Sak Yant Tattoos. Tattoo culture in the world of Buddhism and Hinduism, in search of origins.
For these people, religion is closely related to the concept of magic, health and good luck. Tattoo in Thai, means Yant, derived from the Sanskrit word yantra, meaning mystical diagrams. The script used for Yantra designs varies. The script pronounces the shortened syllables of the Pali magic words. Depending on culture and geography. In Cambodia and central Thailand is used an old Khmer script of the Khmer Empire.
At the core of everything and beginning of origins are the traditions of local tribes, they became closely associated with Hinduism and Buddhism.
Related to these religions is the use of yantras during meditation. It was believed that yantra design tattoos had magical powers, which in turn referred to pagan rituals practiced in ancient cultures. Over the centuries, various masters have added to these designs using visions received during meditation. Some yantra designs are adapted from pre-Buddhist shamanism and belief in animal spirits found in Southeast Asia and incorporated into Thai traditions.
Sak Yants can be divided into two main groups - writings that support and dedicated to the Buddha. Scriptures supporting the spirit world of the animal. Buddha forms should always be placed on the upper body and usually foretell and symbolize good fortune. The animal Sak yant may go on the upper or lower part of the body but should never be above the Sak yant that supports Buddha. These are "prayers" to help you take on the spirit of the animal and the qualities of the animal depicted in the Sak Yant.
For example, Yant Suea Koo, known as Two Tigers in Sak Yant, gives you the power of a tiger. You will see them quite often on Muay Thai fighters. Sak Yants depicting crocodiles are often seen on warriors as they are believed to make the skin so strong that it is impenetrable.
Starting with the Samoan Pe'a, (leg tattoo) which Captain Cook's people in the 18th century mistook for silk stockings. In 200 BC, historical records from the Qin Dynasty of China depicting tattooed men in the region? Confusing tattoo with a silk sock :) We also were unable to find historical evidence of actually existing ancient skin markings in the region.
In Thailand and surrounding regions, the tradition of tattooing is likely one to two thousand years old. The first evidence dates back to the time of King Naresuan Maharaj (1590-1605). "In the kingdom of Ayutthaya". Warriors went to the battlefield wearing jantu or shirts covered with jantus to protect them.
An art form called "sak yant" is considered sacred (even today) and has deep spiritual and cultural significance. Thai people are known to be extremely superstitious. The "yantra" is a sacred text that is believed to protect people from evil, bad luck, disease and danger. It is used on clothing and other materials to bless people, houses and only when depicted in the form of a tattoo is called Sak Yant.
The spiritual tradition of yantra or sak yant tattooing is practiced in all Southeast Asian countries, including Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand. The complex spiritual landscape of the region incorporates elements of Buddhist, Brahman, Hindu and animist traditions.
Since ancient times, there are many amazing stories about sak yant, especially during the Ayutthaya period when Thailand fought the Burmese. During the war, monks tattooed Sak Yants on soldiers to make them invisible. Thailand has never been conquered and is the only country in Southeast Asia that has never been colonized. Thais believe that this is due to the power of the Sak Yant, which turns the Thai army into ghost soldiers. This fact is entirely enough for a tattoo to assume a sacred meaning in religion. Let's add a little unexplainable and the minds of fellow thinkers are overwhelmed :)
During the reburial, the remains of a man were unearthed, where the tattooed skin wasn’t exposed to the decomposition process - the secret is the magical tattoos that make the skin immortal, unlike its owner, who died from an appendix that could not be operated on, because the skin couldn't be cut :)
Bamboo tattoos have historically been tattooed in the Chiang Mai region of northern Thailand. The traditional method of bamboo tattooing can be traced back to the 13th century. The Kingdom of Lanna was a culturally rich and diverse kingdom that had a unique tradition that set it apart from its neighbors - the art of leg tattoos, which were mostly worn by men. These tattoos were of great importance and were not merely decorative, they were an integral part of Lanna culture, reflecting a person's status, beliefs and heritage. For the tattoo artists, Wai Khru would stretch their skin with their feet and pierce their tattoos with their hands.
The pigment was a mixture of soot and bile from tigers, bears, and buffaloes, which gave the ink its deep, lasting black color. The traditional Lanna method of leg tattooing involved the use of bamboo sticks rather than modern tattoo machines.
This method, then called "Sak Mudt", is now commonly referred to as bamboo tattoo or stick tattoos. It is a process that requires exceptional skill and precision. Even today, monks and tattoo artists will use a sharpened bamboo stick to manually pierce the skin, applying ink to the intricate design. (Nowadays, sterile metal needles are attached to the end of a bamboo stick). Chanting mantras and prayers during the tattooing ritual was believed to imbue the tattoos with protective powers and blessings.
One of the most common tattoos on Lanna’s legs was "Yantra", a mystical symbol (animal) believed to protect it from harm. Yantras were not only symbols of protection but were also considered a source of strength. In the hierarchical society of the Lanna kingdom, leg tattoos also played an important role in communicating one's social status. The more elaborate and extensive the tattoos, the higher the person’s status. A well-decorated set of leg tattoos was a mark of honor and distinction.
P.S.
Let's be objective and note the fact that the culture of tattooing is remote for this region, probably based on a belief that raised tattooing as a practice. Yes ! Sacred scriptures and symbols appear on cloth, but skin is a different kind of cloth. The popularity of Sak Yant was introduced to a larger circle of society by well-known personalities Not by ancient cultural traditions :)
Angelina Jolie got a yantra tattoo of a Bengal tiger in 2004 to celebrate her Cambodian citizenship. Thailand is trying to move away from its animistic past. As part of this movement, many Thais today see yantra tattoos as nothing more than symbols of good luck that are stylish.
