CONTROVERSY AND THE NEW ZEALAND MOKO ... - cdgd34102a12

ORIGANCIENT ART OF THE JAPANESETEBORI TATTOO MASTERSInk in HarmonyCONTROVERSY AND THENEW ZEALAND MOKOInternational Influences and Appropriation ofthe Maori TattooINKLING OF CONCERNChemicals in Tattoo Inks Face ScrutinyWHY ARE TATTOOSDr. Michael Mantell explains the appeaSO SEXY?SPRING 2012 1

1654Publisher Melissa BlenkhornCollege Massachusetts College of Art and DesignEditor Jan Kubasie-wwiczLiterary Editor Duke HartenLegal Affairs Nancy MurphyPhotographyCullor recabor iatisimi, quas ilique labore, estorum hilmaximus.Debis estiumet adi ventiatiae quatis alia dem ressus utescil illenim olupitatur amus estiisseque optaqui aturescimagnimus aria non nonem anducil ipis ipsam ra velent,totae. Nam erem nossima ximinve resequi que optasinctest, culpa sento occatur? Fugitatiis exceperum autut velis demquo con rernatur aut esciatur serrovit, utvolese re laborro volum res vendam venditat plamusexerit pa quisci reperio remporerrum aut faciis sim utasaliquo mos estias nonsedicit vendicipsam repratincianam quibus magni tem namus excearu ptatincitios si toipsuntiunt aut lam, suntiae lit voloria volorum voluptusut abo. At dolori del inulliq uisquisti ratur as ped estvolum, quatqua tinciti bearchil molupiti odioratin consedolupta sunt.Obit doluptatem inulpa nonsendit quam, sim nulpa velmintem facea derereribus ea volendus dolores sequatio.Um voluptatem expero ent.Inis dolorem veniet exces ma quam impeliquo discilitenihit iationsequi cumquia doluptas que et essin excearumre volore con provit quae. Accus sae ommolesedet officium quidebisquas et ium dolorepelia nectur, inctur,ipis dolest, officiet, solenis que cus, sit ea consequidmo quist, illent alitas volenisci berate asperum, teces mocume sed estibus andandame occus et eos doluptatiumqui berunt peria eati dolorem illupta ecestibusdam netquaercienis vit faccullanda as aliquae nihilique quaeelendae dic temolup tatur, qui optatur?Idem quidebita dolorum arisquundis et que porereperepro blacest ex eum int fugiam, occae sitaspelisnonestem earitet esciae pratius, totatiam similig enimilet, volupta as616283238CONTROVERSY AND THENEW ZEALAND MOKOInternational Influences andAppropriation of the Maori TattooINKLING OFCONCERNChemicals in Tattoo Inkfaces ScrutinyANCIENT ART OF THEJAPANESE TEBORITATTOO MASTERSInk in HarmonyCALIFORNIA LOVEWe talk to west coast artists to seewhat all the fuss is aboutTACKY U.S.A.Why are Americans inclined to getbad tattoos?4042464854COMING SOON TO APHARMACY NEAR YOUResearchers may have found amedical use for getting inked.MATT MYRDALDiscusses the differences in tattooculture on the islands of Hawaii.COPY CATSWhat to do about someone whoduplicates your ink.ROSE COLOREDGLASSESWhy female artist Megan Massacrebelieves color work is better workFROM BLACK-LIST TOBLACKCARDTattooing has shifted from taboo tocouture.627278WHY ARETATTOOS SOSEXY?Dr. Michael Mantell explains thepsychology behind the allureFINALLY, FINE ARTAmanda Wachob proves her workmuseum worthy.BUILD YOUR OWN TAT-TOO GUNNot that you should, but FrankPino shows you how62

controversyand thenew zealand mokoInternational Influences and Appropriation ofthe Maori Tattoorachel sawaya4 ORIGINKSPRING 2012 5

