Evening Republican, Volume 18, Number 253, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 October 1914 — BROUGHT FROM THE ORIENT [ARTICLE]

BROUGHT FROM THE ORIENT

Practice of Tattooing Originated In the East, Probably as a Means of Ornamentation. The practice of tattooing the human 1 skin is most widely in vogue among j the Japanese, the Burmans and the | Maoris. In India, too, the practice is widespread. The “art,” if so it may be called, is of Polynesian origin, the root of the word being "ta," meaning “to strllkej” suggested by the primitive method of tattooing, which was by beating into the flesh a finely-pointed bone- dipped In some mixture that left an indelible mark. Generally speaking, among the peoples by whom it is most employed, tattooing is held to be significant of manhood, although it is practiced by women as a means of ornamentation. It seems to be the unanimous opinion of the writers on the subject that the primary object of tattooing was' a desire to attract the opposite sex, although this does not exclude motives related to ceremonies and religion. In India tattooing is supported by divine sanction, for the god Vishnu . tattooed the arm of Lakshmi with the figure of his weapons and the sun, the I moon and the tulsi plants as a protection for her while he was engaged in distant wars with troublesome demons. He also promised that all the ! faithful who wore these same marks *on their arms should be protected from all evil influences. Since the operation is a most painful cne, it is not usual in countries where the practice obtains to a great extent to tattoo any but the parts where the skin is tough, the order of preference appearing to be, first, the forehead, then the junction of the eyebrows, then the cheeks, chin and shoulders, and then the arms and back of the hands.