TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Young Mentawai tattoo artists are attempting to revive the region’s dying tattoo art. The group documents traditional motifs and gives away free tattoos. Rhythmic clacking came ...

Widespread traditional values had it that those who had no tattoos did not belong to the Mentawai community,” she added. Siboirot was first tattooed on the back of one of her hands, followed by ...

Using a sharp splintered rib of a palm leaf and natural ink made of sugar cane syrup and coconut shell charcoal, a Mentawai tattoo artist, or sipatiti, meticulously draws a simple design on his client ...

“While the Mentawai are one of the few tribes left ... equipment and traditions, such as their tattoos. Article continues below “The roles within the group are very well defined, with the ...

The Mentawai tribe in Indonesia live a basic and ... These people are the last to use the tribal technique of hand-tapping to tattoo their bodies - whereby sharpened sticks or animal bones are ...

These images document the everyday lives of the men, women and children of the Mentawai tribe, a native population in Indonesia famous for their decorative tattoos and the practise of sharpening ...