Friday, May 25, 2018

The Mayas and Me (Tattoo)


 
The idea of my tattoo came up from a vacation trip to Can  It was my first time knowing in detail about the Mayan culture and how they used to live. I was fascinated with the culture, pyramids, traditions, language, calendar and numbers. I was amused how a civilization could be so advanced. One thing in particular that grabbed my attention was how numbers used to be for them. Simple symbols like bars, dots, and figures that represent complex numbers.   From different ancient cultures of the world the Mayan culture is fascinating because it was not only a great civilization, but they are my roots as a Mexican. A tattoo of the Mayan numbers would not only represent my cultural background, but would help me remember where I came from.  Although I would never get a tattoo soon, a tattoo of Mayan numbers would represent me as an individual.
cun, Mexico two years ago.

The idea of getting a tattoo on any part of your body sounds crazy for many people, but today you can get a tattoo anywhere you want. Tattoos have been around for many centuries, and in many parts of the world they are considered part of the culture. Today, people get tattoos to represent a tribe, for ceremonial purposes, religious believes, government rebellion, prove a point, fashion, feel cool or accepted. More than just ink in your body it represents emotions and expression of an individual.  For example, many people who are passionate for music and see it as an inspiration tool for their life. They tend to get music related tattoos like instruments, lyrics, sound waves or even the name of their favorite band.  Whether we like it or not, tattoos are part of our modern culture and the popularity is increasing every day. I believe tattoos are a way of silent expression and we should appreciate the art of it. Tattoos are more than ink in people skin is the feeling and emotions of each individual.

If I ever get a tattoo, it would be a modified Mayan number ten on my right inner forearm. My tattoo would consist of one solid black two inches long bar and parallel to it three solid black three millimeters dots, and followed by two more solid black dots shaping the tattoo like a pyramid. The tattoo would represent each member of my family. The long solid black bar with the three dots parallel to it would represent my seven siblings and me. The two dots at the front would represent my parents who are the pillars of the family. Like the Mayan pyramid Chichen Itza it would represent unity, strength, love and a bond that last forever.  The tattoo would be in my right forearm because my family is always on my side and support me in any circumstances.  Also, the Mayan numbers represent my cultural background as Mexican and to never forget where I came from. I believe people around me would look into my tattoo and might just see figures of ink in my skin, but it is more than that.  I would feel proud of it because it would represent not only my family, but my Mexican culture.
Each individual has their own opinions of tattoos, but I believe tattoos are more than images in your skin. It is the reflection of somebody’s experience, thoughts, culture, and expression. I connect with the idea of getting this tattoo someday because it makes me feel like I am part of the Mayan culture and feel proud of it. The Mayan number ten in my right inner forearm is what connects me with my family, Mexican background and it is a tribute to a great culture and traditions. People should understand that no matter what cultural background you come from you should always respect and honor it. I believe tattoos are more than ink in your body to appear cool among society. It is a way of telling the whole world who you are and what you believe.


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