Indonesian Tattoos Gallery

About 2.500 before Christ old Malayan people from the asian mainland colonized the Indonesian archipelago. In the second part of the first century before Christ the immigration from southern China came and around the turning point in history the colonization from people from India started who brought buddhistic and hinduistic ideas with them including the art of the religious tattoo.

The people of Indonesia believed the soul of a human can only feel at home if the body is completed by decorations on the skin. Therefore the so called Titi spiral markings were tataued on hands, forearms and lower legs at a certain age. In addition men also often received a sinuous chest shield reaching as far up as the cheeks. The tatau equipment was a wooden sledge and a grip made from deer horn with a brass needle. A petroleum grime containing color was spread on the brass needle and the pattern, which was first drawn on the particular body part, was grated into the skin. The skin art survived the colonization of the Europeans after the discovery of the sea route to India in 1498.

Until today it is almost impossible to tell how many of the 20.000 Indonesian islands between Asia and Australia are even inhabited. The current estimate is around 6.000. Not until the declaration of independence of Indonesia in 1954 the tattooing and also the traditional peak chiseling of the teeth was prohibited by the government. Only on a few islands the tradition of body art is still preponderance since then. Especially the island of Borneo kept up the tradition of the tatau as independent and world wide recognized art form.

Source : http://tattoojoy.com/tattoo_history/indonesia.php

Indonesian Tattoos and Body Art

Indonesians, Javanese in particular, used to take tattoos as synonymous with incurable criminal tendencies. In 1980's, there was a controversial police biz all around Java -- it wasn't really recognized as such, as a matter of course, by the regime in power at the time -- that involved rounding up nearly everybody with a tattoo on his body, and shooting them on the spot. This was supposed to prevent crimes before any was committed. No kidding.

Because not a single tentacle of 'the Authorities' acknowledged the 'signature' on this spree as theirs, the thing stays in the Indonesian history as the times of 'Petrus' -- that's the Indonesian and Javanese version of 'Peter' (by the way, click here for Indonesian names), but in this case it was an abbreviation of the term 'penembak misterius', i.e. 'mystery shooters'.

Ten years after those scary days, in the end of 1990's, tattoo parlors owned, managed and operated by twentysomethings became familiar sights in Java -- especially in Bandung (West Java), Jakarta (capital city of this Republic), Yogya, and Surabaya (East Java)

Those come in a variety of everything.

I mean, the tattoo artists of some joints are really great and do their jobs professionally, some others are freelancers obeying whims, or even overzealous yet underachieving amateurs.

The joints themselves range from some air-conditioned hygienic rooms with some music (like Hitam in Yogya), to a simple one-room place not dissimilar with the characteristic Indonesian cigarette vending carts, down to just any spot on earth that happens to be where the artist and the client meets.

Anyway, these joints, even if some are nothing like biz and closer to 'communities', have been helping to elevate the status of tattoo in this country. Of course Hollywood plays some significant parts, too, in changing the average Indonesian minds about the dignity of such permanent (or, after 2000, also temporary) body-painting.

As in any pioneering and edge-cutting enterprise, certain individuals can get nailed down as the ones who have been doing much to attain today's lively tattoo-related scene accessible to all.

Source : http://www.geocities.com/omimachi2/art6.htm

The Tattoos Artist Profile

I was always into tattoos. All my father's friends had Vietnam shit and I would stare at them as a little kid. I thought it was the coolest. I couldn't wait to get one.
I am into traditional American. One point tattoos, old school, new school but I also dig Japanese. I really don't have one favorite - more like one least favorite.....TRIBAL.

Tattoo Artists That Have Inspired You Most: Ed hardy, Martin lacasse, Horiyoshi lll, Mike Rubendall, Kore Flatmo

Secular Artists That Have Inspired You Most: Picasso, Dali

Other Hobbies and Interests: I no longer have any other interests. Tattooing is my life.

How and Where to Contact You: The Devil's Den
1265 Montauk Hwy
Copiague, NY 11726
631-225-6523
www.longislandtattoo.com
www.joeblacktattoo.com
www.tattoonow.com

Words of Wisdom from Joe Ferzola: If someone is thinking about learning to tattoo, study up on it before you start. Practice drawing tattoos not drawings!!! Understand what a tattoo is made up of. And have some balls and tattoo yourself first.

If someone is looking to get a tattoo, shop around, look at as many portflios as you can - go online, find a style that you are interested in and talk to your artist, be specific in what it is that you want and have them draw a sketch for you. That usally requires a down payment - but that shit is going on your body for the rest of your life so....smarten up!

Source : http://tattoo.about.com/od/usstudionewyork/p/joeferzola.htm