Tell the story of your cool tattoos
Penguins are such an amazing creatures and having them as a tattoo is certainly one of a cool thing to do. Penguins are a group of aquatic, flightless birds living almost exclusively in the Southern Hemisphere. The number of penguin species is debated. Depending on which authority is followed, penguin biodiversity varies between 17 and 20 living species, all in the subfamily Spheniscinae.
In Native American culture, the eagle is the Thunderbird, and its feathers are believed to carry prayers to Father Sun. It is the woman who gives to her man an eagle feather as a symbol of security, pride, and friendship in their relationship.
Birds are more commonly associated with the feminine. In parts of rural Africa, ‘Hen’ refers to a motherly woman, while ‘Dove’ is the young girl. In Britain, ‘Chick’ and ‘Bird’ are synonyms for girlfriend, while ‘old Crow’ refers to the nagging old woman. This rule begs to be broken, and ‘Vulture’ comes to mind, an extremely masculine symbol of the guy who pursues all these girls.
Sparrows may mean eternity, luck, innocence. Sparrows are also known for traveling great distances, but always returning home. The way the sparrow is pictured also defines a lot about its’ meaning.
The Dove is a symbol of the Holy Ghost in some Christian denominations and is often used in representations of the Baptism of Jesus Christ, and the Pentecost. Most will be familiar with the Bible story of the Great Flood, and of God commanding Noah to build an Ark capable of carrying two of every animal and bird.
Native American religions and shaman priests have placed numerous spiritual associations upon the owl. The Cree believed that the whistles of the Boreal Owl was a call to the spirit world. If an Apache dreamed of an owl, it meant that death was eminent. Cherokee shamans looked to Eastern Screech Owls for guidance on punishment and sickness.
Swallows are also closely associated with sailors and a life at sea. It is no accident that Johhny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean has a tattooed outline of a swallow on his forearm!
As a spiritual symbol, owls can be found throughout the world. Australia, China, Greenland, India, Indonesia, Japan, Russia and Sweden all have cultures or mythical traditions that give considerable spiritual significance to the owl.
The eagle is a very ancient symbol, generally regarded as solar. For the Greeks and Persians the eagle was sacred to the Sun; with the Egyptians, under the name of Ah, to Horus, and the Kopts worshipped the eagle under the name of Ahom. It was regarded as the sacred emblem of Zeus by the Greeks, and as that of the highest god by the Druids.
A more patriotic way of expressing skin art. The eagle is one of the most powerful and majestic birds. As a tattoo eagles can have many different meanings from strength to national pride as in the American Bald Eagle. Eagle tattoos may show the wearer’s appreciation for this quality: the eagle sees everything, misses nothing.
