Before the 1800s, Tahitian tattoos were involved in social action, clarifying kinship, sacredness, and identity (Borofsky 1989:230). Today, Tahitian tattoo artists are seen in the global tattooing network, teaching at European and American tattooists’ salons (Thomas et al. 2005:171). They practice not only Tahitian tattoo styles, but also Euro-American, Japanese, Celtic, and other Polynesian techniques as well (Thomas et al. 2005:171). This transmission and globalization of Tahitian tattoos can be observed through the history of Tahitian tattoos, which can be categorized into three distinctive ideological periods in Tahitian history (Kuwahara 2006:16). In the light of these ideological periods in Tahitian history, I will examine the last and
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The cross-cultural transmissions of tattooing have been observed in not only the West and Europe but in Tahiti as well (Kuwahara 2006:224). The Tahitians themselves have been seen applying non-Polynesian tattooing and western-style Polynesian tattooing to “relate themselves to global tattoo culture” (Kuwahara 2006:224). Though it has been noted how the transmission of Tahitian tattooing has impacted the Tahitian culture, a further look into how their perception of tattooing has changed will allow for the discovery of shifts in the ideological systems. I will contribute to the anthropological research that demonstrates shifts in ideology and social systems of cultures due to globalization. This study will observe the retranslation and revitalization of the concept of tattoos from a symbol of hierarchy and inequality. This will help illuminate just how tenuous meanings and implications of tattoos within a culture can be. Understanding globalization and its impact on historical values will help us fully address questions pertaining to cultural exchange and the fragility of values and …show more content…
I will first need to gain funding for my travel and living expenses in Tahiti. I will also need permission from the Tahitian government to conduct my study, a key informant to introduce and acclimate me into the community, and study the ethics of the culture on my own prior to the travel. Before traveling abroad, I will need to learn the Tahitian language for me to adequately converse with the locals. When I do arrive, I will spend about a month to transition to my new lifestyle and become close with the members of the community. To understand the changes in the views of the tattoos, I will conduct formal and informal interviews with tattoo artists as well as people with tattoos to hear their attitudes towards tattoos. The interviews will be categorized between the older generation and the younger generation. This will allow me to see the difference between the perceptions of tattoos in the past and the present. Also, I will rely on ethnographers who have conducted research on Tahitian tattoos in the U.S. to understand the Western interpretations of Tahitian tattoos and how they influence the Westerners’ sense of identity. I will then look to see if the same meanings have been adopted in Tahiti as Western media and globalization have influenced Tahitian perceptions of tattoos and identity. I will observe if
The cross-cultural transmissions of tattooing have been observed in not only the West and Europe but in Tahiti as well (Kuwahara 2006:224). The Tahitians themselves have been seen applying non-Polynesian tattooing and western-style Polynesian tattooing to “relate themselves to global tattoo culture” (Kuwahara 2006:224). Though it has been noted how the transmission of Tahitian tattooing has impacted the Tahitian culture, a further look into how their perception of tattooing has changed will allow for the discovery of shifts in the ideological systems. I will contribute to the anthropological research that demonstrates shifts in ideology and social systems of cultures due to globalization. This study will observe the retranslation and revitalization of the concept of tattoos from a symbol of hierarchy and inequality. This will help illuminate just how tenuous meanings and implications of tattoos within a culture can be. Understanding globalization and its impact on historical values will help us fully address questions pertaining to cultural exchange and the fragility of values and …show more content…
I will first need to gain funding for my travel and living expenses in Tahiti. I will also need permission from the Tahitian government to conduct my study, a key informant to introduce and acclimate me into the community, and study the ethics of the culture on my own prior to the travel. Before traveling abroad, I will need to learn the Tahitian language for me to adequately converse with the locals. When I do arrive, I will spend about a month to transition to my new lifestyle and become close with the members of the community. To understand the changes in the views of the tattoos, I will conduct formal and informal interviews with tattoo artists as well as people with tattoos to hear their attitudes towards tattoos. The interviews will be categorized between the older generation and the younger generation. This will allow me to see the difference between the perceptions of tattoos in the past and the present. Also, I will rely on ethnographers who have conducted research on Tahitian tattoos in the U.S. to understand the Western interpretations of Tahitian tattoos and how they influence the Westerners’ sense of identity. I will then look to see if the same meanings have been adopted in Tahiti as Western media and globalization have influenced Tahitian perceptions of tattoos and identity. I will observe if