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 Protective ink
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| Payanak |
Lagt på d. 03/06-2007 05:53
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 Ekspert medlem  Antal indlæg: 2597 |
Protective ink For devotees who believe in them, traditional script tattoos carry much more than aesthetic value Whether for cosmetic reasons or religious devotion, for mystical protection from evil spirits or for a simple sense of belonging, today's Thai youth have embraced tattoos like no other generation. From the rice paddies of Isan to the skytrain of Bangkok, one's eyes cannot avoid falling upon a fire-breathing dragon, a tribal armband or a samurai-inspired motif. Originally, Thai tattooing may well have been inspired by the three articles of meaning many other cultures have ascribed to it: Pain, permanence and the loss of one's life source - blood. The linking of these three outcomes, of having an inked needle puncture flesh, has elevated tattooing from bodily decoration to a way for mortals to connect with gods, obtain magical powers or protection or enter a trance-like state. Nowhere can this linking of tattoos and metaphysical beliefs be seen in greater clarity than at the annual Wai Kru Festival at Wat Bang Phra in Nakhon Pathom province, some 30km northwest of Bangkok. Phra Panya Ghantakham has been tattooing for 23 years, ever since he joined the monkhood. Two or three times a month a Buddhist devotee will visit his quiet kuti (monk's cell) at Wat Nang Leaw in the northern province of Lampang and ask his body to be blessed with the image of a magical snake, tiger or dragon or a Pali mantra. Nowadays, Phra Panya uses a 50cm steel skewer for tattooing rather than the bamboo arrow traditionally used. The reason? It's more hygienic, easier to work with and the bamboo arrow caused the recipient too much pain. Every year in March, Phra Panya travels to Nakhon Pathom for the Wai Kru Festival where he observes the rituals and tattoos of those men who feel the need to reinforce their being with another etching of Buddhist yantra. The festival itself is nothing less than spellbinding. Thousands gather in the compound of Wat Bang Phra at dawn. Most are men of dubious character - gangsters, drug dealers and other unsavoury types; men who have been shot or stabbed in the past and who want protection from physical danger. A makeshift stage has been set up around the statue of the deceased abbot of the temple, Luang Phor Pern, a revered monk who practiced white magic and was himself a tattoo master. As the sun begins to rise and the dusty compound becomes hotter, a buzz of anticipation can be felt. The emcee calls out on his microphone to the restless mob sitting on plastic mats: "If you feel yourself going into a trance, please take off your shirt and your amulets!" Several have already done so. One or two start shaking uncontrollably. One enormous man with long hair dressed only in jeans starts writhing on the ground. His friends try to hold him down but with an explosive force he jerks himself into the air and assumes the stance of Hanuman. His eyes are bulging and sweat drips from his bare body. He edges forward with one hand outstretched like a weapon and the other above his head as if shaking an invisible tambourine. The crowd parts a little so he can get through. Then, with a terrifying shriek, he leaps into the air. His eyes roll back in his head and his body contorts with spasms. Clenching his outstretched fist like a sword he runs full throttle towards the stage. At the last moment he careens into a wall of security men - army and civilian volunteers - who have formed a line in front of the stage and who catch the man by his limbs. They massage his earlobes (which for some reason seems to dispel the possessing spirits) and rub his back. He quickly submits and his supernatural energy is gone. The man bows to the statue and slumps back to his place on a mat in the midst of the compound. Most of the men in the crowd are heavily tattooed already and are wearing strings of Buddhist amulets. Many of them have probably been tattooed by and bestowed with an animal spirit from a mantra-chanting monk at a previous Wai Kru Festival. Now, back at Wat Bang Phra and in the fever of a mass ceremony, these animal spirits return to their keepers and send them into a trance. At 8:53am, the mass hysteria explodes. Instead of two or three men charging the stage at a time, a whole chorus of monkeys, dragons and tigers becomes aroused and starts screaming and jumping about. The air is infectious. Suddenly, there is a blood-curdling roar and perhaps 30 or 40 men charge at once. Like any mob scene, it's frightening. Incredibly, the security line holds firm and the attack is suppressed. The animal warriors, soothed and comforted, return to their seats. "I don't remember running to the stage," admits 44-year-old Phuak afterwards. Phuak, who says he works for a radio station in Bangkok, has been coming to the Wai Kru ceremony for 30 years. He struggles to explain what just happened to him: "I came to the temple at 3am this morning. I had no alcohol, only Chinese noodles. I sat and practiced Vipassana meditation and felt relaxed." He scratches his