SPORTING tattoos has been practised across cultures since the Neolithic times as evidenced by mummified preserved skin, ancient art and archaeological records.
BY PRECIOUS CHIDA
In recent times, the ink drawings on human skin have become a craze mainly among the rich and yuppies in Zimbabwe.
This trend, however, has been met with mixed reactions especially among the conservative and religious people.
NewsDay Weekender recently published a story, which sparked heated debate, in which a tattoo artist argued that there was nothing satanic about tattoos and said while Zimbabwe’s conservative population was refusing to fully embrace the fashionable trend, it was a strong brand in other countries.
The art has largely been associated with socialites together with rock, RnB, hip hop and dancehall musicians, among other groups.
Several teenagers in Zimbabwe are now adopting the trendy style although it appears to enrage a significant number of parents.
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Roman Catholic priest, Jerry Herda described the art as nothing more than just a form of make-up.
“The mere fact that the ink goes onto the skin does not create a fundamental moral difference . . . A tattoo in and of itself is not a sin. A tattoo is a form of art that happens to be done on a person’s body,” he said.
Herda said the images would become sin only if they degrade morality through displaying sexually explicit or satanic images. Herda said people should deeply reflect upon the arguments against tattooing and added that although the Catholic Church does not prohibit tattooing, that did not necessarily mean it should be done.
“Tattoos are a permanent mark on the body and should be taken seriously. My hope is that Christians realise that in a sense, we have all received a tattoo, invisible as it may be, when we were sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit at baptism and at confirmation, we received a permanent mark on our soul. In my opinion, that’s the best tattoo of them all,” he said.
Some pastors, who spoke to NewsDay Weekender, concurred, with one cleric saying it becomes a problem when people view tattoos as so important that they were elevated to the level of God.
While some artistes said tattooing helped them with their artistic expression, others believed it was just one of the habits that came with fame.
“I think tattoos are fun and fashionable as long as they are temporary. I love Henna tattoos and I would not put a permanent one though because, what if I change my mind in future?” songstress, Cindy Munyavi said.
Zimdancehall chanter, Soul Jah Love said his tattoos had a deep meaning as they dated back to his past life.
“A tattoo symbolises something permanent and mine have a deep meaning. They tell a story about my life and the journey begins from my date of birth, which is one of my tattoos,” he said.
Veteran musician-cum-producer Clive “Mono” Mukundu said fame has driven some artistes into changing their beliefs, as evidenced by the tattoos they print on their bodies only after getting into the music industry.
“It is true that some artistes get tattoos when they get popular because it’s always the case that many artistes change dramatically due to popularity pressures. However, it is not the case with all artistes,” he said.
Research suggests that visiting a professional and qualified tattoo artist can help reduce some side effects that come with the practice, which include allergic reactions from tattoo dyes, sometimes manifesting in the form of itchy infections years after getting the tattoo.
A medical journal on tattoos from Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research states that sometimes bumps called granulomas form around tattoo ink and can also lead to keloids raised areas caused by an overgrowth of scar tissue.
If the equipment used to create one’s tattoo is contaminated with infected blood due to re-use of needles, one can also contract various blood borne diseases — including HIV, tetanus, hepatitis B and hepatitis C.
