Inspiration – tribal facial tattooing

I am so enamoured with the incredible tattooed patterns of the Chin, an ethnic group in Myanmar. Applied on girls as young as 9, the markings were believed to grant spiritual protection. The practice also began so that women couldn’t be stolen by other tribes, making them easily identifiable - each tribe’s markings differ in terms of pattern and placement.

This tradition is slowly vanishing, after being banned by the Myanmar government since the 1960s. It has been beautifully documented by Jens Uwe Parkitny in the book ‘Marked for Life’.

Image sources: Jens Uwe Parkitny, Kyaw Kyaw Winn and various internet sources.