Tribal Turtle Tattoos

If you are considering getting some type of animal tattoo you might want to consider a turtle design. Many of the native cultures such as the Hawaiian and Native Americans to name a few have a deep respect for the turtle. It’s careful deliberative movements are a rich symbol for inner reflection and peace. Thus mean people feel a close connection with the wonderful animal.

The turtle is a very slow moving animal that has the ability to retreat from its enemies within its own shell. By retreating into its shell the turtle is able to heal and collect its thoughts away from the prying eyes of the world.

The turtle has deep roots in mythology, and the history of many cultures around the world. The North American Indians believed that the continent of North America was created on the back of a turtle. The ancient Mayan civilization believed that the turtle was associated with land, water, and thunder.

There are many myths and legends about the turtle from the different Native American tribes. {One of the most widely known myths is that the world sits on the turtles back. Many of the Native American groups believed that the turtle was one of the oldest creatures. For the Native Americans the turtle symbolizes courage since it must stick it’s neck out to move forward. It is considered to be a deliberate and thoughtful creature. Locations One of the great things about turtle tattoos is they can be sized to fit just about anywhere on the body. Since the turtle is really not a gender specific symbol it can be a tattoo choice for both men and women. Men often get tribal turtle tattoos on the chest, calf, shoulder or upper back. Women might choose to thave the tattoo done just about anywhere that men commonly do but they can also choose a more female looking placement such as the top of the foot or the famous lower back area. For women the tattoo might take less of the strong black lines of the tribal tattoo and have more hibiscus flowers or water surrounding it. The tribal turtle tattoo can make a wonderful symbol that is filled with a great deal of lore and symbolism behind it borrowing from the different ancient cultures you are free to choose the turtle symbol to represent whatever traits you like and want to emphasis or express about yourself.

China is probably the most often using the turtle symbols as a general symbol of wisdom, longevity, protection, wealth, happiness and prosperity. Chinese tradition attributes to the grounds of his shell all the secrets of heaven and earth. The turtle is well regarded in China as a divine messenger bringing the keys of the universe to humanity. Moreover, we find the shell of the turtle in the art of divination scapulimancy, particularly in the Shang Dynasty, which is an examination of the bones in order to predict the future. Because of turtles long life span, it assigns to the shell of the turtle crossing the virtues ages. Turtle is often represented in China with a crane with a lotus flower in its beak on its back. The two animals together represent a symbol of happiness, sincere feelings, bringing thousands of years in the lives of their respective long-lasting protection. The black turtle is one of the four sacred animals to the powers of ancient China with the dragon, Qilin and Phoenix, along with the element of water, the season of winter and the north cardinal point.

We find this combination of four animal powers at the origin of the 5 elements in the Japanese tradition occultist, and the duality of the crane and the tortoise, respectively symbols of freedom and detachment of the mind to the events of the world, symbol of commitment to the earth making the link with the ways of heaven. Feng Shui also involves the turtle longevity, strength, assigning an important role in the destiny. The presence of a representation of the tortoise in a house protects and promotes a long and favorable for its occupants and provides them fortune.

In many tribal cultures strongly associated with tattooing, there is a consequence of the representations of the turtle as an animal totem or sacred. Turtles as animals are considered sacred in the Pacific Islands as ancestors, allies, as in Samoa where she is venerated as the spirit of the god of the family. Emblem of Bora Bora, turtle tattoos symbols represent the fertility, longevity and wisdom in the Tuamotu archipelago, there are traces of representation of turtles in Fiji, or pottery and petroglyphs original Maori, symbolic designs carved in stone. We can now understand the importance of turtle tattoo in Polynesian culture, with tribal patterns that make a tortoise shell based, for example, on the cross Marquesan.

The comb attached to a wooden handle and used by the traditional Polynesian tattoo artists can also have teeth made ​​of bone or tortoise shell,

Many clans including turtles have lived in India to Oceania. The turtle is found in many Native American populations for which it represents the origin of man, Mother Earth Mother. The Iroquois see the world like a giant turtle floating on the sea Again the turtle carries the world on its carapace, as in the work of writer Terry Pratchett.