One of the most visible and spiritualaspects of Maori culture is the moko, ortraditional tattoo. This beautiful artworkhas enjoyed a renaissance in recent years,with both Maori and non-Maori receiving iton their skin, as well as using it as inspirationin other artistic ventures. Traditionalmethods and purposes are often lost orignored in these modern interpretations,leading to controversy.The moko is a sacred part of Maoritradition. It could only be given by certainmen, who had considerable prestige andtraining, and the act of giving the moko toa person was surrounded by tapu (a statesimilar to holiness or sacredness, or theforbidden). There were many rules governingthe act, including that the recipientcould not talk to others who were not alsoreceiving the moko, and could not eat withhis or her hands during the process.Tattooing the moko was a long andpainful process, particularly as the markswere not made with a needle, but with achisel which left a grove in the skin. It wasconsidered part of the ritual, and a demonstrationof the recipient’s mana (spiritualstrength or courage) that he or she notdisplay any discomfort while their skin wasbeing broken.The design of each moko was unique,and although much of the symbolism islost now; it would usually display the tribeand status of the wearer. It might also tellof his battle wounds, or ancestors or in thewoman’s case, her right to marry, or herjob, such as midwife. It also told of theplain fact that the wearer had been given6 ORIGINKSPRING 2012 7

A mummified Maori headthat was once kept in aNormandy museum. It wasrecently repatriated to NewZealand after 136 years.the right to wear moko, something thatwas not granted to everyone, and that thewearer had survived the giving of it, alsofar from a certainty.Controversy began with the introduction ofEuropean methods of tattooing. Needlesin particular became more popular andeventually overtook the traditional chisel.The moko made with needles could be of afiner design, as well as healing faster andcleaner. However, inMichael King’s bookMoko: Maori Tattooingin the 20th Century,he explains that somefamilies, as late asthe 1970’s, did notconsider tattooingwith needles the ‘realthing’.An even greater controversy, with implicationsreaching into the modern era, concernsthe historical trade in Maori headsor mokomokai. Often when someone withmoko died, the head would be preserved bythe tribe. It would be dried and kept as atribute to the mana of the previous owner.European museums and private collectorsof colonial times wanted these heads andtattooing with needlesis not the real thing.would pay high prices for them, leading toa grisly trade of heads for guns.The heads were often of slaves that hadnot been tattooed in life, but were givenfull moko after death to increase theirprice, or people killed in raids purposelyengineered to collect heads. Many of theseheads are still in museums in foreigncountries and recently there has been aA non-Maori artist tattooingmodified Maori designs to anon-Maori recipient.8 ORIGINKSPRING 2012 9

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OF MOKOA New Zealand Nativeparticipating in atraditional festivalDEVALUING THESACRED NATUREmovement to return the heads to theirdescendants, or at least to New Zealand.Many mokomokai have been brought homeas a result of this, but many more are stilloverseas.There is debate over the validity of givingmoko to non-Maori. Several celebrities havehad Maori designs tattooed on themselvesrecently, notably Robbie Williams and BenHarper. In the case of Williams, althoughhis tattoo was made by a Maori artist, itwas not meant to be meaningful in thetraditional sense. Pita Sharples, a Maoricultural authority, objected to the design,claiming that it was the intellectual propertyof his tribe.There were cases of Europeans beinggiven moko (or having moko forced uponthem) even before the decline of moko tradition.John Rutherford, for example, wasa sailor who was captured by a tribe andforcibly tattooed. So the controversy todaylies not with the idea of non-Maori beingtattooed, but with non-Maori people appropriatingthe traditional designs withoutunderstanding them, or giving them properrespect. This has also been demonstratedon the catwalk, with several cases in thelast ten years of moko art used as a themein designer collections, such as Jean PaulGaultier’s in 2007. Some praise this sortof international attention as a means ofshowcasing Maori art to the world. Otherscondemn it for devaluing the sacred natureof moko.The break of a century or more, particularlyin the art of mens’ moko whichdied out around the mid 1800’s, meansthat there is little or no real continuity inthe craft, and practitioners today must goon with fragmented knowledge. This, alongwith global appropriation of local designs,has led to debate over the true purpose andrespect due to modern interpretations of tamoko.12 ORIGINKSPRING 2012 13

