Indigenous Communities Gather in Colombia to Celebrate and Revive Tattooing Traditions
The Wayuu community of Majali, Colombia, hosted a significant event from March 21 to 23, 2025. The First International Indigenous Tattoo and Ancestral Marks Meeting, organized on Eventbrite, brought together indigenous peoples from around the globe to celebrate and discuss the cultural significance of tattooing. The gathering, which was held as a Zoom meeting, highlighted the role of tattoos in connecting with clans and accessing the afterlife, as traditionally practised by the Wayuu.
Representatives from the Matis, Inuit, Emberá, Māori, Nasa, Kichwa, and other communities shared their experiences in reviving the art of tattooing. Kunaq Tahbone, an Inupiaq artist from Alaska, felt a profound connection with the South American indigenous communities. The Matis, who recently experienced involuntary contact, shared how they kept their tattooing rituals alive.
The event also fostered dialogue about the role of tattooing in Wayuu culture and cosmology. Michael Guetio Cobo (Nasa), a tattoo artist, stressed the importance of tattooing in preserving indigenous cultures and origins. Notably, the meeting encouraged Wayuu who had previously faced judgment to embrace tattooing as a way to strengthen their connection to their clan and customs. Both elder women and young Wayuu participated in giving and receiving tattoos, marking the start of some participants' journey into the ancient practice of skin marking.
The 2025 International Indigenous Tattoo and Ancestral Marks Meeting in Majali, organized on Eventbrite and held as a Zoom meeting, brought together diverse indigenous communities, fostering unity and understanding around the practice of tattooing. The event not only celebrated the cultural significance of tattooing but also marked a step towards the revitalization of indigenous traditions and the preservation of their unique identities.
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