08 June 2011

Mentawai Tattoos: The World's Oldest Tattoos

In the sidelines of your surfing activity, try to go into the inland Mentawai and interact with indigenous tribes or another sensation with Mentawai tattoos in your body. According to the record's Ady Rosa, 48, a lecturer of Fine Arts, State University of Padang, West Sumatra, Egypt's tattoos is a 1300 BC. According to the fine arts masters, Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB), the Mentawai people are tattooing their bodies since coming to the west coast of Sumatra. Proto Malay nation was coming from mainland Asia (Indochina), the Metal Age, 1500 BC-500 BC.

This is adequate prove that the Mentawai tattoos is the world's oldest tattoos. Mentawai people call tattoos with the word titi. 

One of the function of tattoos is to show identity and difference in social status or profession. sikerei shaman tattoos design, for example, unlike tattoos expert hunting. Experts hunt known for his pictures of animals catch, such as pigs, deer, monkeys, birds and crocodiles. Sikerei known from sibalu-balu star tattoos in his body.
Sikerei
Mentawai tattoos made ​​with traditional tools and materials such as needles, stem wood, paddle, and a stick. The ink of charcoal mixed with sugarcane juice. Tattooing was preceded by a procession punen enegat (initiation ceremony) at puturukat uma (traditional home gallery). The event was led by Sikerei (shaman).

Tattooing done gradually. The first stage begins before the adult children (11-12 years), at the base of the arm. The second stage, at the age of 18-19 years, on the chest, thighs, legs, abdomen, and back.