Gangs and Prison Tattoo

Tattoos have always been used as a means to identify members with particular gangs. Members use tattoos for several reasons. Some members will have numerous tattoos, particularly if they have spent time in prison. These tattoos may include one or more symbols that has been adopted as something unique to identify it’s members.

Tattoos such as a tear drop under an eye or a spider web represent prison time. Many members will have their name tattooed in large bold letters so that rival members will be intimidated. For the uninitiated wearing an unauthorized tattoo could be very dangerous particularly in prison. Prison inmates have been known to remove unauthorized tattoos from non members by literally cutting the tattoo off the person’s flesh.

Some members in particular take pride in branding themselves as outside of the boundaries of conventional society. Tattoos are also used to express their often nihilistic philosophy. Gangsta style tattoos popularized by rappers are often done in a black and gray style and depict firearms, bullets, secret letters and numbers, in old English or gothic script. It is common to have the name of the person tattooed on the back of the neck or have a motto tattooed on the chest.

It is clear that tattoos have been adopted by mainstream society even though not too many middle-class wannabes are willing to get facial tattoos, or tattoos on their hands - practices common amongst members.

But although gang members try to use tattoos to separate themselves from mainstream society, the effect it has had on the young hip middle class is undeniable. Teenagers who may have no idea of these symbols' original meaning are now wearing tattoos which were originally worn by gang members as badges of honor.

There are many prison gangs in California, the two main ones are:

The Sureños which is Spanish for Southerners. They are a group of hundreds of Hispanic street gangs with origins in Southern California. They are connected with the Mexican Mafia prison organization. The Sureños were the first California gang to make use of gang colors to distinguish themselves from other gangs.

The state of California prison system provided railroad handkerchiefs to inmates in one standard color: blue. Hispanic inmates from Southern California selected or claimed the blue bandanas to identify themselves. Once a member of the Sureños graduates off the street and into the prison system they are designated a part of the Mexican Mafia organization.

Source : http://www.tao-of-tattoos.com/gangs.html

I got my first tattoo when I was 17, and then I was hooked. I joined the military at 18 and got tattoos from all over the United States. I ended up living in Florida and after holding onto the drawing for a year I dove head first into getting this back piece.
My artist, Anson Easton, was awesome, he worked with me in covering up other pieces and going with the natural flow of my body. I am going to be extending it further down my legs to make it a traditional back piece.
This tattoo represents my ties to my heritage (I'm half Japanese) and my family. My dad passed away when I was a baby and I feel like this art piece brings me closer to him and our ancestry.
Sorry the picture is small, it's hard to capture a lot of detail in such a large piece.






Source : http://www.tattoo-meanings.com/geisha-tattoo.html

geisha tattoo

Contrary to popular western notions, the Japanese geisha is not generally a woman of ill repute. The word literally means “art person” and a geisha is a highly trained professional woman whose traditional occupation is to entertain men. Singing, dancing, playing music, knowledge of history and current events, the ability to make conversation and to create an atmosphere of relaxation and entertainment are the essential skills of the geisha. Skills specific to Japanese culture would include being able to perform the tea ceremony or perhaps even being skilled at flower arrangement or calligraphy.

Geishas are immaculately and sumptuously dressed in ornate and expensive kimonos. Not a strand of hair is out of place, their white facial make-up is perfect. Their manners are not only impeccable but delicate and calm, in keeping with the ideals of feminine beauty that they embody.

In modern Japan, geishas have been transformed into symbols of traditional values. In the west, the geisha has become a symbol of the exotic grace and beauty of the East.

In this tattoo design, the wind has ruffled her kimono and set some pieces of paper loose, perhaps from the sheaf tucked near her arm.

The wind has also loosed some petals of cherry blossoms which are beginning to swirl past her. They echo the cherry blossom design of the lower part of her kimono while the upper part makes use of the chrysanthemum. Both flowers are frequently used in Japanese art and in Japanese tattoos.














Source : http://www.tattoosymbol.com/gallery/geisha-tattoo.html