A BRIEF HISTORY OF TATTOOING1700: Obeying the letter ofthe law middle-classJapanese adorn themselves infull-body tattoos when a lawis passed that only royals canwear ornate clothing.1802: By now, tattooing hascaught on with sailorsthroughout the Royal Navy, andthere are tattoo artists in almostevery British port. Especiallypopular are Crucifixion scenes,tattooed on the upper back todiscourage flogging by pioussuperiors.3300BCE: Ötzi the Iceman dies in theAustrian Alps, where his frozen bodyis discovered by hikers in 1991 CE,making him the world’s oldestmummy. His 57 tattoos – straightlines and small crosses, mostly – arebelieved to be therapeutic, possiblyused to treat osteoarthritis.2800 BCE: Theancient Egyptianspopularize tattooingas an art form,which spreads fromGreece to China.921 CE: Islamicscholar Ibn Fadlanmeets Vikings on ajourney from Baghdadto Scandinavia anddescribes them ascovered from neck totoe with tattoos.1600: Unlawfulintercourse by Indianpriests is punished bytattooing genitals ontheir foreheads.1790: Cpt. Cook returns fromthe South Pacific with a tattooedPolynesian, Omai. He starts atattooing trend among theupper-class in London. Omaiintroduces the word tattoo intoWestern lexicon, from theTahitian tatau, "to mark."1846Martin Hildebrandtsets up New York’sfirst tattoo shop onOak Street in lowerManhattan.1891: American Samuel O’Reilly"borrows" Edison’s electric pen designto patent a nearly identical machine thattattoos. Its basic design – moving coils, atube, and a needle bar – is still used totoday, so remember kids: That’s 19thcentury technology they’re repeatedlystabbing you with.1944: In one of thefirst instances oflegal trouble for thetattoo world, CharlieWagner is fined bythe city of New Yorkfor not sterilizing hisneedles1961: Hepatitis B makesthe tattoo not cool again,an outbreak of which islinked to tattoo parlorsin New York City.Parlors are outlawed inthe Big Apple until 1997.1999: Mattelreleases ButterflyArt Barbie, a dollwith washablebody art.2005: Popular culturehelps tattoos becomemore popular in theWest than at any timein recorded history,with more than 45million NorthAmericans having one.14 ORIGINKSPRING 2012 15

INKLING OF CONCERNChemicals in tattoo inks face scrutinyBrett Israel16 ORIGINKSPRING 201217

The End Is Near tattoo parlor in South Park Slope could pass forone of the neighborhood’s upscale boutiques. Local artwork coversthe light blue walls. Ornate body jewelry fills a glass showcase. Astuffed badger greets visitors. There’s just one thing that gives theparlor away – the unmistakable electric hum of a tattoo needle.“We’re not the seedy underground that used to be,” said Trischa,the shop’s one-named manager, whose fair skin, revealed by ablack tank top, is almost completely painted with ink.As tattoo shops turn chic, ink’s allure has spread into themainstream. Despite the well-known risks of infection, allergiesand scarring, an estimated 45 million people in the United States –including 36 percent of adults in their late 20s – have at least onetattoo, according to estimates by the U.S. Food and Drug Administrationand a Harris Interactive Poll.Although sleazy “scratcher shops” with unskilled artists anddubious safety records are becoming a thing of the past, scientistsare growing concerned about what’s going into tattooed skin, notjust how it got there.New research has turned up troubling findings about toxicchemicals in tattoo inks, including some phthalates, metals, andhydrocarbons that are carcinogens and endocrine disruptors.Tattoo ink trouble is nothing new. The inks, which are injectedinto skin with small needles, have caused allergic rashes, chronicskin reactions, infection and inflammation from sun exposure, saidElizabeth Tanzi, co-director of the Washington Institute of DermatologicLaser Surgery in Washington, D.C.Now a new study published in July suggests that phthalates andother chemical ingredients may be responsible for those problems.More concerning, these newfound chemicals raise unansweredrare, perhaps coincidental cases where melanomas and other malignanttumors are found in tattoos.Could these chemicals increase the risk of skin cancer in peoplewith tattoos? “It’s possible and definitely warrants additional investigationby the FDA,” Tanzi said.Recently, the FDA launched new studies to investigate thelong-term safety of the inks, including what happens when theybreak down in the body or interact with light. Research already hasshown that tattoo inks can migrate into people’s lymph nodes.For now the long-term health risks – if any – from tattoo inksremain murky.“The short answer is we don’t know if the chemicals in tattooinks represent a health hazard,” said Joseph Braun, an environmentalepidemiologist at Harvard University in Boston, Mass., who wasis not involved in the new studies.In July, scientists reported their discovery that the chemical dibutylphthalate, a common plasticizer, along with other substances, arefound in black tattoo inks. In the study of 14 commercially availableinks, they found low levels of dibutyl phthalate in all of them.Tattoo ink trouble is nothing new. The inks, injected into skinwith small needles, have caused rashes, infection and inflammation.But now scientists say the inks contain chemicals that could havethese chemicals increase the risk ofskin cancer in people with tattoosquestions about more serious, long-term risks such as skin cancer.As tattoo shops turn chic, ink’s allure has spread into the mainstream.An estimated 45 million people in the United States, includingmore than one-third of people in their late 20s, have at least onetattoo. One of the chemicals found in black tattoo inks – benzo(a)pyrene – is a potent carcinogen that causes skin cancer in animaltests. Dermatologists have published reports in medical journals on18 ORIGINKSPRING 2012 19

