My lady friend, S, has been telling me she wants to have a tattoo. "Just a small one," she said. "I'd like a small dolphin on my belly. Uso yan sa mga kaibigan ko sa call center," she added. S is just one of many people who are interested in tattoos.
Tattoos are part of many cultures. In my country, for example, there were groups of people who were called pintados. Pintados or painted ones, inhabited the Visayan islands. They were called such by the first Spaniards who saw them long, long ago. The first people who were called pintados by the Spaniards were from the island of Leyte. The pintados were elaborately tattoed. The designs of their tattooes were of wide array depending on their ethnic origin. Though it was a painful process which took several months before the design was completed, they endured it. Did they use needles at that time? Certainly not. Tattooing was done by pushing deeply into the skin sharp metal instruments which were previously heated over fire. Hot, hot, hot instruments. Araaaaay kupoooooooo!
Today, people in many parts of the world use modern technology in tattooing. Is it less painful? I can only guess. I have not been pricked with any tattoo needle. Susubukan ko ba? Hindi siguro because I am not as brave as my pintados forefathers