The tattoo style known as “tribal” has a long tradition that spans back over thousands of years. It began as a style that was unique to a particular culture or tribe to set them apart from other local groups. It was also used as a way to express one’s religion of beliefs. Tribal tattoos were also used for protection and camouflage.

The meanings of these tattoos have varied over the years as the art style has evolved. Many of these designs are taken from Aztec, Polynesian, Indian, Egyptian and Mayan cultures. In these respects they were used to signify social status or identification. In a way, some people still use the “social status” tribal tattoo meaning in the modern world, though that meaning would be as clear to people who aren’t familiar with its history.

The word tattoo is actually derived from the Polynesian word “tatau”. Polynesians regarded tattoos as a form of language. All of the odd-shaped lines and symbols that are in tribal tattoos add a bit more meaning to the overall design. This is why many tribal tattoos can look similar while having very different meanings. If you do plan on getting a tribal tattoo, it’s a good idea to recognize what all of the symbols mean so you can get the most personalized design possible.

The Maori tribe in New Zealand is known for facial tribal tattoos. These were used to represent inner strength and were regarded as a way of being identified in the spirit world after passing on. You really won’t see too many of these types of tribal tattoos outside of those tribes (or the tribes that branches out from them), those who do get them have them so they are still recognized after they pass away.

The Indian tribe Haida incorporated animals into their tribal tattoos to obtain the strength of the animal depicted. In this regard the tattoos were considered masculine and forceful. What’s great about these tribal tattoos is that you can get some of the classic tribal symbols along with the animals, giving your tattoo that much more meaning. It makes for a more well-rounded tat since you can combine meanings that you might otherwise not be able to do with other tattoo designs.