Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1882-06-02
TattOOing.

TattOOin9. or at least tattOoinC as
practiced by uncivilized men. is an art
without a history. No one. As far as
we are aware. has made it the business
OF his life to study the development of
tattooing from its rude beginnings
We have not. therefore, the materials
at hand for a really scientific discussion
of the evolution of ''moko.' as the New
Zealanders call tattooing. As science
becomes more thoroughly ditleren-
tiated, and aS specialists arise in this
branch of learning. we shall doubtless
have books written on Mokology
This seems the most appropriate term
for the new study, because it sounds
Pathological to talk of tattoology. In
the course of Il few years we may be-
lieve that conferences of MokologistS
will be held in the larger and more in-
tellectual provincial towns.
When Engli,hmcn first settled in New
Zealand they found that the older
women had one side of their faces tat
tooed, so that from one point of the
view they looked like men, while the
other aspect OF the profile revealed
them Is women. Now the women tat =
tO0ed only the lines of the lips and a
scroll depending from the angles of the
mouth. They also draw fine blue limos
on their arms and breasts. The prac-
tice of the New Zealanders shows us
tattooing as no longer Il torture or u
kind of Trademark. but merely form
of persona! ornament.
Ii is in this shape that tattooing sur
wives among the savage and backward
classes of civilized peoples, among boys.
criminals and the lower classes OF SOL
dierS. This modern tattooing has re-
Gently been made the subject of special
studies, both in France and Italy. Sol
diers are often found tattooed literally
all over their bodies. The men who are
frequently under arrest find, in tattoo
ing, a help to kill time. Whole pictures
copied from Illustrated newspapers OF
the covers are often imprinted on the
flesh by the Use of needles and coloring
matter. Notices are also engraved aud
marks of trades. or religious and'patri-
otic emblemS. are very common. Places
like LorettO and other centerS of pill
grimages are also centers of the art of
tattOoing. Sacred signs are stamped,
for small charge. on the bodies of the
pilgrims, and this practice actually pre-
walls in Jerusalem. In Paris and other
great towns there are professional tat
toQers. and the cost OF n really elaborate
design may reach 12f oreven 20f Man.
kind is naturally prone to relapse into
the barbarouS customs of the past, and
there can be no better proof of this than
the extent to which tattooing is prac-
ticed in the armies and prisons of France
and Italy. Indeed these tattooed civil
lied men have sunk even below the
standard of the barbarian of New Zea-
land. Civilized tattOoing IS mechanical
in method. and trivial or disgusting in
subject. while the "mokO" OF the New
Zeaander5 is designed on soand princi-
pies of decoration.
The recent French and Italian re-
searches prove that tattooing in Europe
is chiefly confined TO men. Roger ITCH
borne wished to tattoo his cousin. and
Mr.. Payn tells. in the Bcigraria Christ
mas number, II very moving tale of Il
young lady OF rank who tlttooed her
arm with the name OF '.TOm.' School
girls should remember that. however
devoted they may be to Tom" at the
age of fourteen, at eighteen they will
find the indelible token of this atlec-
tiOn rather inconvenient. But, if all
tattooers were AS expert as the Dyaks.
ladies who love blue china might con-
sent to Ire tattooed. The hands of a
Dyak woman in Mr.. Carl Books Head
Hunters in Borneo' havo the most
beautiful blue ornaments. in the most
exquisite taste. We have known es-
thetic ladies' who tinged their nails with
henna; from this to tattooing n la Dyak
is but short step. Whether Young
dandies should tattoo themselves rs Il
question that may be left to the culti-
waited taste of long haired lads who al
ready wear bangles and bracelets. The
first young man tattooed in Nankin
blue will doubtless have success. but
imitation might prove monotonous. 1t
is certain thai Europeans will find no
better teachers in this art than the chi
na-collecting, head-huntinS Dyaks OF
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