long-term effects.“The substances found in the inks might be partially responsiblefor adverse skin reactions to tattoos,” wrote the dermatologistsfrom Germany’s University of Regensburg.For phthalates, which can mimic estrogen or disrupt testosterone,exposure of fetuses and infants is the major concern. In infantboys, prenatal exposure to dibutyl phthalate has been linked tofeminization of the reproductive tract. In men, phthalate exposurehas been linked to sperm defects and altered thyroid hormones.But phthalates in tattoo inks may not carry the same risk. “Phthalatesare cleared from the body within hours, and unlike manyphthalate exposures, those from tattooing will not be continuous,”said Shanna Swan, a reproductive epidemiologist at the MountSinai School of Medicine in New York who studied the effects ofphthalates on infant boys.Phthalates applied to the skin in a lotion were absorbed andmetabolized in a 2007 study, and the same thing is likely to happenwith phthalates in tattoo inks, Swan said.“While this is a potential source of high exposure, it might not lastvery long and may not present a risk to health,” Braun added.Nevertheless, Swan said pregnant and nursing women should minimizeany exposure to phthalates.In addition to phthalates, heavy metals such as lead, which canharm the reproductive and nervous systems, also were found in astudy of 17 different black inks from five manufacturers. Coloredinks often contain lead, cadmium, chromium, nickel, titanium andother heavy metals that could trigger allergies or diseases, scientistssay. Some pigments are industrial grade colors that are “suitablefor printers’ ink or automobile paint,” according to an FDA factsheet. Black tattoo inks, often made of soot, also contain productsof combustion called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs),according to a 2010 study by the German scientists.In addition to phthalates, heavy metals such as lead, which canharm the reproductive and nervous systems, were found in a studyof black inks.The PAHs in the inks include benzo(a)pyrene, which was identifiedin an Environmental Protection Agency toxicity report as“among the most potent and well-documented skin carcinogens.” Itis so potent that it is routinely used in animal tests to grow tumors.Also, it has been linked to skin cancer in shale oil workers, and theEPA has classified it as a probable human carcinogen.The FDA and scientists say colored inks often contain lead,cadmium, chromium, nickel, titanium and other heavy metals. Someare industrial grade colors suitable for printers’ ink or automobilepaint. Black tattoo inks often are made of soot so they containknown carcinogens called PAHs. “Tattooing with black inks entailsan injection of substantial amounts of phenol and PAHs into skin.Most of these PAHs are carcinogenic and may additionally generatedeleterious singlet oxygen inside the dermis when skin is exposed toUVA (e.g. solar radiation),” wrote the study authors. They said thePAHs could “stay lifelong in skin” and “may affect skin integrity,”which could lead to skin aging and cancer.Scientists are debating the possible tattoo-cancer link, based sofar on a handful of malignant skin tumors found in tattoos andIDENTIFIEDreported in medical literature.“Even though cases of malignancies such as melanoma, basalcell carcinomas, squamous cell carcinomas and keratoacanthomashave been reported for the past 40 years, it remains unclearwhat role tattoos play in their pathogenesis,” wrote scientists fromFrance’s University of Montpellier in a 2008 study, “Skin CancersArising in Tattoos: Coincidental or Not?”Dr. Wolfgang Bäumler, a dermatology professor at the Universityof Regensburg who was involved in the phthalate and PAH studies,said that “substances such as phthalates and also the PAHs shouldAS TOXIC?The Less-Scary things in Ink: Making PigmentsBLACK BROWN RED ORANGE YELLOW GREEN BLUE VIOLET WHITEIRON OXIDECARBONLOGWOODOCHRECINNEBARCADMIUM REDDISAZODIARYLIDECADMIUM SELENOSULFIDECADMIUM YELLOWCHROME YELLOWCHROMIUM OXIDECU PHTHALOCYANINECOBALT BLUEAZURE BLUEDIOXAZINEMANGANESE VIOLETTITANIUM OXIDEZINC OXIDEBARIUM SULFATELEAD WHITE20ORIGINKSPRING 201221

