Talking about the 'tat
June 3, 2005 - National Indoor Football League (NIFL)
Miami Morays News Release
They are a visible reminder of moments of triumph and pain, of memories that never want to be forgotten, or they symbolize deep meanings in several cultures around the world. They are the Tattoos.
Historians and scholars are still debating when the practice of tattooing started, but it is widely acknowledged that the first recorded historical documentation of tattoos was in Egypt around the time of the construction of the pyramids.
The practice of tattooing spread around the globe in their role in rituals, religion, and societal traditions. The Greeks used tattoos to identify spies, Romans for marking slaves and criminals. Ancient Britons used tattoos in ceremonies, and the Japanese tattoo was elevated to a highly specialized art form.
The word tattoo is believed to be derived from the Tahitian word TATU, meaning "to mark something", or the word Tatao, meaning "to tap", signifying the ancient and painful method of using a small hammer to painstakingly puncture the skin with the ink.
Despite being widely practiced and accepted as an art form all over the world, the culture of tattooing in the United States has experienced several distinct turbulent periods. The electronic tattooing machine was invented in 1891 by Samuel O' Reilly.
This invention led to the increased availability of the tattoo due to a decrease in the pain involved in the process and the cost for the procedure. Tattoo art flourished but still was seen as something for sailors and drunkards.
For a brief time in the early 60's, the reputation of the tattoo and those who bear the artwork entered the lowest point ever, only to remerge in the late â60s as something more somewhat more acceptable to the general public.
The modern times have seen a revival of the tattoo art, and American culture is slowly accepting the tattoo much like ancient and foreign cultures have already been doing for centuries. But it is no longer surprising, nor shocking, to see older generations of Americans embracing the art of the tattoo right alongside the younger generation.
Tattoos have become as ubiquitous to the modern athlete as the branded apparel they wear and endorse, and they have become an integral part of youth and black culture in relation to sports and music.
Tattoos are a deeply personal symbol to the majority of people who permanently mark their bodies with the dark ink, and this fact also applies deeply to the players who comprise the roster of the Miami Morays.
Some of their tattoos are deeply symbolic, while others simply represent a moment in time in the mind of the athlete. It is a source of pride for the players, and with that being said, Miamimoraysfootball.com is proud to share with the fans the stories behind the tattoos of the Miami Morays.
HEAD OVER TO THE MIAMI MORAYS WEBSITE TO SEE THE TATTOOS AND THE STORIES
National Indoor Football League Stories from June 3, 2005
- Talking about the 'tat - Miami Morays
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