Fact file

Many believe the origin of the word ‘tattoo’ comes from the Samoan or Tahitian word ‘tatau’, which means to mark or strike twice.

The syllable ‘ta’, meaning hand, is repeated twice to onomatopoeically symbolise the repetitive nature of the action and the syllable ‘u’ means colour.

Borneo is one of the few places in world that still maintains the practice of traditional tribal tattooing as it was thousands of years ago as up until recently many inland tribes had little or no contact with the outside world. It is designs from Borneo that have travelled all the way around the world to form the basis of what western people consider to be tribal designs.

In Africa, where dark skin doesn’t show up the inks of tattooing as well as paler skin, a technique (scarification) was developed whereby the skin is lifted, an incision is made and special sands or ashes are rubbed in to make raised scares in patterns on the body.

American tattoo artist Samuel O’Reilly invented the first electronic tattoo machine in 1890 and gave birth to a new era in tattooing, allowing people to have more varied kinds of tattoo in a variety of different places on the body.