Tattoos or stains ?

  That new inking you got wasn't much of a hit at your grandaunt's tea party was it ? Nor those cartilage piercings on your ear that they claimed made you look like a villain from a mafia movie . For a society so bent on accelerating civilisation into a future of technology and unity , our moral values and social judgement are ones that would leave  Charles Darwin wondering if his theory of evolution was a false.

The traditional art of tattooing heralds from the time of spiritual realisation as well as cultural purposes. Tribes from ancient Africa to the Celtic clans in Europe , all claim a "marking" to symbolise strength , unity or loyalty to the clan or tribe.  They were looked upon with regard and honour and was a privilege to achieve .

 Times are a changing , and even though the tattoos that people get today may not link back to the cultural nobility of the past , does not mean that allowance for discrimination is given.

" Every tattoo is a link to a memory ," said Danial Lau , an ex tattoo artist who used to work in the Dragonfly parlour in Midvalley Megamall.  His vast array of tattoo designs and requests have gone way past the borderline of sane and into the territory of silent revulsion.
" I don't question them. Unless they look like they are confused about the design. Then only I ask. A tattoo is a personal connection to their life and I have no stand to question it."

There are many cases that can be seen both on the television and in tattoo shops in which a person who had battled or overcome an obstacle in their life , decides to get an inauguration ink of their struggle and eventual conquer. Danial calls them ' battle scars' , and claims that it is one of the best parts of being a tattoo artist. You get to learn about what that person has come for and get to feel his or her emotion to put a sense of them into the tattoo.

The Dragonfly Malaysia , Midvalley Megamall

 As staunch as I am in my belief that a person need not be deliberated on their choice of inks , I interviewed a business man and an elderly lady respectively on their perspectives.

" (I).. totally wouldn't mind a tattoo, but i'm not exactly a fan of the needle part." was what the businessman had to say  , however when questioned on whether he would ever get one , simply shook his head and said that he didn't find anything important to him that needed to be inked onto his skin.

This brings back the earlier point of symbolism by way of every tattoo comes with a story ; either one from your childhood that holds a lot of depth or just because you got sloshed with your friends and decided then and there that a  dragon eye on your ankle would be a smart thing to get done , all behold a time and story that remind us of a memory.

Surprisingly the elderly lady herself was inclined to tattoos . " If you want them then go get them. Just remember that they cannot come out. Laser also tak bagus lagi." I have yet to come across a person being openly bashed for making the choice of getting inked or for getting a tattoo that doesn't seem to suit them. Their body  , their rights.


Don't judge a person for what they do  , because only they know where they come from and for what reason the tattoo is eligible for themselves. This is my stand on tattoos and a window into the world of the unorthodox but ancient culture of tattoos.