No other species changes how it looks on just a whim or a fashion trend. And yet for some, body art can be a deeply personal expression of beliefs and spirituality, a ritual of healing and reclaiming, or an exploration of the inner self.
The word "tattoo" comes from the Polynesian word "tatu" meaning "to strike." That culture's method of tattooing involved hitting a barbed comb with another stick to make the tattoo puncture.
People get tattooed in remembrance of partners and children, as souvenirs of military tours or experiences, as rites of passage, to cover scars and reclaim their bodies, and on occasion because their friends talked them into it.
Much the same can be said for body piercing, although as a practice, that is much newer in Western culture than tattooing. From the common earlobe and nostril piercings, modern methods have allowed piercing to spread all over the body.
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