by deciphering the symbols. The symbols that are passed on from generation to generation.
What is art anyway? Generally, anything that has something to do with the use of the imagination to express ideas or thinkings fall into the category of art.
What is art anyway? Generally, anything that has something to do with the use of the imagination to express ideas or thinkings fall into the category of art.
Since harupika* has written a post on the Maori and their tattoos in her previous post, I want to write about tattoos used by various tribes around the world.
The polynesian people believe that a person's mana, their spiritual power or life force, is displayed through their tattoos. A couple of years ago, I had a chance to work with the members of The Classic All Blacks when they had a friendly match against Japan. Many of them had a great big Polynesian tattoo on their body. When I was having breakfast with one of the players, he told me that their tattoos all have a meaning, like where their ancestors came form and when and where they were born. Their tattoos are a symbol of themselves. I found it very interesting to know. http://www.classicallblacks.com/ 
I recently found out that in Japan, there are clay figurines which have been recovered from tombs dated 3,000 B.C or older and these figurines had their face painted or engraved to represent tattoo remarks. It is said to be, that such figurines were used to symbolically accompany the dead on their journey into the unknown, and it is believed that the tattoo marks had religious magical significance. They believed in symbolism.
When Japan opened itself up to west in the Meiji period, the government prohibited Irezumi due to the fear of contempt from the Europeans, but ironically, masterpieces by Japanese tattoo artists drew the westerners attention and many of them were introduced to the world. In fact, because of its refined patterns and bright colours, it is now considered as a "form of art" by many people around the world. In other words, if it wasn't for the power of cross culture, the Irezumi-culture could have been wiped off the page of Japanese history. Japanese tattoo artists were able create "Japanese tattoo symbols" and took Irezumi to a higher level. For example, a carp(koi) climbing up a waterfall is a symbol of bravery and aspiration. And then, the stoic fish came to be associated with masculinity and the ability to attain high goals, and overcoming life's difficulties. So that is why they display a flag of a carp (koi-nobori) on May 5th in Japan.
Again, they believed in symbolism and had the sense to understand the power of symbols.
However, in today's Japanese society, in my point of view, there are still divided emotions about the Irezumi. In some baths and spas in Japan, a tattooed person is not permitted entry because they "spoil the good mood of the other guests".
Even in a swimming pool at Tosimaen-a theme park in Tokyo, you are not allowed to enter the pool unless you cover up your tattoos or Irezumi. http://www.toshimaen.co.jp/pool/index.html
In such an environment, foreigners who visit Japan not knowing this custom and have a totally different perspective of Irezumi or tattoos, are sometimes told to get out the baths or spas or refused entry. Most of the time, the people at the facility are unable to explain the reasons in other languages, so they tend to use blunt words like "Get out!" or "No Tattoos!"
As far as I know, there some people who have their eye-brows tattooed for cosmetic reasons. Maybe they are allowed to enter such facilities because they don't "spoil the good mood of the other guests", but still it is undeniable that they also have a tattoo. I wonder what happens if you have a tattoo of eye-brows on your arm. huum.What I am trying to say here is, I think not trying to undestand what the symbols in tattoos really mean and stand for is like not trying to understand the other person's sense of values and ideas. I think this prejudice and ethos in the Japanese society against people with tattoos is so outdated and it's pure anachronism.
