#native american tattoos

[uwmspeccoll]

The author, Angela Hovak Johnston.

Johnston and Marjorie Tungwenuk Tahbone, traditional tattoo artist.

Catherine Niptanatiak: "I designed my own, something that represents me and who I am, something that I would be proud to wear and show off, and something that would make me feel confident and beautiful. . . . I have daughters and I would like to teach them what I know. I would like for them to want to practice our traditions and keep our culture alive."

Cecile Nelvana Lyall: "On my hand tattoos, from the top down, the triangles represent the mountains. . . . The Ys are the tools used in seal hunting. . . . The dots are my ancestors. . . . I am so excited to be able to truly call myself and Inuk woman."

Colleen Nivingalok: "The tattoos on my face represent my family and me. The lines on my chin are my four children -- my two older boys on the outside protecting my daughters. The lines on my cheeks represent the two boys and the two girls on either side. The one on my forehead represents their father and me. Together, we live for our children."

Doreen Ayalikyoak Evyagotailak: "I have thought about getting traditional tattoos since I was a teenager. . . . When I asked the elders if I could have my own meaning for my tattoos, they said it wouldn't matter. My tattoos symbolize my kids."

Mary Angele Takletok: "I always wanted traditional tattoos like the women in the old days. I wanted them on my wrists and my fingers so I could show I'm Inuk."

Melissa MacDonald Hinanik: "As a part of celebrating my heritage and revitalizing important traditional customs that form my identity, I believe I have earned my tattoos. I am a beautiful, strong young woman. I am a mother, a wife, a daughter, a friend, and an active community member. I reclaim the traditional customs as mine, I re-own them as a part of who I am."

Star Westwood: "We still have some of our culture, but some things are slowly dying. Having tattoos helps us keep our culture alive. . . . . My tattoos represent my dad and my dad's dad. The ones closest to my wrists represent my sisters."

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National Tattoo Day

July 17 is National Tattoo Day. To celebrate, we present some images from Reawakening Our Ancestors' Lines: Revitalizing Inuit Traditional Tattooing, compiled by Angela Hovak Johnston, co-founder with Marjorie Tahbone of the Inuit Tattoo Revitalization Project, with photographs by Inuit photographer Cora DeVos, and published in Iqaluit, Nunavut by Inhabit Media Inc. in 2017.

For thousands of years, Inuit have practiced the traditional art of tattooing. Created the ancient way, with bone needles and caribou sinew soaked in seal oil, sod, or soot, these tattoos were an important tradition for many Inuit women, symbols etched on their skin that connected them to their families and communities. But with the rise of missionaries and residential schools in the North, the tradition of tattooing was almost lost. In 2005, when Angela Hovak Johnston heard that the last Inuk woman tattooed in the old way had died, she set out to tattoo herself in tribute to this ancient custom and learn how to tattoo others. What was at first a personal quest became a project to bring the art of traditional tattooing back to Inuit women across Nunavut.

Collected in this book are photos and stories from more than two dozen women who participated in Johnston's project. Together, these women have united to bring to life an ancient tradition, reawakening their ancestors' lines and sharing this knowledge with future generations. Hovak Johnston writes: "Never again will these Inuit traditions be close to extinction, or only a part of history you read about in books. This is my mission."

Reawakening Our Ancestors' Lines forms part of our Indigenous America Literature Collection.

Angela Hovak Johnston (right) with her cousin Janelle Angulalik and her aunt Millie Navalik Angulalik.

View other posts from our Indigenous America Literature Collection.

[neechees]

Ive drawn traditional Cree tattoos on WOMEN lots of times, but never any for men!

So here's some traditional Cree tattoos men had, featuring Plains Native Éomer (+Lothiriel lol)

[capturetheraine]

My second magazine cover!!🤍

IG: capturetheraine

Model IG: kaymezz.parade

[maulfucker]

Random thing that annoys me for no reason is when people make human au Maul and they make him white. Why would you do that to him. What do you have against brown punks who kill.

[arthistoryanimalia]

For #SharkWeek2024 🦈:

Bill Reid (Haida, 1920-1998)

Dogfish Brooch, 1959

22kt Gold, 3" H x 1 ½" W

Douglas Reynolds Gallery

“Reid's earlier work was in part characterized by his study of Haida artist and Chief, Charles Edenshaw. This particular brooch is styled after an Edenshaw tattoo design and the original sketch is part of the permanent collection of the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) in New York City.”

👇

Charles Edenshaw [aka Daxhiigang] (Haida, c. 1839–1920)

Qqaaxhadajaat (The Dogfish Woman), 1897

pencil w/ red ochre & blue pigments on paper, 28 x 23.5 cm

American Museum of Natural History Z/26

More info:

“DOGFISH

Indigenous artwork on the Pacific Northwest Coast often incorporates figures and animals that are related to crest symbols. Crests have been passed down through families and have varying meanings depending on the context and association with a nation, clan, or family. The figures depicted in contemporary Northwest Coast Indigenous artwork also have varying meanings but there are some common characteristics from a range of sources, including oral histories and artist descriptions.

