Personal or performative: Why do people get tattoos?
People have been getting tattoos for thousands of years, but their reasons vary greatly.
John Maytham speaks with Dr Ian-Malcolm Rijsdijk, Senior lecturer in the Centre for Film and Media Studies and Director of the African Cinema Unit at the University of Cape Town
Listen below.
People around the world get tattoos for numerous different reasons.
Someone may get a tattoo for cultural or spiritual reasons, to tell a story, or simply because they like the aesthetic.
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John Maytham was offered a free tattoo by an artist whose work he likes but is torn about whether to go through with it.
“I have to be really sure of what my motives are before I say yes or no, and at the moment it is really 50/50.”
– John Maytham, CapeTalk Presenter
Rijsdijk says he felt very sure of his reasons for getting tattoos at the time, but they became less relevant as he got older.
Each of his three tattoos symbolises significant thoughts and emotions he experienced at the time he got them.
“I think the real truth is that between the ornamental and the symbolic is the fact that it is performative.”
- Dr Ian-Malcolm Rijsdijk, Senior lecturer in the Centre for Film and Media Studies
He adds that tattoos have moved from being about telling a story to becoming an expression of one's individuality.
“It is a lot more personal and much more abstract.”
- Dr Ian-Malcolm Rijsdijk, Senior lecturer in the Centre for Film and Media Studies
Scroll up to the audio player to listen to the interview.