A group of Aborigines on Saturday gathered in Pingtung County’s Sandimen Township (三地門) to recreate a hand tattoo tradition that had faded following a ban during the Japanese colonial era.
The procedure was practiced among the Talamakau — also known as the Auba — the only Rukai clan living in the township.
Lai Mei-fang (賴美芳), who is part of the tribal chief’s family, was tattooed by Sung Hai-hua (宋海華), a Paiwan from Taitung County’s Sapulju clan.
Photo: Lo Hsin-chen, Taipei Times
The Paiwan and the Rukai share many traditions.
In traditional Aboriginal culture, hand tattoos are given to women between the ages of 12 and 16 as a rite of passage. Hand tattoos are a symbol of not only status, but also purity and beauty.
Designs have different meanings, Lai said. For example, only tribal chiefs can get a tattoo of a human figure.
Traditionally, if a tribal family wanted their daughter to be tattooed, the family would present a drawing of the proposed design to the chief for approval and as a sign of respect.
After receiving approval from the chief, the family would host a feast for the entire tribe and announce that their daughter will be tattooed.
Traditional Aboriginal tattoos take two to three days to complete.
To make the tool that is used for the tattoos, the tattooist ties a thorn from a plant in the citrus family to the inner part of a split piece of bamboo.
The ink comes from the charcoal at the bottom of a pot.
The process involves placing the bamboo above the back of a person’s hand and using another stick to beat it so that the thorn inserts the pigment into the skin.
Today, few Aborigines know how to perform the traditional technique, and only two tattoo artists — both more than 90 years old — remain among the Auba people.
When Lai received the tattoo on Saturday, the pain almost brought her to tears.
She said that while some people might wonder why she is getting a hand tattoo in this day and age, she feels a sense of mission within her to preserve her culture.
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