Tribal Tattoos
In ancient times, tribal tattoo was used for a symbol of identity dealing a certain tribe. Other than that, it was used for expressing religion or spiritual belief.For some tribes, tattoos were used for self protection to camouflage their selves in the woods. However, modern tribal art is usually adapt the style from Aztec, Samoan, Polynesian, Indian, Hawaiian, Egyptian, Mayan, and Maori. These tribes use tattoo for identification, social status, and even medicinal purposes. Overall, the black tribal tattoo designs are usually impresses mythical and mysterious meaning.
If in ancient times, tribal tattoos have been associated closely to social status, achievements, identification, etc, for now, tribal tattoos have been widely spread into many styles and only adapt the style of the origin tribes, then combine it to the modern images. That's why the tribal arts no are more like fashion with art, not that mythical nor mysterious. Although somehow the design can bring kind of ancient or mythical sense, but the community no longer judge someone by identifying the tattoos.
Modern tribal tattoos can have some colors with images like angels or fairies, butterfly, Chinese characters or Kanji, stars, etc. The sky is the limit for creativity. What tells us if that's tribal tattoo or not is how the tattoos are made. Usually the tattoo has thick lines, dominated or fully made in black and white color, and play with outlines to make a certain image. The design can be as simple as you want, or as complex as you want. Nothing is considered wrong in making tribal tattoos.