Li Tribe Research Paper

Similar to the Egyptian’s exclusively female practice, women of Chinese ethnic groups such as the Dulong and Li were often tattooed. The Dulong native tribe from northwestern China engaged in facial tattooing (Levinson et. al, 2010). Originally, tattoos were used for protection from the rival ethnic groups who would capture and rape women (Levinson et. al, 2010). Dulong women believed the dark blue facial markings would make them “uglier” and ward off predators. They also believed that these disfigurations would discourage them from leaving the tribe to live in modern societies (Krutak, 2009). Today, tattoos are a rite of passage that symbolizes maturity. Girls often receive their first tattoos at the ripe age of twelve (Levinson et. al, 2010). Bamboo needles are used to puncture the skin, and ink is a mixture of soot, water, and charcoal (Krutak, 2009). Sessions lasted roughly eight hours, and women were forbidden to touch their freshly cut face. The finished pattern often resembled a butterfly.
In the Li tribe, tattoos reflected their religious beliefs. Since they

“Irezumi” was also a way to distinguish traditional Japanese designs from American-influenced “tattoos” (Levinson et. al, 2010). However, the irezumi designs did influence some American stencils. These designs covered one’s arms, legs, back, and chest, transforming the whole body into an intricate decorative sculpture (Levinson et. al, 2010). Tattooing the whole body is a time consuming process which easily took a year to complete. Like the Polynesian methods, tattooing was a two man job or a two hand job. Artists held the skin and inserted ink diagonally into the skin with needles attached to a wooden handle (Groning, 2002). The birth of the irezumi style shifted the negative connotations associated with tattooing into an acceptance of individuality in Japanese