A Native American Tattoo to Honor Your Heritage

There are a host of young people that want to honor their Native American heritage and getting a tribal tattoo is one of the ways they want to honor their ancestry. Getting a Native American tribal tattoo will show the world that they are proud of their Native American roots. There are some considerations that should be taken into account before you mark your body for life with a tribal tattoo.

Question Your Family

The tradition of tribal tattooing is a long one. Asking the members of your family about tribal tattooing practices can steer you to the right path to showing your ancestral pride. If you have no real connections to your familial tribe, the smartest thing you can do is to do the proper research to find out the typical customs for tribal tattooing of your specific tribe.

Get it Right the First Time

Those without family members and affiliations to their Native American roots should be sure that they are getting the right tribal tattoo. Though you may think you know from which tribe your blood comes from, it is important that you know the specifics. The internet is a vast resource when it comes to researching one’s roots, so before you put ink to flesh, do your research so that you know you are displaying the right tribal design.

A Tattoo is Forever

The reason behind finding the exact roots from which you came is because a tattoo is not something you can wash off if you find out it is the wrong tribal tattoo; rather a tattoo is going to be a permanent part of your body. You can have them laser removed or covered with another design, but after all the money, time and pain you invested, you won’t likely be so quick to take those measures.

Another Important Consideration

Just because the blood of a Native American tribe flows through your veins, if you are not truly affiliated or part of that heritage, those that are will look upon you with amusement or worse, derision if you display the wrong tribal tattoo. A tribal tattoo is not the only way to honor your heritage, rather just one way to publicly display your affiliation. To truly honor your past, you are well advised to learn about the culture and traditions that your specific tribe practiced.

Spending time with connected members of your tribe and learning the whys and wherefores can enrich your tribal experience and give you a better sense of your identity. If after all your research and participation you still want to get that tribal tattoo to tell the world you are proud to be a member of a certain tribe, then by all means do it. At least you will be secure in the knowledge that the tattoo you display will be correct and won’t indicate that you are just an ignorant poser, rather that you are truly connected with your Native American tribal history.