For Mentawai people, tattoos are eternal clothes that can be brought to death. Or, in other words, tattoos (titi) Mentawai people into a work of art during humans who wear it live. In fact, there is mention, the Mentawai menato (merajah) their bodies so that later after death can recognize each other their ancestors.
Some research on tattoos ever released, mentioned that tattoos are also found in Siberia (300 BC), England (54 BC), Indian Haida in America, tribes in Eskimo, Hawaii, and Marquesas Islands.
Mentawai tattoos, research from Ady Rosa mentions that the traditional Mentawai tattoo has 160 motifs, it is poured in the postgraduate program thesis at Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB), 1994.
According to Ady, Mentawai tattoos are self-identity and differences in one's social status. Tattoos owned Sikerei (traditional healer / shaman Mentawai) is different from tattoo expert hunting. In addition to being self-identity, Mentawai tattoo is also a symbol of the balance of nature. Objects such as rocks, animals, and plants are enshrined above the body.
Currently, the tattoo Mentawai began threatened lost. The reason, only a small part of the Mentawai people who still merajah their bodies. In fact, formerly tattoo is a body art that is popular and "worn" for both men and women Mentawai. Some of the Mentawai people who still tattooed their bodies can be found in the paddies of Siberut Island, some other islands such as, Sipora, North and South Pagai have very difficult we encounter Mentawai original people who still wear tattoos.
In addition to the development of the times and the inclusion of religious teachings to the Mentawai tribe group that was once animism, making the Mentawai people have to abandon the belief and teradisi tattoos they have, because of the rules of the government to choose one of the recognized religion in Indonesia, it was around 1980. Therefore, most of the typical Mentawai tattoo motifs ever painted on the body of the original Mentawai population was not time to be documented.
Not only that, during the colonial period, as one Teteu (call to Grandma) calls in South Pagai, the Mentawai Islands that the people of the army will capture the tattooed Mentawaian community. in fact, he often runs into the forest in order not to be caught and captured.
Teteu story, his sister once arrested when will merajah body. Then, a week later just released. While Teteu run to the forest.
According to him, the tattoo that he has not fully intact. In addition to his chin, neck and chest, legs, he also has five tattoo lines on his back.
Teteu began tattooing when he was a teenager, approximately age 10 years.
Saya Zulfikar atau lebih akrab disapa Fikar || Sehari-hari bekerja di wilayah Sumatera Barat sebagai Koresponden Majalah Gatra || @zulfikar.fii
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