Yeah that's why I had "tribal" quotes in my post. My, ahem, lower back tattoo is "lines running across each other in different directions" with a stylized dragon face in the center. I wasn't going for tribal but this was the nicest "stylized" dragon I could find after over a year of searching. I'm not into color tattoos so I was pretty limited on dragon possibilities. The term "tribal" gets used incorrectly when it comes to tattoos/art work because I don't think many of the ones people have actually represent something as they would in an actual tribe. More like they are artwork inspired by tribal designs. And the Asian character thing always cracks me up for the same reason: how do you know the lines and dots actually say anything at all? And you may think it says water but maybe it says "dip shit."
Thanks. I still think about it... I think your tattoo is pretty awesome!! Sorry to hear about your friend's unexpected passing. Ultimately I think tattoos are cool in the fact that MOST people would say they meant something to the person at the time. It makes you kind of think there are so many layers to people, so many things that mean something to someone. It makes you really want to peel back the layers and get to know people one on one.
that gave me goose bumps !!! I agree wonderful tribute and sweet... But what would your father have said...
I have a couple and honestly mine don't have any meaning.. when people ask.. I say that one hurt like a son of a bitch.. and that one was even worse... but other than that no meaning.. Lately we've seen some wonderful work, portraits amazing but wonder what they will look like in 10 years... if they still look really good might think about getting another one.
I LOVE my tattoos. They mean stuff to me, and that's what matters. They are original. I always look forward to my next ones also. 2 more lined up for this year. This wasn't really about people with tattoos as it was about the meaning of fad tattoos to people. Tribal arm bands were a fad tattoo. For the most part. So the point was to ask those with tribal arm bands what they meant to them. I don't think anyone was picking on tattoos in general. **statement made after reading some comments to redirect flow to the posters original question** Hehe ^
Nice redirection back on topic. I would venture to say that both the OP and his buddy are both right. Some have meaning, some were because they were thought to look cool.
My armband is of Celtic design with a Cathlic symbol included which represents my father my son and I. Yes I did get it during the whole armband fad, and yes I did fall into that, but it still has a very strong meaning to me as with my other ink.
I have a tattoo of a coast Salish thunderbird. The design came from a carving that was made by a native artist when I was born and it was given to my Dad to give to me when I became a man. I grew up looking at this piece of art my whole life, but it wasn't until I was 35 that my Dad told me what it really meant. The artist was named Ron Jeffries and the thunderbird is the strongest of all the spirits. He predicted I would be a strong an powerful man. That's what my tribal tattoo means.
