You’ve heard of Miley Cyrus right?  Originally famous for her Disney Channel show Hannah Montana she is now a “much loved” actress and pop singer in the US.  Well apparently she’s gone and got herself into a bit of controversy due to a tattoo she’s had inked on her middle finger.  Although the tat is said to have been completed back in August last year it is only recently that the 19 year old Disney star has really commented on her tattoo and received a bit of backlash. Gay Rights Miley’s tattoo is said to be in support of gay marriage which she is strongly for.  In fact in a recent interview she told Glamour Magazine that it makes her feel “sick to her stomach” that same sex couples can be completely in love but yet are not allowed to show that love to their friends and family in the same way that heterosexual couples are – via marriage.  Although Miley herself hasn’t actually “come out” as a lesbian, many people have questioned her sexuality in the past. Controversy The criticism for Miley’s tattoo has mainly come from Christian groups who strongly oppose gay marriage.  Miley herself has said that she has received much hate mail and comments in recent weeks asking her what happened as she used to be “such a good Christian girl”.  Miley proudly stood up to her haters, telling them that she IS a Christian and that Christianity is about love.  She dismissed the threats saying that although she has received them she finds them out of order.  Miley has publically said that she does not understand why things need to get so heated “Can’t I have a debate about a sensitive topic without it growing into a threat”? Miley also asked other groups to consider their way of thinking towards gay marriage.  She said that her dad “who is a true man’s man and is as straight as they come” is all for gay marriage and loves her gay friends.  She claims that there is no difference between racism and sexism and says that every United States citizen should be allowed to have the same liberties and civil rights. Is it Personal? Miley’s tattoo has received a lot of criticism as well as a lot of praise, but did she have the tattoo done for personal reasons?  Whilst Miley hasn’t shed any light on the subject herself she has been linked with a few girls in recent years including back in 2008 when photos of her and a friend “almost kissing” were leaked from her private MySpace account.  Miley’s comment at the time was that it was “no big deal” but it does make us wonder whether her recent tattoo is more personal than she is letting on. Either way we think she’s been a great role model and we totally respect her confident stance on such a controversial topic.  She has stuck firmly to her values and been brave enough to share them with the world.  Go Miley!

She is a wealthy superstar with millions and a following too large to count.  With 20 million albums and 60 million singles, four Grammy awards, five American Music awards and eighteen Billboard Music Awards under her belt, she is one of the best selling artists of all time.  She is Barbados’s native, Rihanna. Even with all this, it appears as if there is one thing that this young superstar did not have, at least until recently.  A tattoo of the words “Thug Life” etched on her oh so feminine knuckles.  We saw it, along with millions of others in her tweet.  Sporting a John Lennon T-shirt, and looking proud, Ri displayed her knuckles for us all to see. Is it Authentic or a Fake? The jury is still out as to whether or not the rock superstar Rihanna’s new tattoo is real or an exceptionally keen imposter.  The tattoo, created by tattoo artist BangBang is apparently in honor of the late slain rapper Tupac Shakur, who had the same words imprinted on his stomach.  Bold and bright, this tattoo or tattoo look-a-like, is a truly strong pink statement.  Some say that this cannot possibly be real but who knows for sure. Eye Witness There may be an eyewitness who could speak to the authenticity of Rihanna’s latest work of art.  Apparently, Machetestar Danny Trejo happened to be in the tattoo parlor when Ri was getting her new tattoo.  He noted: “[She] didn’t stop saying thug life the whole time she was getting it done. [She is] one of the downest female thugs in the world. If I was 40 years younger she would be in a lot of trouble.” Tattoos Here, There, Everywhere Rihanna is no beginner when it comes to body ink.  With fifteen other inked designs on her body, we would not put it past this tattoo loving diva to do such a thing.  After all, she rocked her followers in when she proudly displayed her ribcage inked with a gun in 2009.  This followed shortly on the heels of her public fiasco with her ex Chris Brown.  The superstar’s hip also bears a Sanatana Dharma Sanskrit prayer, a musical note charms her ankle, and the word “love” is on her middle finger.  She has a tribal tattoo on her hand and a Pisces symbol hiding behind her right ear.  Tattoo master designer BangBang gets the credit for star tattoos on her back, and the word “Shhh” on her finger.  She even pays tribute to her line or perfume with her neck tattoo “rebelle fleu,” meaning rebellious flower.  As if this were not enough, Ri also sports star tats in her ear, an Arabic phrase on her ribcage and an anklebone inking of a skull and cross bones. Time Will Tell But who knows for sure about the authenticity of her latest design, more pictures and time are needed to confirm.  Anyway, it has people talking, people watching and people guessing.  Maybe that is what this is all about.  Sometimes it just gets too quiet!

We are all aware that tattooing is an ancient method of body decoration which carries with it ties to a wealth of heritage and tradition.  However, these days’ tattoos are more about self expression and the quest for individuality.  When you think about how tattoos came to our shores from the South Pacific islands, Australia and New Zealand it was the sailors on these exploratory vessels that brought the passion for tattooing back with them.  Sailors would often get a tattoo as a souvenir from the places they visited rather like a stamp on a passport.  They became symbols of experience and fortitude.  The tattoos that they would get would be rich in symbolism and meaning, generally relating to safe journeys and protection whilst they travelled the world’s oceans. Superstition Though not always obvious or visible, even today’s modern sailors will have tattoos that celebrate superstitions that have followed mariners down through the centuries.  For example one of the oldest sets of tattoos that offer sea farers protection is the pig and rooster.  The pig is tattooed on one foot and that rooster on the other.  Both of the animals depicted fear the water, therefore by having them on your feet; you should never be in the position of getting them wet and sinking, combined with the desire of the animals to be far from open water they would also influence the safe and swift return of a vessel to port. Polaris, the North Star is another traditional tattoo, generally representing the theory that a sailor will always find his way into port and never be lost at sea.  The traditional image of an anchor with its cable or chain entwined around it is known as a ‘fouled anchor’ and was traditionally used to illustrate that a sailor had successfully crossed the challenging Atlantic Ocean.  Other anchor tattoos are symbols of strength and power, which when considering how much weight an anchor holds in place is a very good illustration. A sailor with a set of blue stars on his hand has probably sailed around Cape Horn several times, adding a new star for each safe trip completed.  In recognition of long distance travels and the immensity of the oceans, sailors who have crossed the equator during their journeys will be tattooed with a sea turtle.  Images of swallows on the shoulder symbolise crossing the tropics of Capricorn and cancer.  There are probably others whose meaning has been lost over the centuries too. Tradition Non sailors may claim traditional sea faring tattoos for their own without realising the significance of them at all, adopting them because they look cool or want to present a certain image to their peers, which is a shame.  Like many ancient cultures the tattoos of centuries of sailors have marked milestones and events in their lives, signifying transitions and achievements, overcoming immense danger and peril.  Just like the ancient cultures of the South Pacific from where the original sailing expeditions took their initial inspiration.