increase the health risk” for chronic health problems such as cancer.But the extent is unknown, Bäumler said, because “epidemiologicalstudies are missing.”Epidemiological studies won’t be easy. In theory, scientists couldtrack a large number of tattooed people and see whether they developedproblems such as skin cancer near their tattoos. But that’simpractical, said Geoffrey Kabat, an epidemiologist at the AlbertEinstein College of Medicine in the Bronx, N.Y.That’s because getting a tattoo still is considered a risky behavior,and following a group of people who may have risk-takingbehaviors – smoking or riding motorcycles – would compromise astudy, Kabat said. “This would also make an epidemiologic study afool’s errand,” Kabat said.The FDA has the power to regulate tattoo inks and any addedcolorings under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. But theagency has never flexed its regulatory power, citing lack of evidenceof safety concerns and other public health priorities.“Because the dyes and inks used in tattoos have not been approvedby FDA, we do not know the specific composition of what theseinks and dyes may contain,” an FDA spokesperson told EnvironmentalHealth News. “Therefore, we are unable to evaluate forchronic health concerns, such as cancer.”Eric Blevens, who has nearly a dozen tattoos, including this oneof his pit bull Kweli, has never had skin problems except a slightreaction to one color ink. Now, the FDA is getting curious aboutthe ingredients. In 2003 and 2004, the FDA received its largest clusterof complaints, more than 150, from people on the giving andreceiving end of tattoos. Since that time the FDA has begun moreresearch on tattoo inks to answer fundamental questions, accordingto the FDA spokesperson.One major question investigated by the FDA is where does theink go when the tattoo fades over time or from sun exposure? Preliminaryresults show that a common pigment in yellow tattoo inks,Pigment Yellow 74, may be broken down by the body’s enzymes,according to the FDA. Sunlight also breaks it down into colorlesscomponents of unknown toxicity. Also, when skin cells containingink are killed by sunlight or laser light, the ink breakdown productscould spread throughout the body.Previous studies have shown that tattoo inks move into people’slymph nodes, but “whether the migration of tattoo ink has healthconsequences or not is still unknown,” according to a 2009 FDAconsumer update. Lymph nodes are part of the body’s system forfiltering out disease-causing organisms.The FDA said “as new information is assessed, the agencyconsiders whether additional actions are necessary to protect publichealth.” Because of the chemicals involved, California requires alltattoo shops to warn customers. A state law, known as Prop 65,requires warnings whenever people are exposed to chemicals linkedto cancer, birth defects or other reproductive harm. The warningis included in the release forms that people sign before getting tattooedin California.The lack of FDA regulation and the California warnings haven’tslowed the tattoo business, where respected artists commandbetween $125 and $200 per hour. Artists today build relationshipswith dedicated clients, who rarely ask about the long-term risks oftattoo inks.“I don’t have any clients that ask me that,” said tattoo artistJorell Elie of The Honorable Society in West Hollywood, Calif. “Idon’t really tattoo as many one-time clients anymore so most of myclients are fully aware of any – if any – risks that go into getting tattoos.”One of Elie’s clients, Eric Blevens, of Brooklyn, has nearly adozen tattoos. His latest, done by Elie, is a tribute to his pit bull,24% 22% 18% 18% 11% 7%1 Tattoo42 Americans Have Tattoosnamed Kweli, and covers most of the left side of his torso. Duringa recent vacation, Blevens said Elie constantly bugged him aboutkeeping his tattoos shielded from the sun, which could cause the artto fade.Aside from a small reaction to pink pigments, Blevens hasn’thad any problems with tattoo inks and said he considers them safe.Through his relationship with Elie, any safety concerns he mayhave had in the past have faded.“I genuinely trust him,” Blevenssaid. “He shows a lot of concern and care for his work.”California requires all tattoo shops to warn customers that theyare being exposed to chemicals linked to cancer. The lack of FDAregulations and the California warnings haven’t slowed the tattoobusiness, where respected artists command between $125 and $200per hour. Even people with more simple tastes don’t seem concernedabout the safety of tattoo inks. Melissa Taylor, a 30-year-oldmother and banker in Warner Robins, Ga., said she hasn’t worriedmuch about her ink. She got a small butterfly tattoo, about the sizeof a 50-cent piece, on her left hip when she was 19 and hasn’t hadany problems.+22 ORIGINKSPRING 201223

