Azcelani Life-Story Tattoos

Among some Azcelani communities near the border of West Carrouban and South Carrouban, tattoos record the course of a person’s life.

Design

The design centres on the heart, with branches following the arteries. Sprouting seeds represent birth.

Further tattoos are added to commemorate notable events, gradually forming a record of the wearer’s life. Writing can accompany the lines of the design.

Interpretation

The extent and content of the tattooing can provide clues to a person’s background and the milestones their community recorded.

An incomplete design does not necessarily establish that the wearer lived an uneventful life. Separation from the community or interruption of the customary tattooing process may also leave the record unfinished.

These tattoos belong to a particular regional tradition and should not be treated as a universal Azcelani custom.