Dogfish is a small variety of shark found on the Northwest Coast and is sometimes said to represent assertiveness and persistence. Dogfish, and Dogfish Woman, is an important crest and figure among the Haida, and some Nuu-chah-nulth communities. Dogfish is a favourite subject of renowned Haida artists, Robert Davidson and Bill Reid, who set the precedent for this figure as a common motif in contemporary Northwest Coast art. Dogfish is often portrayed face-on, distinguished by a high, domed head, distinctive gills, triangular teeth, and split pupils.”

[glyptolite]

Chakotay's tattoo, scanned from Star Trek: Aliens & Artifacts by Michael Westmore.

[signfromgod-avatars]

derek luh (400x640).

credit; signfromgod.

galerie (9 avatars)

tw: blood

[kafkasapartment]

Kate, Madison County, NC, 2012. Rob Amberg. Archival pigment print.

In the Cherokee tradition, eagle feathers are given to individuals to mark and honor significant life accomplishments, such as graduation or the completion of a vision quest.

In the Lakota tradition, eagle feathers are used in the Sun Dance ceremony. The dancers wear eagle feathers on their heads and arms, and they use eagle feathers to fan the sacred fire.

In the Haida tradition, eagle feathers are used to make totem poles. They are a symbol of power and prestige.

[chvoswxtch]

I don’t know how my best friend convinced my pale ghosty ass into going on a road trip to the beach but here we are

i’ll be in the car for several hours, so pls keep me company for the sake of my sanity

send me asks about anything you want! ramble to me about your latest hyperfixation! tell me what you wanna see from me next! tell me what you’re reading or listening to! or just come say hi!

pls it’s going to be a long car ride

[dimens1ons]

inuit wedding day

[mortispbf]

[tvstvnvkke]

Owls

Owls within many native cultures are a symbol of death. I believe it's more of a south eastern belief. I can't speak for all tribes but Seminole, Muscogee, and Choctaw all atleast share this belief.

Owl in Mvskoke is "o'pv", pronounced "oh-buh".

In general they are considered bad luck. Owl feathers shouldn't be used in regalia or even touched. Last year there was a bit of debate at pan-tribal gathers as to whether owl feathers should even be allowed in. The belief that owls are bad luck is so extreme that there were practices taught to medicine men specifically about keeping owls away.

Horned owls especially, "Estek'enee" pronounced "is-dick-eh-knee", are considered bad. It's believed since they are such good hunters and so good at hearing that they will deliever knews of death. If you hear a owl screech, "efv'lv" pronounced "ifa- lah", children of a young age will die in the family.

Now, this is not a belief among all tribes. apperantly some tribes will use owl feathers in regalia if it was brought up in discussion. I also don't think this belief is as common in younger people either. However, I've seen a lot of tribal gathers do their best to respect this fear of owls.

If you must draw or take a picture of an owl you're suppose to avoid the eyes. I've heard of some people scribbling out the eyes on art.

There have also been kinda humorous, and sad, situations were someone unaware would get an owl dream catcher tattoo and that's about as unlucky of an action as you can take.

So be aware when making native focused art or items, there may be issues with owl representation and feathers.

[versacethotty]

stop I feel so bad for michelle visage… she can just nvr get it right💀💀

[lemonfairyd]

Lemon's beasttober day 30: Envy demon AKA cultural appropriation Georg.

[neechees]

Hey uh, the dreamcatcher in gow:r is specifically mentioned to be something brought by Tyr from a 'land in the west' or something similar and he's already been established to have visited that rough area before. obviously that doesn't make the tattoo thing any better but uh, yeah

OKAY, so we have a set up then at least.... we DO know Tyr went to North America because he has gifts & depictions of Maya in his temple, so I was also concerned with like, them still homogenizing Native cultures since dreamcatchers are originally Ojibwe (that got absorbed by neighboring tribes much later). iirc I think it was Mimir who attributes the dreamcatcher to like, I THINK either Freyr or the Elves in Elfheim but didn't mention "the West", so maybe this is when Tyr corrects him later.

I haven't seen this interaction (yet? Idk when it comes in, Does it happen in Alfheim?), so I didn't know til now, thank you!

[ironpalmtattoostudio]

Native American Woman Black & Grey Photo Realism Tattoo By Rene Cristobal, a guest artist at Iron Palm Tattoos In downtown Atlanta. Rene is originally from Vision Tattoo Studio in Concepcion, Chile. Now booking Rene July 3rd - 16th, 2023.We're open late night til 2AM. Call 404-973-7828 or stop by for a free consultation.