ANCIENT ART OF THEJAPANESE TEBORITATTOO MASTERSINK IN HARMONYTaking off from JFK today for a two weektrip that will take me on a quick stopat Tokyo, then on to Korea, China, andfinally Hong Kong. The zen and artistry ofJapanese tattoo has long fascinated me, andwith this trip, this post seemed only fitting.Oguri, known in Japan as Horihide,his tattooing name, is a famous artist andhighly regarded as the pioneer that broughtJapanese tattooing to American tattooists,like Sailor Jerry, and subsequently EdHardy, after World War II. Thus setting thestage for large Asian body suit tattoo designto change the face of western tattooingin the last half of the twenty first century.Here in his own words is his story.In old days, Japanese tattooists workedat their own houses and ran business quietly(without using the ads.). They didn’t putup a sign and list telephone numbers on thebook. The practice of tattooing was forbiddenin Japan (until the end of World WarII). The customers used to find the tattooshops by word of mouth.When I was an apprentice, feudal customsstill existed in Japan. The apprenticeshipwas one of the feudal customs calleduchideshi in Japanese. Normally, pupilslived with their masters, and were trainedfor 5 years. After 5-year training, the pupilsworked independently, and gave the mastersmoney that he earned for one year. The oneyearservice was called oreiboko in Japanese,the service to express the gratitudetowards the masters. The masters usuallytold new pupils about this system, 5-yeartrainingand 1-year service, when theybegan the apprenticeship.24 ORIGINKSPRING 2012 25

A Japanese artist works onthe back of a womanThere isnothing toreplacehuman skin.you have tolearn byusing yourown bodyI slept at the master’s workplace whenI was a pupil. I wanted to be a great tattooartist as soon as possible. In the middleof the night, I picked up the needles fromthe master’s tool box, sat cross-legged andpracticed tattooing on my thigh withoutthe ink, remembering how my masterperformed. I continued to practice tattooingwithout using the ink. I used a thickbamboo stick for sujibori (outlining), whichwas about 20 cm long. The edge of thestick was sharpened, and 6-7 needles wereput in order and tied up by silk thread. Thelength of the tip of needles was 3-4 mm.I wanted to workas a tattooist soon, andpracticed incising both my thighs with thebamboo stick every night after work. I didnot know how to use the tattooing toolsand how to adjust the angles. SometimesI penetrated the skin very deeply with theneedles, and the skin bled and swelled.I could not tattoo by using the bamboostick as I wanted. During the daytime I didchores. If I had no work during the day, Iwould sit down on the left side of my masterand watch his work from the distance.Every customer came to the master byappointment and got hitoppori. Hitopporiin Japanese means to get tattooedfor 2 hours each day. If a big tattoo wasto be done, the customer came by everythird day. I used to keep sitting straightfor 2 hours and just watching my master’shands learn his tattooing skills. The masterwould say to me, “I’m not going to lectureyou. You steal my techniques by watchingme work.” Watching is the fastest way tolearn, rather than listening to the lecture, ifpeople really want to learn something. Eventhough I was full of enthusiasm, my skillswere not improved easily. I couldn’t see anyprogress at all.One day, the master’s wife asked meto split wood. (Pupils normally call themaster’s wife ane-san or okami-san. Themaster’s wife looked so happy when I calledher ane-san. So I called her ane-san duringthe apprenticeship.) One day while I wassplitting wood in the back yard, I got hotterand hotter. I was in a sweat, and took offmy shirt and trousers. Ane-san came andasked me to take a rest. She brought a cupof tea for me. Then, Ane-san happened tosee my traces of the needles on the thighs.She was surprised and said to me,“How did you get scars on the thighs? Doyou practice tattooing by yourself?”“Yes,” I answered, “but I cannot tattoowell like the master does.”“Have you ever seen my husband’s legs andankles?” she asked again.“No.” I said.She continued, “His whole legs are coveredwith tattoos. You know what I mean?He told me that he practiced tattooing onhis legs with the ink when he was a pupil.That’s why his legs are all black. He alsotold me that a tattooist needs to learn bytattooing his own body to become a professionaltattooist. There is nothing to replacehuman skin. So you have to learn tattooingby using (tattooing) your body.”After hearing this story, I rememberedthe master had tattoos on his arms to wristsbut that I had never seen his bare feet. Iwondered if Ishould practice tattooing withthe ink. Otherwise I couldn’t’t get how the26 ORIGINKSPRING 201227

