Tattoo as a Ceremony

Travelling on a flat plane can be disorientating, but travelling across a globe even more confusing, wouldn't you think? Anyhow, this is not the debate, the monologue here is about an argument I constantly and internally had when my dear birth mother commented to her margaritanese girlfriends, when I was at times invited to their Ubuntu inspired meet-ups, or community money-pool gatherings (I don't know how else to translate them from Indonesian), that -as proud a mother as she is, to her I am an attention-seeker. Although that is true (was mostly true at the time), a tattoo to me now is more than transforming my body into a canvas, rather, it is a ceremony.

It is a ritual - a personal time marker of a journey well walked or a turn took too soon - great or terrible things happened, those shortcuts or "wrong" turns turned out to bring light to a shady mental maze and alchemized into a proper life lesson. Yes, in most tribal communities around the world, a tattoo can be a symbol of some great significance to the village, and an initiation into another phase of one's life or a celebratory memory mark of one's accomplishments. There is much to say in mystical terms about each tattoo whether in the cosmopolitan scene or the outback bush and jungles of an untamed generational tree. There are a series of truly amazing books by Lars Krutak, THE FORGOTTEN CODE: TRIBAL TATTOOS OF PAPUA NEW GUINEA is a great example or Spiritual Skin: Magical tattoos and Scarification, by the same author is another. Mr Krutak who has traveled and documented the many tribes and ancient their significance has made an amazing series and a job well done indeed in breathing modern air into the ancient arts of tattooing. These books portray the graphic story keepers and have carried through the generations some very ancient lore or wisdom having been practiced in the art of Tatu to this very day. In these amazing memoirs and collection of sublime and supreme tattoos inspired by ancestors and inked by the current generations, the common language spoken or woven throughout each piece or tattoo is spiritual, and magical.

The spirit resides as much in the inked as it does in the artist, and the art of course, but also the process. In my eye, the artist is the shaman, the channeller, the medium. I have worked with a Maori brother whom I appreciate and regard so dearly and goes by the name Turumakina - he and his lovely wife and dear friend of mine Ifyrefini, hold a very professional and cosy sacred homely studio in the Gold Coast of Australia - I urge to find their page on IG under Arts Elemental. Another astonishing ceremonialist & tattoo artist is the modest and genius Mark Nara https://www.themarkofnara.com/ who puts a strong emphasis on relating with your ink and its process of manifestation -what it is for and how it is a magical tool that you get to wear forever. He explains and even trains people in what I call a shamanic process, down to the integration phase! which is an aspect of healing or process of a journey, that even in the Ayahuasca retreats I must say -or music festivals by the way, are sometimes forgotten, omitted to even be touched upon or provided space for. These are indeed not just artists, they are kissed by a spirit like I said, they go deeper, not with the needle, but you know what I mean. While they enter into a different state of mind as they draw on paper, hand draw or prepare before the needle pricks repetitively into your virgin skin, they generally enter into an altered state of consciousness. Doesn't matter how deep or how far, they enter into a subtle communion with your soul. And they care, they genuinely care about your well being or your journey even after a few months or few years have passed, not because or just because of professionalism but because a connection of an etheric level has been established. A session is intimate, whether it is in a shop or not. I personally enjoy the home hand poke ceremonies and cannot spend more than 20 minutes in a street tatt shop with the blearing pop music and constant indoors foot traffic or chit-chat, it just doesn't work for me (anymore), but nevertheless nearly anyone with ink would tell a story of somewhat an intimate nature with their personal inking experience.

Upon entering a tattoo session, I have prepared. I have either intuited a particular shape or felt something rise up from my skin. But sometimes I just come to the referred artist I had sought after and studied, to let them freehand on me and merge our intent to tell my personal story. It gets very intimate as one can imagine. I would tell the artist a portion of what I can imagine will arise from the invisible, and the rest that I cannot put words on, well, they go on and 'channel' it. It is indeed a great deal of trust but also since it is a ceremony to me, it is about the journey portrayed in a session. A session of my receiving this symbol through the willing act of receiving pain for the sake of a much needed reminder and of course a much wanted mark of beauty or enhancement with my physical self, I wear my ink with pride. Some of my past choices pre ceremonial inking, or should I say, pre-maturity of my self reflections and self perception -they were not all proud moments and some have been covered up, sure. Needless to say, needles are strikingly reminiscent to the idea that something remarkably memorable is about to happen, whether it be jab or tattoo, you know you're in it -and out of it, with a time stamp and a story to tell.

