Infuriating: more on henna vs. bod mod

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Posted by Nick on August 13, 2003 at 18:44:03:

A few days ago, I wrote to the owner of a well known website dealing
with body modification. I am including my full correspondance with
him here. For an attitude coming from the creator of a community
built on respect, acceptance, growth, and positive change, i find
this to be ridiculous. I have replaced his name, as well as the name
of said 3-letter website, with *'s.

--------
Begin correspondance
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My innitial mesage to him:

Hi *******,
I'm writing about something I have tossed around in my head for a
long time. I'd like to be a guest columnist. I noticed that somewhere
you said experts in their field should consider writing, so if it's
possible, I'd like to do that. I am a professional henna artist, and
have been working as one for the past 5 years. I currently work at a
tattoo shop in Cambridge MA doing high quality henna work alongside
our tattooists and piercers. I'd really like to see henna gain a more
prominent position as body art amongst tattoos and piercings and the
like. Even though it's not permanent, the artistry involved requires
just as much skill as any other bod mod, especially since the best
henna work is drawn completely freehand. I have some pics in the
gallery on my page if you'd like to see my work. All of them are
original work by me (except for one pic which also contains the work
of my friend Lisa), and all are drawn completely freehand. The
history of henna is also just as long as any other body art, dating
back past 7000 BCE. So to sum it up, I'm asking if you think it's a
good idea for me to write something, and if so, any suggestions on
things i should include or focus on. Thanks for your time,
~Nick

His reply: (>'s are quoted by him from my previous message)

>tattooists and piercers. I'd really like to see henna gain a
>more prominent position as body art amongst tattoos and
>piercings and the like.

Actually, I'm phasing out henna from ***... it never really should
have been there in the first place, any more so than body painting or
hairstyles...
It's not really relevant to what *** covers I think.

My next message:

Ok, i'm just curious... is there any sort of 'criteria' for what is
relevant on ***? The only thing I can think of that is common to all
the miriad of topics covered is pain. In that case, i can see why
henna is not included. But I do feel that henna is at least a little
more relevant than hair styles, for instance. There are traditions in
modding cultures involving henna. If it's irrelevance is based on the
fact that it has often been used in the US to simulate a 'fake
tattoo' of sorts, i can see where you're coming from. But there are
also artists, like myself, who focus on doing traditional,
historically accurate henna work. This is what I was hoping to
promote through writing for ***. I thought *** would be an ideal
venue for that sort of thing, especially because as a group, people
with mods take me and my art far more seriously than those without.

His message back: (>'s are quoted by him from my previous message)

>Well, how is henna more valid than hairstyling or fashion in
>general? Hair styling has a much longer and more culturally
>rich tradition than henna, and it requires far more physical
>commitment in many cases.

>Henna is not active body ritual in the same way as
>suspension, nor is it permanent body modification.

My next reply:

I would have to beg to differ that hair styling is more culturally
diverse in tradition than henna. There is very convincing evidence of
henna use before 7000 BCE, and probable evidence of it's use much
earlier. Henna has been used by ethnic groups in more than 60
countries. I have a list over 30 items long of different traditions
of henna use, and that is just the tip of the iceberg, considering
how many cultures incorporated it into their rituals and rites of
passage. In fact, historical henna use was something that modern day
artists have yet to catch up to. Henna in medieval persia was the
pinnacle of excellence, involving multiple applications of
extremely complex designs, as well as methods of turning the stains
purple or cherry red and using this to create a multicolored effect.
This is documented fact. There is too much history for me to cover
here, and to adequately describe the henna traditions of every group
that has used it over the millenia would take more than several
volumes.

I would also point out that not everything on *** is permanent body
modification. Tight lacing, for example, is covered by *** and is not
permanent. Also, henna is more relevant than hairtsyles in that it
involves the body itself, and results in the decoration of the skin.
In terms of physical commitment, henna can require just as much or
more than hair styles. In 1800's Algeria, a bride would be hennaed
for her wedding over the course of a few days, and sometimes up to a
week. There would be a new application every day, and the artist
would work carefully with different application times and strengths
to produce an end result of multi-tonal designs. It was also common
in Egypt for the groom to recieve a full body henna on the night
before his wedding. There are many similar traditions in other
countries and time periods. 'Active ritual' is another matter as well.
I don't see anything that designates something like play piercing as
more 'active' than henna besides the pain involved. Both things are
the product of 2 people, one of whom is enhancing the
body/experience/situation for the other.

I don't want to go on forever, and I'm sure you see that henna is not
a narrow topic. What's the harm in recognizing it as a valid and
relevant body art tradition? It's been used in cultures that tattoo
and pierce, often in parallel circumstances. In nearly every cultural
context of it's use, henna has been regarded as a blessing uponn the
skin or an amulet of protection. It's modern day revival is only
enriching the body art tradition, so I can't see why it should be
excluded here. It can be just as profound as a tattoo or piercing.
Some people in the bod mod community may choose to get a tattoo
of 'John Doe, RIP 1956-1997' to signify the end of mourning... in
other cultures, people henna their hands to signify the same thing. I
have a hard time seeing everything that I've mentioned above as
completely irrelevant.

His most recent reply: (>'s are quoted by him from my previous
message)

>I would have to beg to differ that hair styling is more
>culturally diverse in tradition than henna. There is very
>convincing evidence of henna use before 7000 BCE,

Hair styling is MUCH older.

>and
>probable evidence of it's use much earlier. Henna has been
>used by ethnic groups in more than 60 countries.

Hair styles are used UNIVERSALLY.
etc.

>I would also point out that not everything on *** is
>permanent body modification. Tight lacing, for example, is
>covered by *** and is not permanent.

Yes it is. Tight lacing is ABSOLUTELY permanent and makes significant
anatomical changes.

>I don't want to go on forever, and I'm sure you see that
>henna is not a narrow topic. What's the harm in recognizing
>it as a valid and relevant body art tradition?

It's not body modification, nor is it body ritual. Those are the
subjects *** covers. *** isn't a fashion magazine, which is what
henna is.

If you can explain to me how henna is either semipermanent body
modification, or body ritual (in the sense of using the body to
achieve altered states and so on a la suspension) then I'll
definitely consider it, but the other arguments simply are not
relevant.

--------
End correspondance
--------

So naturally, this is ridiculous, and i'm more than a little
steamed... I'm going to send him a final reply, going something like
this:

"Fine. You shut me up. I guess that I won't ever try to contribute to
this community again, because I can see that it's not welcome. For a
community that is built around the ideals of acceptance, growth, and
positive change, things sure have gotten narrow minded around here. I
refuse to listen to you tell me that the art I pour myself into is
nothing more than something to be included in a fashion magazine. I
gave you plenty of reasons why henna is much more pertinent to body
modification, and you don't seem to want to hear it. I resent being
treated in such a hostile way, and I won't continue to be demeaned by
you."

Now, sending something like that has a high likelyhood of getting my
account on said website permanently suspended, but.... it's a risk i
have to take.

What does everyone make of this?
~Nick

 

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