Traditional Teboribeing practicedink was inserted into the skin. I decided tomaster the techniques until my whole bodywould be black. “I will never give it up. IfI give it up, I won’t be a true man.” Sincethen, I practiced tattooing on any parts oflegs from the thighs to the ankles almostevery day. In order to keep practicing againand again, I didn’t’ use the ink when practicingtattooing.Today’s young people never understandhow tough the training was. I used to wakeup 5 a.m., and sweep the whole houseinside and out. I also wiped the floor witha damp cloth. In winter, my hands werenumb with cold water and got chilblains.My fingers were swollen. At meals, I wasallowed to have only one cup of soup andone dish. A bowl of rice was also served.Even though I wanted to eat more, I couldnot eat enough because I was in training. Itwas right after World War 2. Due to insufficiencyof supplies, it was so hard for us toget enough rice. We would eat a mixture ofrice and barley. I was only 19 and alwaysstarving. It was tough experience.Sometimes the master yelled at meand even hit me. To endure such treatmentneeds patience. Because of such unreasonabletreatment, most pupils gave up and ranaway from the master. Of course, I oftenwondered why he hit us. Although I hadanger towards the master, I could not talkback. All I could do in the feudal periodwas to obey what the master said. I was sofrustrated that I cried in bed so many times.The master sometimes slapped me withoutany reason. However, I found the masterpurposely hit me and forced me to do overworkfor my mental training after I becamea tattooist later on. I hated him so muchduring the apprenticeship. Looking backnow, I am ashamed of having had such feelingstowards my master.When I was an apprentice, my mastertaught me how to make tattooing needles.Each tattooist has his own preferred wayof making needles. I put 7 needles in order,and curve the tips of them. Then I makea fan-shape with them. The middle of theneedles is set as the top of the fan, pullingthe rest of them down. The needles shouldbe arranged like the following figure andsoldered up.When incising thin lines, I use 2 or 3of 7 needles, which are the closest to thehands, by adjusting the angle of the needleswith the skin. Normally when tattooingthe outline, I touch the skin with only themiddle of the group of needles.To tattoo details, some tattooists use aseparate tool consisting of only 3 needles.But the professional tattooists can tattoowhatever they want, using only one set ofneedles for outlining. They don’t have touse other tattooing tools. They can tattooany thin or thick lines, small circles andso on. The professional tattooists tattoothe designs on the skin smoothly, from upto down, down to up, right to left, left toright. When I need more ink after tattooingfrom left to right, for example, I do kaeshibari,flipping the needles. Kaeshibari is oneof techniques, which is flipping the otherside of the needles and tattooing by usingthe rest of the ink on the other side.Horimono means “tattoo” in Japanese.Hori or horu is “to incise” or “to dig” andmono means “things.” Tattooing is similarto engraving a sculpture. A tattoo is not apicture. It is supposed to be appreciated at adistance of several years. What is expressedby the tattoo should be clearly recognizedfrom a distance. If the tattoo is too detailed,it can hardly be seen from a distance. Likesculptures, tattoos need to be rough anddrastic to some extent. Such tattoos aremore attractive to people. I can see whytattoos need to be bold after the work isfinished.Tattooing by hand, Tebori, requiresMOST PUPILSGIVE UP28 ORIGINKSPRING 201229

