The meaning of Mentawai tattoo motifs that have been passed down from generation to generation

The diversity that Indonesia has from ethnicity, culinary, language, customs, tourism, to the arts. One of them is the tattoo tradition of the Mentawai tribe in the Mentawai Islands, Siberut Island, West Sumatra.

Until now, the Mentawai tribe still maintains the traditions that have been carried out for generations. One of them that is unique is the Mentawai tattoo, the oldest tattoo art in the world.

Reported from various sources, the Mentawai tribe is the original inhabitants of the Mentawai Islands in West Sumatra. Known as the oldest tribe in Indonesia.

It is said that the ancestors of the Mentawai people are believed to have migrated to this beautiful archipelago between 2000 and 500 BC or during the Metal Age, while many think that tattoos date back to the Egyptian civilization, namely in 1300 BC.

Tattoos for the Mentawai people have a meaning, namely balance. Therefore, objects such as stones, animals, and plants must be enshrined in their bodies.

Titi or Tahiti is the name for tattoos for the Mentawai indigenous people. Not all Mentawai people have tattoos, usually this is especially for Sikerei or someone who has a role in social and professional status.

The activity of doing this tattoo is known as sipatiti, in making a Mentawai tattoo there are three stages that must be done. The first stage, when someone is 11-12 years old with a tattoo on the base of the arm.

The second stage, at the age of 18-19 years with a tattoo on the thigh. The third stage after adulthood, tattoos are continued with durukat patterns on the chest, takep points on the hands, titi rere on the thighs and legs, titi puso on the stomach. Then titi teytey on the waist and back until all parts of the body are full of tattoos.

All stages of making Mentawai tattoos cannot be separated from the role of a Sipatiti (tattoo artist) of the Mentawai tribe. Tattooing was preceded by a series of rituals and traditions.

Tattoos have a deep philosophical meaning for the Mentawai people. There are various motifs depicted on their bodies. The function and meaning of tattoos for the Mentawai Tribe is to show their identity and show differences in social or professional status.

Tattoo motifs for shaman sikerei (traditional elders or shamans) are different from those of hunting experts. Tattoo motifs belonging to hunting experts are known through the images of animals they catch such as deer, monkeys, pigs, crocodiles, and birds. While the shaman sikerei from the animal tattoo Sibalu-balu on his chest.

There is a distinctive motif known as a Mentawai tattoo, namely the lines whose incisors follow a certain distance formula. Usually the distance setting system uses fingers.

Apart from being a social status identity, tattoos serve as a symbol of the balance of nature. Objects and creatures such as stones, plants, and animals should be enshrined in their bodies because they believe that all have souls.

The Mentawai tribe also has tattoos on their chests and the motifs differ between men and women. For women, it is usually a picture of subba or tangguk because women usually go fishing in the river or also called paliggara.

Then there is the rattan motif which is usually inscribed on the arm because rattan is a very important plant. Many household appliances are made from rattan such as oorek or baskets. In fact, it used to be a pillar of the house binder.

For the back of the palm tattoo is usually the same, both men and women. There is also a balagau motif, which is a symbol of the floor of a Mentawai traditional house. The floor of the house is made of balagu which is a ruyung rod. This motif is usually worn by balagu men and is a symbol that it is ripe and can build a house. Not only the above motifs, there are many to hundreds of Mentawai tribal tattoo motifs.

Tattoo motifs are also an affirmation for the spread of the Mentawai people. There are differences between regions. In the Siberut area, the tattoo is almost the same as the Sarereket because the Siberut river originates at Sarereket.

Meanwhile, in the Saibi area, the tattoo is the same as Simatalu, West Siberut because the river originates from there. The difference itself follows the upstream of the river because the Mentawai settlements were established in the valley along the river.

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