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African culture has been using tattoos as a form of showing their cultural heritage, expressing individual identities, and family lineage for centuries.
In Africa, body marking is as old as time itself; it was employed mainly for two purposes that are similar among many Africans.
In my culture for example, our forefathers used body art as a symbol of identity and a mark of ownership. As a symbol of identity, body art or tattoos as we call it today was mainly used as tribal mark. Most tribes in my country have tattoos on their bodies which is identical, so that they can easily recognize themselves anywhere they find themselves. For example, the Itsekiri tribe in Nigeria has a visible facial mark which is used to identify them anywhere they go. So many other tribes have body marks in Nigeria for identity purposes.
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These marks are usually done on a visible part of the body, either on the face, neck, or on the wrist for everyone to see them. They can be beautiful in most cases while some others are really off.
Body art was largely used as a means of identity in my culture. It was essentially done by wealthy men in the days of our forefathers on their wives. In this case, a man who married a beautiful woman in a way to prevent other men from taking her away from him would place a special body mark on the woman's arm, neck, or ankle. This practice was common in the days of our forefathers.
Moreover, men with larger family members, especially children, also used body art for identity purposes on their children and to preserve their family lineages. It's common to see a family with a special body mark through to their extended families. They use body art to preserve their family lineages.
Changing Views on Tattoos
The question now is; where do I stand in the whole thing about tattoos? There's a mix up here. As a Christian I found in my Bible that engaging in body marks is not something pleasant to God and that forms my whole world about tattoos. Although, personally I don't resent anyone with tattoos on their body, excessive use of tattoos is so resentful to me.
Tattoos can be beautiful when used moderately, however, the wild use of tattoos seems to be something out of normal.
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Where Do I Stand?
As stated earlier on, my faith has had a big influence on how I see tattooing as a Christian. However, I do not hold grudges towards those who opt for them because in the Bible it is said that body markings are not lovely and this perception has influenced my entire perspective on this issue.
Nevertheless, tattoos have been used by some African societies to convey identity, tradition and family ties which is highly significant in their culture. The historical use of tribal marks and other tattoos also played a vital role within society.
For me, I think when done with moderation the tattoos can still be beautiful art pieces. Instead of too much or vulgar body ink usage I prefer simple or decent designs. Thus it is good to find a middle ground like in many cultural practices.
To conclude, tattoos have played a significant part in various societies and ages. Even though my religious beliefs discourage excessive body art, I’m aware that it is of historical significance to many African tribes and communities.
Ultimately, every person has to make up their mind by taking into consideration cultural, religious and personal elements. In fact, the best thing would be moderation- tattoos can still be seen as an art if they are used appropriately with not more than necessary numbers distributed all over the body.
I would recommend taking time to consider everything before making a decision about getting a tattoo. Finally but not least; let me reiterate that no matter what outlook one holds regarding this matter, it should always remain open-minded and respectful toward others’ choices.