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As long asI can movemy hands,I will keeptattooing.and tattoo a line about one centimeter long.This same step is done continuously duringsujibori (outlining).I keep the same speed(rhythm) to tattoo no matter what kind of designsor shapes, such as circles, squares andlines, are tattooed. I draw the outlines stepby step on each part of the body, such as theshoulders, the arms and the back, and finallyfinish the art work on the body. Then the fullbody tattoo is completed.For bokashibori (shading), sets of 12and 13 needles are prepared, and each setis made in the shape of a fan and soldered.The set of 12 needles is put under the setof 13 needles and staggered by pulling theset of 12 needles back a little bit. When Ido bokashibori , I insert the ink into the skinat an angle which corresponds to the anglemade by the two sets of needles. I have toadjust the strength of the stroke by usingboth 12-set needles and 13-set needles. IfI use either one or the other, the ink cannotbe inserted into the skin properly. The lower12-set needles has to be used carefully, liketouching the needles on the skin gently. It’svery difficult to master how to use thosetattoo needles, especially the lower setof needles.Today, we Japanese tattooists ordertattooing needles from the factory. However,when I was a pupil, I would make tattooingneedles by using the thinnest sewing needles.Many of them did not have good qualitypoints. One package had 25 needles, anda half of them were no good. In those days,we used the ink called sakurazumi. Now weuse baikaboku for tattooing, which is madeof soot of cooking oil. The ink for calligraphy,which is made of soot of resin, is not suitablefor tattooing, because the color does notlast long.Those needles were often stolen bycustomers. I assume that some other tattooistsasked them to pretend to be customersand to steal my tools, in order to know howI made the tattooing needles. Although Iunderstood that they had eager feelings tolearn professional tattooing, I was so angrywith the attitudes. When I was tattooing, I putmy tool box beside me. While I was away (goingto bathroom, for example), they stole myneedles. It is not difficult to steal them. Afterall, I prepare the necessary needles onlywhen I need them. I usually lock the doorof my studio after work. Electric machines,color inks, my drawings (about 120 designs)for the back have all been stolen at varioustimes. The tattoo designs were especiallyimportant for me. I had drawn many designsand collected them for a long time. I amso frustrated whenever I remember thoseincidents and think how much time I spenton the drawings.Tattooists who have not been apprenticedand trained by tattoo masters do notknow the reasons or meanings of the traditionaldesigns. For example, there are fourseasons (spring, summer, fall and winter)in Japan. The seasons should be expressedin tattoo art as well. Real Japanese tattooartists express each season on the skin.However, the untrained tattooists do notknow traditional thoughts on Japanese art.The untrained tattooists draw a snake andcherry blossoms, but this is a wrong way intradition. When cherry trees begin to bloomin March in Japan, the snake still hibernatesunder the ground. So the snake and cherryblossom cannot be seen in the same period.In other words, it does not make any sense ifthe snake and cherry blossoms aredrawn together.Some tattooists draw a carp climbing upthe waterfall together with peonies. Actually,we can see the carp climbing up thewaterfall from the late September to Octoberin Japan. It is supposed to go with mapleleaves, not peonies. (The symbol of mapleleaves refers to the autumn.) When hutatsugoi(twin carp) and huhugoi (a married couplecarp) are drawn, two carp (one carp forthe arm, for example) can go with peonies,because we do not have to express seasonsin these cases. There are several traditionalcombinations: Karajishi, which is a combinationShishi (lion) with botan (peonies), andryu (dragon) with kiku (chrysanthemum)and menchirashi (men means “a mask,”and chirashi or chirasu means “to scatter”)with cherry blossoms. Those images areparticular sets for Japanese traditional tattoodesigns.I am very happy with my job and love it.As long as I can move my hands, I will keeptattooing. I thank my master very much.Without his teachings, I could not have beena tattooist. I will never forget the gratitudetowards the master forever.32 ORIGINKSPRING 2012 33