Meaning of the word tattoo
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Our word tattoo comes from the Tahitian word tatau. 18th century European sailors first noticed this tradition among the Tahitians and Marquesas and brought the idea to America and Europe. For the men of the Marquesas, tattoos were a sign of beauty and bravado because the process of receiving a tattoo was so painful. Many ‘victims” (as tattoo recipients were called) fainted from the pain and some did not survive the night. A man with many tattoos was known as having great courage and strength. Tattoos were also used throughout Polynesia as a form of “written” communication-important cultural and family information would be contained in them.