I started tattooing myself by hand poke technique during the Nyepi day in Bali which is the one day of the Hindu Balinese calendar -taking place once a year but changing dates as they work with a Lunar calendar contrary to the Gregorian one the world uses in mass. The only one island in the entire world closes its airport for 24 full hours -let me tell you this: the airport is its biggest business as the island lives off of a phenomenal and scary number of incoming and outgoing tourism . The whole island shuts down entirely to celebrate communion with the calm realms of within and to avoid attracting the evil that has just been honoured with the burning of giant paper ogres the day previous. This Nyepi day I sought for, for its quietest qualities in the entire busy plane of existence - I hoped and excitedly planned a space for my personal ritual to take place. I desired to ink a seal of balanced receivership (receiving with my left hand) and to materialise a symbol of energy circulating. Although it was a silent day, I was in dire need to make this sigil to invoke the above-mentioned qualities of balance and flow. So much for peace of mind... I was acutely triggered by a group of rogue kids -from the village where I stayed who did not respect this mandatory code of quiet. A silenced laughter was not part of their agenda. Bless them, they were having a ball, but to this day if we look closely, we can see my frustration found in my not allowing my own self to speak that day to police them, illustrated in the shaky and blotted lines that have appeared and will forever be mapped on me, except for the middle finger, now disappearing with the relentless effects and power of Lord Time. "How dare they make noise when it is time for going inwards?!" said my wounded inner voice. Needles to say I am happy with my ink and the lesson it provided me with, which was to find balance in my own self, before tattooing -or doing anything really, for that matter.

There is indeed a powerful relationship created in this wearable-at-perpetuity art between the artist, the canvas, and the medicine the art carries or becomes. When I first started I remember, I wanted to have my first tattoo when I turned 18 but it had to be to symbolise a merit. I waited to graduate to get it, even though my parent did not forbid me from having one, I was not ready before that day. I had absolutely no idea what it was going to be but I knew where it was going to sit. Now, I absolutely want it off of me and do not like to show it in public anymore like I use to. Even covered it already, but still, the placement is now the issue. So, to all youth or first timers out there wanting ink done, I would definitely respond to my own child if ever asked, and if I ever have such a being in my direct custody, that they do what they want. Regrets may not be a high frequency to be in but that is your journey, if you do something you realise you don't like, that is your very personal divine lesson that even I would not want to be in the way of, but if you need advice I shall give it in the way of the story that tattoo, as a symbol of dialogue with the self, needs therefor a good amount of time spent on for the meditation to sink in. What wants to come through -that would be my first suggestion. Rather than walk into the tatt shop and flip through a flip art-book of existing tattoos like a fast food counter menu, take some time to get to know your artist. Feel them out -their energy will go through the needle, whether it be a gun, a stick 'n poke or a hand tap. Allowing some time to reflect, feel and even position can take years. I personally did not do this and don't even follow my own suggestion, but that's because I like spontaneity mixed with intuition, so I follow my heart, and sometimes the lessons a learnt the hard way. I still have to this day, an unfinished piece that still remains a conundrum because I had to stop the artist from finishing my leg. He sadly at the time, was a very bad influence on our community, but whose hand and skill are still hard to compare, and now it is a challenge to cover or finish. Even though I would have not known prior to knowing them or dating this tattooist that he was playing dangerous games, the research phase of a good technical and fine artist is a fun process and there can be spotted a great artist if their wait list equates to months or years some times. That gives plenty of time to prepare. The rest must come from one's own discernment.

I remember all my ceremonies. The one where I had my vows spoken into with my partner at the time, it didn't work out as you can tell with the comment about time, and the one where I received my mark on the neck. The latter had my ex wife drum for me during the entire 3 hour session, and during breaks we would have either silence or epic tribal playback music to keep me entranced as the pain was to me incommensurable. I had to be held down so the nerves of the legs wouldn't result in uncontrollable kicks, making it the greatest challenge to maintain a peacefully laid back neck. Looking back, this pinning down and pressure over my body to keep me still was in itself part of the ritual, to control and to experience loss of control. And, inadvertently, to trust my brother with 5 needles directed at my throat. For dexterity, Bagong the tattooist has a steady and patient soul, so even though it was like tattooing during an earthquake he did a great job. Find him in Ubud - Bali https://capbagongtatu.com/ at his cosy mini studio.

The former was an equivalent to an engagement ring -we had written and agreed on our vows the night before, and the next morning prepared a precious little ritual space on a gentle cloudy day at the back deck of the house we lived in. There we had our music, some Palo Santo sacred wood to burn and our little black book with the vows in it. I remember being in a state of bliss and dedication. We went on for 3 years if you must ask, but the relationship has ended and the engagement ink remains on my finger as a bittersweet but cathartic experience that did thrust, usher and most times propel me into me. A me I had been looking for. Although sadness and trauma did set in, the initiation into relating with such might and power will forever be marked whether I enhance, transform, cover or leave the tattoo as it is. The teachings received from that experience are priceless and I can thrive on it, if I so choose.