Christina Demirchyan, Managing Editor

Though often seen as a mark of rebellion, body art has served as a fundamental form of expressing culture for years. Using the body as a canvas, tattoos and piercings can transform into the intricate ties that bind culture and self.

Throughout PCC, there are some students who view tattoos as a part of American culture, standing as symbols that present individuality. 

According to Giovanny Aviles, 24, architecture major, tattoos are a way to show what you like and what you believe in. “That’s their pride and that’s their heritage,” he said, referring to the deeper, more meaningful level of tattoos.

“It’s like showing a piece of you to the world,” said student Yasmin Biggs, referring to the beauty and art that revolve around tattoos.  According to her, these meaningful, permanent engravings can be “purposeful labels,” subtly representing who the individual is and what experiences they have had.

Stereotypically seen as either purely rebellion or art, tattoos have  become a means of expression in American culture. Aviles spoke of friends he had who were once affiliated with gangs. According to him, they had the usual tattoos of thorns, but some also had images of the Virgin Mary.

While tattoos can unite members of a group, they can also serve as a connection to religion.  In some of the more remote cultures of the world, tattoos are done without the conveniences of modern-day, western tools. So significant are these symbols of connection that Japanese, for example,  create bamboo handles with needles to do tattoos after stretching the skin with their hands.

With tattoos playing a significant cultural role in many parts of the world, PBS decided to run a program called “Skin Stories: The Art and Culture of Polynesian Tattoo,” that featured the aesthetics, as well as the deep meaning and interconnection of body art.

According to pbs.org, “the master of tattooing was a highly trained individual, usually male, who was knowledgeable of both literal and figurative meanings of motifs, placement, and associated responsibilities or consequences. In most cases, it was the master who determined not only what designs were appropriate, but also who could be tattooed and when.”

The tattoos created not only served spiritual purposes, but they also held the power to determine the status and origin of an individual. Regardless of where and how the tattoos are done, this art form has transformed into a method of connection and expression.

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