It’s no stretch to say that I’m gaga over all the different ways that exist to decorate the body. I’m a jewelry designer in my spare time, and there’s no hiding the truth from anybody who knows me: I lovelovelove baubles, and I’ve got lots of ‘em. Yet in my chosen line of work, I’m …
Over the years, I’ve noticed that “henna tattoo” has become a catchall term for all kinds of temporary tattoos. Decals, metallic tattoos, chokers, tattoo patterns, jagua tattoos, “black henna” tattoos—as long as it evokes a henna tattoo, well then, that’s what they’re called! On the positive side, this mysterious reinterpretation of “henna tattoo” simply means …
Right now I’m thinking that nothing goes better with a henna tattoo than a floral crown! You know how they’re just so playful and delightful and make whoever’s wearing one look like a goddess or someone young and carefree, even if she’s walking around on crutches? Permanent tattoos have their own vibe; jagua tattoos project …
Has anyone noticed the number of Olympic athletes with tattoos on their Olympian bodies? Kinda hard not to. It’s almost like if you don’t have a tattoo that’s why you’re not winning! Someone needs to study the incidence of athletes with and without tattoos, and the relationship to medals won. Totally based on my unscientific …
We in the henna tattoo business see a lot of mandala imagery on people’s bodies, which has me ruminating on why so many feel drawn to them. Yes, they’re absolutely gorgeous, and the intricacy involved in creating a mandala means a talented artist was at play. Everyone must be attracted to a beautiful piece of …
The supposed tempest over Beyoncé’s Indian adventure first blew through my awareness back in January. Now our crazy-long presidential campaign, and its crazy man-of-the hour, Trump the Trainwreck, has me thinking about it all over again. You may recall that at the beginning of the year, Beyoncé debuted a video with Coldplay. It was shot …
Coming soon! As reported by the British Daily Mail newspaper, a wunderkind named Seung Shin will soon be introducing two awesome products: 1) a tattoo ink that lasts one year, and 2) a removal solution that gets rid of the tattoo if you get tired of it before the year is out! Both the ink …
What follows is an ancient Turkish henna ritual, whose symbolism later morphed into the modern wedding ritual, where henna is painted on a bride’s hands and feet: “Henna-night is a very old ritual, with a history that some believe goes back to the time of prophet Muhammad. According to lore, in the era of the …
Depending on the country, henna customs vary wildly. Here is the first in an occasional series on henna rituals and customs, as practiced in India, Africa and throughout the Middle East. Pregnant Moroccan women in their seventh month seek out well-respected henna practitioners called hannayas in order to have certain symbols painted on their ankle, …
Here are three more rituals and magical beliefs related to the jagua fruit, as practiced by two different Indigenous groups in the Amazon. To Exorcise Devils A Kuna exorcist and his assistant employ the equivalent of a magic wand, or spiritually powerful cane, made from the wood of the jagua tree in rituals to rid …