It is in a different register that we find our signature plant in this article. Indeed, on our blog we usually: L'éco Mag to praise the benefits and uses of bamboo through its many facets: building products, accessories and household utensils, in medicine, in cosmetics, etc...
Today, we find our bamboo in tattoos. Many plants have a particular meaning, such as the lotus flower, hibiscus, fleur-de-lis, cherry blossom, or chrysanthemum. Bamboo has a meaning all its own, and that is what we are going to teach you in this article.
Bamboo tattoo: meaning
According to legend, deep in East Asia, a lush garden flourished every year. It was tended by an old hermit like the ones you see in old Kung Fu movies 😂 (we all have the same cliché of an Asian old man dressed in a long white robe, with a small thin drooping mustache, right?) This garden was adorned with a multitude of plants and flowers that bloomed every spring. In its center lived a bamboo grove, a symbol of strength and resilience.
One year, summer was drier and harsher, which caused a drought and made the soil arid and infertile. The plants died one after another, leaving only the bamboo grove alive. It needed far less water than the other plants in the garden. The old hermit was distraught and helpless in the face of his garden's destruction. He sat down and dozed off beside the bamboo, one of the few plants still alive in his devastated garden. During his sleep, the spirit of bamboo told him what to do to save his garden. When he woke up, the old man came up with the idea of using the long bamboo stems to irrigate the other plants thanks to bamboo's length and rigidity. In this way, bamboo gave its life to save the other plants.
According to this legend, bamboo tattoos describe you as someone capable of giving your life for your loved ones.
The history of tattoos
The act of getting tattooed dates back to antiquity. Indeed, the oldest traces of tattoos found on a skeleton date back more than 5,000 years.
A symbol of belonging to a tribe or clan, tattooing has evolved over the centuries to become a way of expressing oneself, asserting oneself, or claiming an idea that is uniquely ours. That is the subtlety of tattoos: it concerns us and has a personal meaning often tied to our own lives, our ideas, and our beliefs.
It is certain that getting tattooed is a big decision that must be carefully thought through so you do not regret it later. Indeed, teenage-rebellion tattoos can later require a cover-up. For this, tattoo studios also offer temporary tattoos that will fade over time often made with henna.
From antiquity to the present day, tattoos have symbolized belonging to a culture such as the Maori tribal tattoo, to a clan such as the Yakuza of Japan or Polynesian tattoos like those of the inhabitants of the Marquesas Islands to name just a few.
Tattoo techniques
Tattoo techniques have evolved over time. Indeed, most tattoo artists use an electric tattoo machine but know that while there are a few major historical tattoo techniques, there are about as many tattoo techniques as there are tattoo artists.
Here are 4 popular tattoo techniques used today:
- Electric tattoo
- Bamboo tattoo
- Maori tattoo
- Blacklight tattoo
Electric tattoo
The most widely used modern method of all. Indeed, most tattoo artists use this technique, which compared with the others is much less painful.
Appearing in 1891, the tattoo machine revolutionized the art of tattooing. The first tattoo machine was invented by Samuel O'Reilly who is said to have been inspired by the electric pen, to which he added needles and a tube for inserting ink under the skin.
Bamboo tattoo
An ancestral method still used today in Asia, particularly in Thailand. This technique is declining because it requires skill and a particular dexterity. Indeed, the needle used to pierce the skin is inserted at the end of a bamboo stick. However, this method is considered less painful because the needle penetrates less deeply under the skin.
The Maori tattoo
Know that the word "tattoo" comes directly from Oceania and was brought to Europe by explorer James Cook. The root of the word "tattoo" comes from the word 'tatau" meaning "to strike" in Tahitian. Indeed, in the purest tradition, this technique consists of "striking" the skin with a hammer and a bone or a shark tooth to create the tattoo. For the Maori, the head is the most sacred part of the body, which is why natives choose to have their faces tattooed, like the famous boxer Mike Tyson. Maori tattoos are recognizable by their curved and spiral patterns.
Blacklight tattoo
An avant-garde, even futuristic, tattoo method. Made with fluorescent ink, the tattooed designs will disappear and then reappear after healing under UV lamp lighting like those found in night bars and clubs. Note that the ink used to create your blacklight tattoo is made from various chemicals, which leaves room for doubt and mistrust among tattoo artists regarding the use of this type of ink.
Tattoo ideas
Whatever technique or tattoo style you like, you will need to choose the part of your body where you will get tattooed. Note that some areas are more painful and sensitive than others, and your tattoo artist will know how to warn you about this. However, some people are more sensitive to pain than others. Indeed, we are not all equal when it comes to pain, and we do not all secrete the same amount of endorphins meant to anesthetize us during the tattoo session. That's how it is. Know that areas where the skin is thinner are considered more sensitive, such as the ankles for example.
Here are some tattoo ideas:
Tattoo on the neck and nape
This is a relatively sensitive area. However, I suggest you stay relatively discreet when it comes to the visible parts of your body. It is better to stay subtle and let part of your tattoo show at the nape of the neck; this has the effect of arousing curiosity and, let’s be honest, it is also very sexy depending on the tattoo.
Hand tattoos
Hand tattoos are very much in vogue. It is very original for couples to get a ring tattooed on the ring finger as a symbol of commitment.
Fingers often lend themselves to a few letters and symbols that reflect our ideas and principles, but what is very original and aesthetic are jewelry-style hand tattoos like Sarah's hand.
Arm, sleeve, and wrist tattoos
It has been trendy for years to get your children's names tattooed on your forearms, with wrists lending themselves easily to initials, but it is really at the sleeve and shoulder level that tattoo enthusiasts are tempted by larger pieces like the famous Yakuza dragons.
Video idea for men's tattoos:
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