Marc Pinto's Primitive Tattoo Blog

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Friday, April 11, 2014

"Aso" dragon dog motif in Kayanic Women's Leg tattoo


In Borneo, tribemen would often receive tattoos in honor of what they have done, specifically achievement in headhunting and war. They would ink an stylized eye of the ASO ( the mythical dog or dragon associated with protection from evil spirits.

Interestingly, women combined aso with other tattoo forms to repel evil and to induce fertility.

Photo from Larskrutak of a Kenyah or Kayan women's Leg Tribal Traditiknal Hand Tatttoo. 

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

"Aso" - the Mystical Dragon Dog Designs of the Dayak Tribes of Borneo.

Aso which means Dog in English is a common Borneo tattoo and carving motif.

It is a mystical dragon dog heavily featured in Kayan tattooing and seen in carvings around Borneo.
It features dogs with fangs and tendril like feet. some take the shape of a dog and other with longer body like that of a dragon.

Dog also are an important within the community for hunting.
These dogs are strays with undefinable breed that is being adopted in the villages in the  Kenya Tribe for example. They can freely enter the houses and no one is ever allowed to kill them and they do not belong to anyone, they freely roam the villages and often flog and jump into leaving boats in packs when going for pig hunts.




If you look at the images below closely, you will find several symbolic element like the hook, the eye, the claws and the legs.

Here is a post form the Quai Brandly museum.
Image below from Dayak Impressions for tattoo found in Wordpress



I will post more images of "aso" as it's a subject and motif that is important in Dayak Culture.

Tuesday, April 8, 2014

Polynesian Traditional Hand Tattooing by Sulu'ape Mo'o


Tattoo masters in the Polynesian culture holds one of the most important yet crucial role in arts because they themselves bear themselves the meaning of what they do ( that includes symbols and motifs) and they certainly know how to combine them to create meaningful creation of artwork to each person.

Since Polynesia consists of islands and mostly surrounded with water, the most common tattoo designs are sea creatures and the ocean. It depicts symbols like sharks, sea urchins and mantas , waves and many more. This is because the ocean is their primary source of living, a legacy from their ancestors and  Polynesian regards the ocean  as their final destination and even the world beyond death.

These images attached are from a very good friend Sulu'ape Mo'o aka Pili Mo'o