigmas, tattoos have become a unique object of desire to endless diverse groups of people. But are the popular assumptions of tattoos out of sync with the true meaning behind them? Further explanation and exploration of the history will reveal the social and cultural practices of tattooing and the causal connection between the mind and the tattooed body, in addition to providing answers as to why tattoos stimulate uneasiness

Tattoos. Piercings. Colored hair. From the Bronze Age to Egypt, Japan, China, and other countries the appearance of body art has spread and has found its way throughout the world; brought to society today from culture, symbolism, and religion in ancient times. Many difficulties reside around the looks they give off in a place of professionalism. Though in modern day society body art is becoming more popular and uprising controversy of their presence in a workplace is becoming more of a problem. Body art is a beautiful way to express yourself and if people with it cannot show it off without consequences towards their careers is disappointing. A new law needs to be formed to protect those who have them from getting discriminated against or fired. For the younger generations are becoming more fond and interested in body art, while the older generations disapprove this uproar.