Tattoos a way of life in Arunachal

Itanagar, July 30 (UNI) The girls of the Laju tribe here are tattooed with a design of a diamond on the chin between the age of four to five years and lines are drawn on the cheek and nose after they attain puberty.

Besides face, other parts of the body such as the chest, navel, thigh etc are also tattooed with lines and dots.

Tattoos quite a craze nowdays actually is quite a primitive art.

Tattoos are permanent artistic patterns on the skin by pricking and inserting a dye.

Tribals in the state of Arunachal Pradesh had been practicing this art since time immemorial due to some traditional customs and demonstrate the acheivements attained by a person and the art was performed with religious rituals and ceremonies. However, with advent of modernization this form of the art is fast disappearing.

With an effort to preserve the ancient culture the youngsters in Arunachal Pradesh are promoting tattooing as a fashion.

24 year-old man Tadum Baja, when asked about the tatoos on his arm said it was ''hep and cool'' and all his friends also have done it.

Tattooing is called 'Bifa' at Laju and 'Khuta' in other areas.

Tattooing of women here is a social custom but with men it has always been connected with head-hunting. Girls are tattooed in a ceremony called 'Bong Juong' which is basically done when a girl reaches her puberty.

In the Borduria, Namsang and Laptang areas tattooing is done by a maternal uncle of the girl whereas in other areas it is done by an expert. The designs of tattoos are generally a big stars with cross lines joining the ends, said a tatoo expert. The Adi women have tattoo marks about the mouth, in the hollow of the upper lip, immediately under the nose.

The men in Arunachal generally do not tattoo their faces or bodies, however, in the Laju Tut and Dadom areas under Tirap district, some men carve tattoos on their face and chest.

The traditional tattoo patterns for females are 'V' shaped designs with circular ends on the face, a feather design on the chest and stomach and zigzag patterns on the neck.

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