The social perspective of Tattooing and Piercing - Sri Lanka
Tattoo is described in Webster’s Dictionary (1993) as “an indelible mark or figure fixed upon the body by the insertion of pigment under the skin or by the production of scars” (Laurence et al., 2005). Body piercing involves the insertion of a needle into various areas of the body to create an opening through which decorative ornaments such as jewelry may be worn (Greif et al., 1999; Laurence et al., 2005). Earlier Tattooing is mostly a souvenir which is a keepsake mark an important moment. The tattoos were always sentimental: you didn’t mark yourself for life if you weren’t sentimental (Clinton and Angus,2008). In the ancient period of time tattooing considered to be an important matter. In history such people who tattooed were identified as the high stated, culture oriented and most honored towards mother land. People from different countries involved in tattooing for various reasons. Along with the time tattooing become a matter of fashion and everyone started to tattoo letters, sentences, figures, sceneries and art objects. Furthermore, tattoos may have symbolic meaning or may simply be results of choices to become decorated (Tasha, 2011).
Tattooing
and piercing were most popular among elders in the previous era, but it become
most fascinated act among youngsters nowadays. The age group of tattooing and
piercing become less till fifteen. Therefore, the objective and value of
tattooing gradually going low. Some countries supporting the tattoo and
considering it as an art. Yet most of the Asian countries does not allow tattoo
and piercing. Greeks and Romans were known to tattoo slaves and prisoners as
sign of ownership or punishment (Schildkrout, 2004). Some countries used the
tattoo for their business identification, status, low cast and community
symbolic tattoos. Asian countries are having high value for the culture, religious
perception, and behaviors. Therefore, such culture prevailing countries as
japan forbidden tattooing. Most of the youngsters in India and Sri Lanka get
tattooed on their unexposed parts of body.
Since
the tattooing become modernized, the practice underwent scrutiny and was
generally not accepted in popular and strict cultures. Even though some
countries prohibited tattooing and piercing, it is not the same in Sri Lanka.
Generally most of the youngsters engaged in tattooing and piercing. There are
noticeable shops can be found in the Colombo capital city since most of the
tattooed are from there. Colombo is a mixed cultural and community center. In
the previous time Tamils consider the tattooing and piercing as a cultural
remark. But the present generation find it as a fashion. Fashion is the
prevailing style of the time (Sproles, 1981; Tasha, 2011).
Some
countries mentioned that social psychological interpretations of tattooing as
irrational “risk taking behavior” (Carroll et al., 2002; Roberts and Ryan,
2002). At the same time some researchers say that “Tattooing is interpreted as
pro-social and affectively regulated act of communication, rather than a pathological
instance of self-injury” (Michael, 2004). Sociologist and other academics,
however, almost invariably describe tattooing as cultural deviance. Few social
scientific studies portray tattooing as either rational or pre-social
(Atkinson, 2003a; DeMello, 2000; Copes and Forsyth, 1993; Irwin, 2000; Michael,
2004). The historic roles of tattoos as symbolic elements of dress and tattoos
as fashion (Tasha, 2011). In the contemporary cultural world, social changes
addresses the transformation of human behaviors such as attitudes and beliefs
(Krznaric, 2007; Tasha, 2011).
While
tattooing widely respected in Western cultures (DeMello, 2000), it considerably
less appreciable in Asian region. Most of the youngsters decorating their body
with multiple characters and letters due to the modern fashion factor. Fashion
changes constantly as trends go in and out of style. Through analysis of
fashion changes between 1920 and 1985 (identified as the modern era) (Tasha,
2011). some researchers sought to develop a predictive model for fashion
change. Some studies found the conclusion as the fashion change was influenced
by the economy, government and demographic emerged. Tattooing became the factor
of fashion in late twenties. The western fashion behaviors intrude into Asian culture.
When
analyzing popular culture and the acceptance of behaviors in that culture, the
idea of whether the behaviors are accepted or not is based upon society’s
collective reactions to the behaviors (Sanders, 1990). Perception towards
tattooing and piercing fashion is vary among different communities. Fenigstein
et al. (1975) discussed that people’s self-awareness is used as a tool and goal
for displaying themselves in certain ways, or to defend themselves from
negative reactions. Some popular cultures do not accept the tattooing and
piercing as they consider those as deviant behaviors. Tattooing indicated
immaturity among “at-risk youth” and is correlated with other forms of
self-harm such as physical aggressiveness, promiscuity, substance abuse and suicide
(Braithwaite et al., 2001; Korn, 1996; Roberts and Ryan, 2002; Atkinson, 2004).
Tattooing and piercing has historically been used from
different countries for various purposes and reasons.
·
·
To punish the low
cast people
·
To identify a
society members
·
Symbolic tattoos
for voyagers
·
To remark once
traveled area
·
To label
prostitutes
·
To identify the
sailors, criminals and miscreants
·
Used as badges of
honor
·
Indicators of
patriotism
Struggles faced by the tattooed individuals in Sri Lanka
·
Struggle to hide the tattoo and remove all
the piercing ornaments in the working environment.
·
Getting negative reactions and starring
for the tattoos which appear on the hand and neck.
·
Scolded by parents and family members for
both piercing and tattooing.
·
Unable to participate for the family
gatherings and family ceremonies to avoid the naggings.
In current popular culture, increased
consumption has made tattoos more widely accepted (Adams, 2009). The
broad-stream renaissance of tattooing and piercing accepted in various culture.
Some Tamil communities still considering the body modified persons as deviants
while some of them accepting as the fashionable behavior. Adams (2009)
concluded that while tattoo acceptance has increased over time, a certain
degree of marginalization of tattooed people in modern society still exists. Prevalence
of tattoos is increasing, association of tattoos with deviance still exists.
A lots of studies and researches about
tattoos show the connection to leukemia (Blood cancer), and cancer of the lymph
nodes. Therefore, the educated society think the tattooed people in the form of
“Self abusive” or masochism, and tattooing is the result of low self-esteem.
The people who get ear piercing or even a stud simple nose piercing are not
equivalent for the social deviance. The tattooing and piercing become a fashion
in the twentieth century. Most of the youngsters oppose to their parents and
family members to modify their body with tattooing and piercing. Tattooed and
pierced people have being ignored by the Tamil society elders even nowadays.
It’s obvious the permanent tattooing culture derived from the temporary body
modification from Tamil Hindus who used Henna (Mehendhi or Marudhani) for
decorating body parts before a celebration. The Indian philosophers believe
that piercing ears and nose help in the development of intellect power of
thinking and decision making abilities (Hemalatha & Sai, 2017). Those were
the reasons to allow the nose and ears piercing in the ancient Tamil culture.
However, nowadays only the nose piercing considered to be acceptable in the
Tamil speaking community. The one who got her nose pierced identified as a
lowly mannered woman.
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