The Tattoo Craze, What We Think About It?

BY OLADEDEL JULIANA

It’s one practice that you would easily notice amongst the youths of today, allegations of danger to health notwithstanding. Why are tattoos or tattooing booming these days, and what are the implications? Our correspondent went to town with the above questions and came back with interesting reactions. Below are excerpts:

Tattoo is significant to slavery. Slaves in those days were branded (tattooed) so they would remain bound to their master(s). Piercing is significant to the Egyptian traditions of adornment.

Nowadays, people pierce and tattoo their skin for fashion and others to *mark* a significant event in their life or something…

My perception about piercing and tattoo is appalling, “wild” . When I see someone with these arts on their skin, I just believe they are very wild and or ignorant…

Damilare Ojo, Business man

 People have a right to do anything they want with their bodies

But some people take it too far. They overdo the piercings and become freaks of nature, which is wrong.  People have a right to do anything they want with their bodies; it depends on individuals.

Some people naturally flaunt it. Some don’t get it because of their religious beliefs

Some get it cause of peer pressure; Some beliefs even approve of it

At the end of the day it all depends on the individual.

Abibat Shittu, Student

Tattoos are work of art –  I love drawings so it’s fascinating seeing it like the body is paper. But I won’t do it..it’s just not it for me. For the Piercings, I’m indifferent about that one. Maximum of 2 is my take,  if it’s more than 2 it’s a turn-off for me. Different strokes for different people ‍.

Bukola Omobuwa, fashion designer

i think there’s a cultural shift in the way fashion was being expressed in the past and what we have now. Before, fashion was all about what you wore ; but now fashion is all about what you don’t wear. From a moral stand-point, body piercing and tattoos can be likened to an act of waywardness, uncultured and uncivilized way of expressing fashion.

Nothing is good nothing is bad thinking makes it so. For me, my cultural upbringing makes me see tattoos and body piercing as a blow to a moral well-being. It shows how lax our cultural heritage in terms of values and acceptable moral standards is going into extinction.

Why we are trying to copy the western world, let’s not forget what stand us out as a people and a unique tribe we stand to represent. My submission.

Adediji Matthew, Accountant

Normally tattoo is a fashion but I don’t like it because it has repercussions.

You could be the proud owner of a new tattoo in a matter of hours — but don’t let the ease of the process stop you from thinking carefully about permanent body art. Before you get a tattoo, make sure you know what’s involved and how to reduce the possible risks.

BOLANLE ADEDIJI, student

A tattoo is a permanent mark or design made on your skin with pigments inserted through pricks into the skin’s top layer. Typically, the tattoo artist uses a hand-held machine that acts much like a sewing machine, with one or more needles piercing the skin repeatedly. With every puncture, the needles insert tiny ink droplets.

So the pain is also part of it. The process — which is done without anesthetics — causes a small amount of bleeding and slight to potentially significant pain.

Seun Olugbamila, student