Apatani tattoos in a global context: A custom that preceded modern fashion by centuries – Arunachal Pradesh

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Sanghamitra Baruah, Times Crest, 12 June 2010, June 12, 2010

Centuries before rockstars and celebrities, tattoos were used by tribal men and women across the world, whether it was the Maoris of New Zealand or the Apatanis of Arunachal Pradesh, to mark out identity and territory. […]

While body art is a fashion statement for Michi, his grandmother was forced to get her face tattooed when she was barely eight.
Centuries before it became an accessory for rock stars and celebrities, Arunachal Pradesh’s Apatani tribe – to which Michi belongs – was tattooing its womenfolk to make them unattractive to rival tribes in neighbouring districts, who might otherwise abduct their prettiest women.

Source: Tattoos — a tribal heritage | Society | Times CrestAddress : <http://www.timescrest.com/society/tattoos-a-tribal-heritage-2618>
Date Visited: Fri Jul 08 2011 11:45:05 GMT+0200 (CEST)

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