probable origins of "tribal"

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Posted by Catherine Cartwright Jones on October 2, 2001 at 02:11:29:

In reply to: Re: What do people mean by "tribal"? posted by Kenzi on October 1, 2001 at 22:41:33:

"Tribal" is indeed a strange term. It often mimics Pacific Island body
art, as well as some other bits and pieces gleaned from here and
there, Dover Pictorial Archive series books and National Geographics.
They're "tribal" as opposed to using traditional tattoo motifs like
"girlie with large hooters", "heart with sword" or "death before
dishonor".

For the most part, though, it's only link with "tribes" of any sort is
superficial ..... UNLESS .... you consider that the people who adorn
themselves with such are a peer group re-inventing themselves as a
tribal culture (in the way that you might stretch the definition of
tribe to describe an urban street gang).

Leo Zulueta (sp?), Alex Binnie, excellent original practioners of
"tribal tattoo" style, use motifs reminiscent of South Pacific work,
deeply incised, very elegant. These patterns require plenty of black
ink, and tolerance for pain. The genre has now stretched to include
any bold line work, with curvinlinear forms, strong use of negative
space, interlacing lines, and vaguely spikey dangerous stuff.

It can be beautiful, decorative .. but meaning and tribal significance
is out the window and gone down the road by now.

Why did this get popular?

Some indigenous people in the South Pacific went in for it to reclaim
their heritage. That's a good thing. There is a large Samoan
community in LA, who tattoed heavilly, and did a fair amount of
parading on Venice Beach ages ago, and that may have had something to
do with it. They were an impressive crowd!

Some people drifted through a few old National Geographics, and their
half-read Anthro texts, and latched onto the designs thinking it would
make a personal statement of defiance against "McCulture". That had
some sincerity, though only half thought through. Raging against the
machine is always popular, and spawns fine adornment.

Then .... other people just wanted to look like they fell out of a
page in Rolling Stone rather than like geeky kids wondering if maybe
they should get a GED, and that displaying a high tolerance for pain
would give them something to brag about in the meantime.

Elegant bold curvilinnear line work, especially if it looks as though
it might have meaning will pass for tribal.

Follow Ups

Re: probable origins of "tribal" jolynn 06:05:21 10/2/2001 (4)
- precious little is "universal" human culture Catherine Cartwright Jones 20:16:29 10/2/2001 (3)
  - You make me miss graduate school jolynn 05:28:20 10/4/2001 (2)
    - grad school's a trip! Catherine Cartwright Jones 16:51:36 10/4/2001 (1)
      - thank you! jolynn 20:21:10 10/4/2001 (0)
I think the word has changed soo much, its left me confused Khoa 03:37:27 10/2/2001 (1)
- McTribal? sliding O/T Catherine Cartwright Jones 05:45:21 10/2/2001 (0)
Re: probable origins of "tribal" Kenzi 03:01:32 10/2/2001 (0)

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: "Tribal" is indeed a strange term. It often mimics Pacific Island body : art, as well as some other bits and pieces gleaned from here and : there, Dover Pictorial Archive series books and National Geographics. : They're "tribal" as opposed to using traditional tattoo motifs like : "girlie with large hooters", "heart with sword" or "death before : dishonor". : : For the most part, though, it's only link with "tribes" of any sort is : superficial ..... UNLESS .... you consider that the people who adorn : themselves with such are a peer group re-inventing themselves as a : tribal culture (in the way that you might stretch the definition of : tribe to describe an urban street gang). : : Leo Zulueta (sp?), Alex Binnie, excellent original practioners of : "tribal tattoo" style, use motifs reminiscent of South Pacific work, : deeply incised, very elegant. These patterns require plenty of black : ink, and tolerance for pain. The genre has now stretched to include : any bold line work, with curvinlinear forms, strong use of negative : space, interlacing lines, and vaguely spikey dangerous stuff. : : It can be beautiful, decorative .. but meaning and tribal significance : is out the window and gone down the road by now. : : Why did this get popular? : : Some indigenous people in the South Pacific went in for it to reclaim : their heritage. That's a good thing. There is a large Samoan : community in LA, who tattoed heavilly, and did a fair amount of : parading on Venice Beach ages ago, and that may have had something to : do with it. They were an impressive crowd! : : Some people drifted through a few old National Geographics, and their : half-read Anthro texts, and latched onto the designs thinking it would : make a personal statement of defiance against "McCulture". That had : some sincerity, though only half thought through. Raging against the : machine is always popular, and spawns fine adornment. : : Then .... other people just wanted to look like they fell out of a : page in Rolling Stone rather than like geeky kids wondering if maybe : they should get a GED, and that displaying a high tolerance for pain : would give them something to brag about in the meantime. : : Elegant bold curvilinnear line work, especially if it looks as though : it might have meaning will pass for tribal.
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