is tattooing more than body art?

Dear Bek,

Is a tattoo more than body art? Yes. I believe it is. A person usually gets a tattoo for a special reason. And the reason and the type of tattoo is very subjective.

There are many different kinds of tattoos, from cultural symbols, tribal tattoos, Chinese and Japanese, famous symbols (Christian - religious, flower, birds and so on), rainbow tattoos, and the list goes on.

I got mine on my 35th Birthday.
To me it was a form of self-expression.

I've never regretted doing it.

Tatts are body art but can also be a means of making a statement or, as in my case, to declare my roots. I'll probably get another soon if a certain event comes to pass.

As the old Who song 'Tattoo' goes, 'you'll be there when I die'.

Definitely more than Art !

I am seriously thinking of getting one .

My interests lead me to finding a simple, single colour arm tatoo of an Aboriginal sand painting design - one that has a story with it of religious significance and one that has, like the Maori designs, thousands of years of history behind it .