Tattoo Meaning As Symbols of Self

In our Comm 11 class we are working on a thematic unit around Discovering Self. We have explored several ways we can reflect on our own lives through movies, poetry, and prose. Today we started an assignment on symbolism through imagery and body modification (tattoos).

Tattooing has a long history, with many cultures around the world using various forms to represent any number of things. Some cultures attached them as symbols of criminal conduct or slavery, giving them a negative connotation, while others used them as symbols of lineage and bravery. Recently in North America, there has been a mass renewal of interest in tattooing, and the number of "lay people" modifying there own bodies through tattooing has spiked dramatically.

Most ancient cultures, and many modern tattoo owners use the picture/words and the location they are tattooed to represent something meaningful to them. We had a short reading about the history of tattoos, watched a few videos on tattoo symbolism of the past and present examples, and then worked to explore what we value enough to have permanently drawn on our bodies and what symbols we would choose to show that. Not all tattoos have deep or symbolic meaning, indeed many are simply for beauty or fun. For the sake of our assignment, we will attempt to learn about ourselves by searching ideas/symbols that reveal our inner values.

My own tattoos both carry significant meaning to me and were chosen after years of contemplation and discussion with family, friends, and artists.

My first tattoo is of the 1876 Prussian coats of arms Eagle, wearing a Dutch Lion coat arms its chest, with my family name on a banner underneath. I created this tattoo myself in honor of my family lineage. My family (on both my mother and father's side) can trace their roots back to the group of Christians living in Northern Europe (Holland, Germany and Russia), that followed the teachings of a man named Menno Simons. These people were known a pacifists (they did not agree with war and refused to fight) and they have a faith and culture that revolves around a simple life, farming, and community. The result is a very broken history of family trees, the absence of a "coat of arms" (because the never bore arms), and stories of poverty and hardship. In my own life I have moved away from the religious details of being Mennonite, but I still feel very connected to and influenced by the culture of my parents and grandparents.

I spent some time asking for details of where and when my family was living in different areas of Europe. Then I spent years mulling over the huge variety of German and Dutch symbols. Eventually I settled on the Eagle from the Prussian Empire (this was the area of Germany and parts of Russia before those countries existed) partly because if its visual appeal and partly because 1876 would have been when my great grandparents were actually living in that region. Then I chose the Dutch lion to be placed on the coats of arms the Eagle is wearing to honor the origins of the Mennonite people. Finally I placed my family's version our of last name. I had the tattoo done in the middle of my back... again because of visual appeal and the symbolism of my back being behind me... my past.

My second tattoo is a traditional Japanese half sleeve. I have no connection to Japan or its tattoo history other than appreciating what I have seen and read during my search for tattoo symbolism. I knew I wanted to get a tattoo in honor of my first kid and began working up ideas as soon as we knew the due date. As with all babies, they come out when they are ready so I was never certain of days or even the astrological symbol he or she would be born under but I mocked up several ideas. When Ella arrived on March 16th, 2009 I began solidifying my favorite ideas. I knew that I wanted the images to be double symbols (to represent several aspects of her birthday/name etc) but decided to put the creation of the art in the hands of the actual artist this time. I arrived two years after the day she was born and sat twice for six hours to complete the half sleeve on my left arm, closest to my heart.

I went with three Koi (or carp) fish because in traditional Japanese tattoos they symbolize strength and perseverance (both qualities I want for my daughter) and because March is the third month of the year, and because her birthday makes her a Pisces (astrological fish). I had him do 16 traditional Japanese cherry blossom outlines, except color them purple to make them violets because Ella's middle name is Violet after her great grandmother and grandmother, and she was born on the sixteenth. I did the year 2009 by getting 9 negative space stars, for the year and because Ella's sex was a surprise so my wife had called her Star throughout the pregnancy. Finally, I included her actual name, which the artist made look like it was carved in a Japanese prayer stone and made the E a heart.

My first tattoo was for m past, the second for my hopes for the future... the third will be for my second daughter and the ideas are already in the works.