head, saying, "Then I suddenly felt afraid. I heard something like a loud airplane in my head. The hair on my arms stood up and I heard a ringing sound that started getting more and more out of control. I could feel the tiger tattoo on my arm. It was the only thing I could think about. I remember standing up and taking off my shoes. That's it. The next thing I remember is waking up back on my mat. I was exhausted and covered in dust." The ceremony wraps up at 10:30am, the abbot sprinkling holy water on the faithful who throng the stage. The exhausted bodies of the animal warriors head to the sala where rice soup and soft drinks are served. It is time for the tattooing monks to go to work now. Phra Panya takes his place on a small table in a corner where a queue soon forms for his mystic skills. The first recipient comes forward and kneels before the monk. He gives a wai and lays his offering on a copper tray - some notes and coins, a packet of cigarettes and incense. He bows again and takes off his shirt. His body is a gallery of Pali verses and yantras. Phra Panya dips the steel skewer in a blue liquid antiseptic and immediately begins tattooing. He mutters a mantra quietly and holds the rod in his hand like a snooker player, forming a bridge with his thumb. His wrist jabs rapidly, the needle piercing the flesh of the man's back like a sewing machine. With his left hand the monk uses a yellow cloth to dab away the blood. The atmosphere is hushed, broken only by Phra Panya's rhythmic mantra. The recipient, motionless, does not wince or make a sound. His friends help by holding his skin taut. Phra Panya's work is fast but precise and a perfect arc of Pali verse soon appears on the man's back. When the monk stops, the man pulls on his T-shirt and turns to wai once more. Phra Panya smiles benevolently and the man crawls aside, allowing the next devotee to take his place. Within half an hour, Phra Panya has tattooed seven men. (Monks are not allowed to touch women so none are ever tattooed by monks). Kamphun, another believer waiting to receive Phra Panya's skills, has come from the southern province of Nakhon Si Thammarat to get tattooed at this temple. He was recently shot three times and feels that he needs protection. He wears an amulet on the back of his neck in case of danger approaches him from behind. When his turn comes, Kamphun, who has shaved his head, bares his crown to Phra Panya. Within 10 minutes, he has two perfect circles of Pali script on top of his head. Afterwards, he sits in a corner alone, patting his pate with a handkerchief, whispering mantras and shivering with emotion. Like the others he is praying that the magic tattoos keep him alive until he can return to Wat Bang Phra to refortify his animal spirit. TATTOO OR TABOO? Nowadays, as tattoos become more common, tattoo parlours are flourishing around the country. Yet many people will never approve of tattoos and consider them a desecration of the body. Others have gotten tattoos when they were young and regretted it the rest of their lives. Just as tattooing is an art form that has long been practiced across many cultures, it is true to say that, for many people, the urge to have their skin painted touches on something primal. Xavi, a 25-year-old Spaniard, watches anxiously as his Thai girlfriend Aem receives her first tattoo - a ghoulish demon - in a shopping centre in Chiang Mai. The work takes one-and-a-half hours and costs 800 baht. Xavi thinks this is excellent value; in Spain he used to pay 40 per hour for his tattoos. This means Xavi has spent a lot of cash on his skin - his body is a kaleidoscope of tattoos pillaged from indigenous cultures: Nordic motifs, Celtic armbands, Maori tribal drawings and even a Hanuman monkey for protection from danger. "I'm sure I'll get tattoos for the rest of my life," he says proudly. "They make you stand out from the crowd. They have a lot of impact." Grimacing through the pain, Aem agrees. Next time, she whimpers, "I'm going to get an angel on the other side." Xavi nods sagely in agreement. "Mucho impacto!" he exclaims. Should I get a Tattoo? If you only asked yourself that while reading this article, the answer for now is no. Remember that tattoos are for life. You will have them when you are old and your skin is wrinkled. The ink will still be there even if the meaning it once had has been lost. All professional tattoo artists will stencil a design you are interested in on your skin first. This will allow you see what it will look like before ink is forever implanted under your skin. You might want to "test-drive" your tattoo for a few weeks before you decide, noting the reaction you get from those around you. Choose your design carefully. Consider any history or meaning it may carry and think about whether you want to represent this. From a stylistic perspective, think about the exact size of the tattoo and where you want it on your body. Remember that a tattoo only heals once. Caring for it correctly after it has been applied is essential. Use moisturiser containing vitamins A and C and aftercare blends with ingredients such as soy oil, beeswax, cocoa butter and grapeseed extract. http://www.bangko..._out01.php |
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