Get to know the Mentawai Tattoos, the World's Oldest Artistry

Don't be surprised if you see the entire body of a Mentawai man and woman painted a tattoo. For them, tattoos are like clothes. In fact, its existence is an identity.

The art of tattoo they use is far from modern. The ink used comes from wood charcoal or crushed burnt marks, then mixed with sugar cane juice.

The next process, thorns or needles that have been dipped in ink had been stuck in the layers of skin, forming various motifs.

This is a tattoo from Mentawai. They tattooed his body from the ankles, fingers, chest ribs, neck, to cheeks.

According to the notes of tattoo researchers Ady Rosa, the Mentawai tattoo is an identity that distinguishes one clan from another. Mentawai people also believe, tattoos are a radiant spirit from their lives.

Of course, the variety of motifs painted on the body is not just any. Tattoos in the Mentawai called titi or tiktik, namely identity. Well, like the identity, the tattoos listed are drawn from the land of origin, social status, to how great a hunter.

The oldest in the world

Although tattoos have become an identity, Mentawai people who still wear tattoos on their bodies are rarely found.

Even if there is, most people who come from areas where people still adhere to customs.

Like the people who live in the interior of Siberut. There, the community still holds a teaching called Arat Sabulungan. They believe that tattoos cannot be separated from the lives of mentawai people.

"I come from the village of Butui, the tattoo is like this," said Aman Koddai, who had just been crowned for several years.

Sikerei is a designation for shamans, tamer can, uma leaders, or traditional houses in the Siberut interior that are communal and large.

Tattoos belonging to Aman Koddai illustrated a tinge of sunlight. There are also dark blue lines attached to the hides.

This type of tattoo image attached to the body of Safe Koddai, is considered by some anthropologists to be the oldest tattoo in the world. In fact, the motif was thought to precede Egyptian tattoos that already existed in 1300 BC (BC). No wonder if this art is then considered as Indonesian culture that deserves to be one of Indonesia's charms.

Reporting from www.indonesia.travel, referring to Ady Rosa's research by looking at the Encyclopaedia Britannica notes, the Mentawai Tribe have tapped their bodies since their arrival to the west coast of Sumatra during the Metal Age, which is in the estimated 1500 BC - 500 BC.

It is said that the Mentawai people are a protomelayu tribe who came from Greece, then mingled with the Dongson culture in Vietnam.

They sailed to the Pacific Ocean and New Zealand until they reached the West coast of Sumatra. Research also shows the similarity between the Mentawai tattoo and the tattoo from the Dongson culture in Vietnam.

In addition, similar tattoo motifs are also found in several tribes in Hawaii, the Marquesas Islands, the Rapa Nui tribe in the Easter Islands, and the Maori in New Zealand

Tracing the meaning, Mentawai tattoo is the balance of life, as they believe that all who live in the universe have a spirit.

So no wonder, the shape of plants and animals are immortalized on their bodies. A hunter, will tattoo his body with the pictures they hunted.

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