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Tahiti Treat? Fresh nuts roasting on an open fire . . . a Tahitian fire dancer lights up the night with his own unique style. by Weran
Green
hIprint staff
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ttending a body art convention is like walking through a great, vibrant, living, international art gallery. You don’t have to walk around and view the exhibitions, they all walk by you. Not only can you chat with the artists, you can chat with the artworks themselves. And all the while, the air is full of the buzz of creation in progress. Northern Ink exposure (NIX) brought together tattoo and piercing artists from all over the globe at Blue Mountain Resort in Collingwood, Ontario, from June 19 to June 22. Tattoo artists from across Canada and the United States were present, along with guest artists from such distant locations as Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, Tahiti and Japan. Convention attendees had the opportunity to have workdone by some of the top names in the world ofink. Among those present was Lyle Tuttle, one of the foremost tattoo historians in the world and a cultural icon of the ’60s. Janis Joplin had her tattoos done by Tuttle. Kitchener-Waterloo was represented by local studio ToraTattoos. Jamie Izumi, of Tora Tattoos, has become a recognized name in the North American tattoo scene. The work of Kazua Oguri, from Cifu City, Japan, received particular interest from everyone present. LJsing a simple needlestylus rather than an electric needle gun, he created traditional Japanese designs. Those who had a piece done by him were intrigued by the sensation of the much slower process, but admitted that it hurt much more than a conventional machined tattoo. Tattoo artists from Hawaii and Tahiti demonstrated South Pacific tattoo styles. Tricia Allen of Tradition Tattoos, Hawaii, ex-
plained that the word tattoo comes from the Tahitian word tatau, which means “to tap or strike.” Allen is currently working on her doctorate at the University of Hawaii, on the revival of the tattoo art form. Allen, who on Saturday presented a slide show on South Pacific tatooing, noted that tattoos had a special significance in South Pacific cultures. She cited Polynesia, where tattoos were “a mark of respect for ancestors.” In Tahiti, tattoos were required before one could undertake various acts or stages of life. A Tahitian girl, for example, was not allowed to have sexual intercourse until she had her buttocks tattooed. The South Pacific tattooing style is one of bold, black graphics with small repeating geometric patterns.
language The atmosphere at NIX was one of powerful camaraderie. There seems to be a bond among tattoo lovers eveqwhere. People often approached others and complemented them on their tattoos, usually inquiring who the artist was. Amdng the artists there seemed to be little competitiveness or antipathy. Artists wandered around and chatted with one anotherduring breaks in their work. When someone ran low on equipment or supplies, other artistscheerfully loaned the required materials. When a fight between a husband and wife, co-owners of a tattoo studio, caused the early closure of their booth, other operators seemed sad. On Saturday, while the author was having a tattoo done by Paul Taylor of Sacred Rose, San Francisco, the Italian artists in a nearby booth began laughing and clowning around. Taylor remarked that it was good to see them happy again, as they had been depressed after a particularly slow day, the day before. Throughout the weekend, contests were held for outstanding tattoos. Categories included “overall male and female” (for people with extensive tattooing all over their bodies), “coverup” (for tattoo work that covered over and concealed a scar or earlier, botched tattoo job), and “tattoo of the day” (for tattoos that had
hammer - and by a young, exuberant Tahitian fire dancer who ate fire, balanced flaming batons on his bare feet and set his own body on fire a few times. Captain Don Leslie summed up body arc conventions with these words: “There are two kinds of people here: the freaks, and
Jamie Izumi, of Tora Tattoos, Kitchener-Waterloo, practices his art. photos
Fed Back by Keanin VP Admin
F
All the tattoo booths at the convention were fully open. Anyone could wander up and watch an artist at work. Or they could simply watch the other people going by. Many of those present wore clothes specially adjusted or cut to reveal the painting on their bodies. A body art gathering is a spectacle of glorious exhibitionism.
been done thar day at the conference). Of course, no convention would be complete without some evening en terrainment. Saturday evening saw performances by circus sideshow artist Captain Don Leslie - who stuck pins in himself, swallowed swords, fire and a phallic coathanger, and drove a six-inch nail up his nose with a
by Weran Green
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Loomis and Finance
speu’a/to hprint
Lucky Ladies. . . the winners of the “Overall female” for their extensive body art.
the people who come to look at the freaks.” Whether one is a freak or a freak-watcher, these gatherings are events not to be missed. They are visual celebrations of art, of colourful diversity and of the wonderful canvas that is the human body.
or my first FedBack, I thought that I would fill you in on the world of the Federation of Students from my standpoint, the portfolio of VPAdmin and Finance. The Feds lost a lot of money last year, especiallycompared to what was budgeted. The preliminary reports suggest that we lost in excess of $80,000. Compare that to the $2,227 profit that was projected, and things look really bad. We arc now a debtor corporation as we are $60,000 in the hole. So why is it that I still have a smile on my face? Well, it’s because I know that the Bombshelter is still going to be the place to be on Wednesday and Saturday. The Used Bookstore is srill making a lot of money, and finally, Fed Hall is going to have the year it hasn’t seen in a decade. Although seeing last year’s results pour in over the last month has been disheartening, I can say that we are poised for a profitable
1998-99. The budgets for this year are in the preliminary stage, but more will be made of them over the next couple of months. I am excited about Fed Hall this year, and if you saw what we have planned, you would be too. On Friday nights, starting in September, Fed Hall will be the place where all the cool kids should be. In conjunction with the renovations that are scheduled to happen over the next few months, none of us will be able to recognize the place, especially with people in it. Fed Half has been a drain on the Federation of Students for a long time, but with a great deal of effort, energy and ideas, that era will cease this year. I know that this is more or less a cliche, but I want to encourage people to drop by the office if they have any concerns with regards to last year’s financials, inreresc in this year’s budgeting process or input for the Fed Hall Renovation Committee. Being of a fiscal mindset makes a person rather lonely around these parts. Call me at 888-4042 or e-mail me at fedvpad@fed&uwaterloo.ca.