Tattoos

[Jah Warrior]

blessed love tuh all InI family more love and life everytime I have a question I have heard that Rasta not surpposed tuh have tattoos now I have 3 tattoos that I got b4 I started trodding RastafarI seriously but I wanted tuh kno y we aren't supposed tuh have dem in de fist place I think it's something about not cutting the flesh if anybody can give me a greater clearance on it den please do

[Malik]

My overstanding of the passage in Leviticus is that what is forbidden is tattoos giving honour to Babylon's false gods. My tattoo is GYE NYAME meaning "except for God" and is a symbol of the supremacy of God

Here is a quote from a website:
http://www.welltempered.net/adinkra/htmls/adinkra/gyen.htm
"This unique and beautiful symbol is ubiquitous in Ghana. It is by far the most popular for use in decoration, a reflection on the deeply religious character of the Ghanaian people"

Just speaking for I -- I feel that the Spirit of Jah moved me to get this tattoo. I won't make a sure saying on what happened, but the day after getting this tattoo, i was in a car accident and if the car had turn just a few feet to the side i would have plowed into a tree, and maybe be killed. As it was i went into a pile of leaves with no injury. A little later the realization hit me. "Except for God" i or my passenger could have been killed or severely injured -- but Jah in Jah love spared and protected us.

[kokeb selassie]

Hail,
From what I was told by one of my elders the reasoning is just that, not making any marks or cuts in the flesh. I also have some tattoos that I had prior to sighting up. . However, it should be noted that INI Mother Empress Menen has a tattoo on her hand, as tattooing of crosses on the face, forehead and hands is a sign of high faith and livication to Ethiopian Orthodox ones and that Afrakan people have a long i-story of tattooing and making markings on their bodies to denote tribal affiliation and to mark passage through certain rites. My reasoning for tattooing had nothing to do with either of these reasons, although they are symbolic to my personal trod. I do not see tattooing or piercing as wrong, its too ingrained in too many Afrakan trodition, including most of the regions in Ethiopia where ones site the Bible.This is a great topic, isidering so many of INI, at least those of my generation when the popularity of tattooing and body piercing sky rocketed, have some form of body art. To take it further, I also had surgery, which some would not condone, which prevented me from having a severe physical handicap.I have 2 huge scars as a result of having my "flesh cut". Some would not have had the surgery, my parents chose for me to have to have it and I am grateful. I-storically, RastafarI does not stand on a foundation that encourages tattooing, which was the intial question the I asked.

[kokeb selassie]

Empress Menen has 3 crosses tattooed on her right hand.

[Negus Amlak]

Ises
the picture is a mirror image, notice the ring on HIM finger, its always on the left hand, never the right hand, so the image has been "flipped"
I am not sure if the markings on the empress hand is henna and if not, still it would not be unusual for the amhara christian culture culture.
Bless

[kokeb selassie]

Give thanks.. Empress Menen is usually always on the Majesty right. Iron sharpen iron!!

[SkaiRain]

Ummmm what was the question Oh ya Tattoos...... Her I go ........ Have 2 of them one is a rising Phoenix from A Celtic love knot......it was the 5th Time I survived cancer..not just one but 2 and it is my totem animal : for every deth I was given I rose up.. JAH then it was a toe ring placed as a token of friendship from an artist..... I know Jah is not mad at me for that...
It is true that many people Tribal ...Indigenous people who .. us paint in dance ceremonies ect.... even cutting scars of the face Baby T you did not mention the Yoruba> Nigerian women..any way ................

IF it isnt part of your direct culture and it is "distracting " your younger brothers and sisters from the realization of JAH in "getting" a tattoo .. you should not get one..... Nor do I feel that wearing any carved image or such is any more pleasing to JAh ... It does say in the Bible : .............. that we should not mark our bodys or something like that.... So I wonder if this also apply s to ear piercing as well? I dont have my books to pull that Scrip up but lets go on that some one have it and post it and lets consider it....
One Love and Hey UNITY ONLY JAH IS THE ONE WHOM IS JUDGE

Mama Skai
\

[Baby Tafari]

Blessings Mama!

I feel dat the Bible words dat say no markings of the body is teken out of its context.. its about marking in honour and praise of other gods.. or cutting in praise of the dead..

Nuff african ppl cut their face, body, and tattoo, a true!

Love

/Teee

[Chayil]

True but the difference between tribal tattoos and scarring and the Babylon version is that first off the tribal one is Ital only natural things used and the Babylon one full of chemicals in the ink. Second them do it for a purpose of culture bein that it is an initiation in (womb)manhood or at a certain age again Babylon slacking on that caus it is purely for vanity.

[Baby Tafari]

Blessings!

1. The ink is actually 100% natural and vegetarian - Not everything in Babylon is Babylon;)

2. If its vanity or not to mek a tattoo can only been said on an individual level. It is generalizing to say all in the west, who go to tattoo studio, do it coz of vanity!

Love


/Teee

[Chayil]

Bless Sis,

100% natural and vegetarian would mean still containing animal products to InI this means not ITAL. If it was vegan it would read 100% natural and vegan not vegatarian.

To InI overstanding something that I chooses because it appeals to the eye is vanity or if vanity sounds to harsh than to enhance beauty or accentuate beauty. Just the name tattoostudio says to InI that it is not a cultural thing or it would be done in surrounding of family (tribe).

InI have no problem with tattoos would never ever in InI life get one or pierce anything (actually InI am even letting my pierced ears grow shut was pierced at birth as a custom in my homeland) JAH made InI perfect as is. But than again InI have no problem puttin on some lipstick and others will find this unnatural too so it is to each its own this is InI opinion.

[Baby Tafari]

Truth! I didnt think bout the animal product ting! Each one teach one!!!

But still.. sometimes the choise to mek a tattoo doesnt base solely or even at all on wat is appealing to the eye.. dats I point..

Lipstick on the other hand does not use to ave any deeper purpose than that though.. and I use it sometimes too!!! To each its own a true!!!

LOVE

/Teee

[SkaiRain]

True this my tat is ink from flowers berrys and other plants the yellow faded by the years: