On a recent walk with the National Museum, we stopped in at a traditional Thai tattoo studio tucked away at a hidden corner of an ancient temple. Years ago, the "Ajarn" (the same honorific granted to teachers of prestigious institutions in Thailand), or Master, had consulted the local monks regarding the lottery. After receiving a winning number in a prediction from one of the temple's monks, the ajarn donated his winnings to the temple, in exchange for being allowed to open up a small studio on the property.
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| the ajarn's studio |
In Thailand, and throughout much of Asia, tattoos are not cosmetic. Instead, they are considered to be sacred symbols utilizing an ancient magical and shamanistic practice. To receive a Sak Yant (sacred tattoo), one cannot just go to any old tattoo parlor; they must consult with a tattoo ajarn who has been specially trained in the art.
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| inside the studio |
During our visit, we got to learn quite a bit about the sacred art of Thai tattoos. Sak Yant must be administered by a certified and trained master in a holy and blessed studio. When you consult a mater, they will listen to your life story and prescribe a certain tattoo for you.
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| it was a spooky sort of place |
It can be a little bit frustrating for foreigners or tourists who want to get a tattoo. In the West, you typically get to pick and request the tattoo that you want. Here in Thailand, tattooing is a sacred art (not a cosmetic one), and the master will prescribe you a particular pattern in accordance with your horoscope and life situation. Tattoos are meant to provide special blessings or protection upon the recipient.
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| wall hangings at the studio |
If you are not comfortable receiving a tattoo - or if you have a job that does not permit a visible tattoo - the modern tattoo ajarn would also offer something referred to as "invisible tattoos". Rather than dipping their needle in ink, the master will use a well of holy oil to create his intricate marks upon the back or neck of the recipient. After the inflammation had gone away, the tattoo marked in oil is invisible to the eye - but it is said that the powers conferred upon the recipient remain indefinitely.
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| various sacred masks |
Did you know that even Angelina Jolie has a Sak Yant tattoo?
She received it a few years ago when filming the Tomb Raider movie (she also received Cambodian citizenship at the time, in honor of her raising awareness to Cambodian issues).
If you receive a Sak Yant tattoo, there are several rules to which you must abide:
1. Do not kill another living creature (so far, so good)
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| the masks are used in the ceremony |
If you receive a Sak Yant tattoo, there are several rules to which you must abide:
1. Do not kill another living creature (so far, so good)
2. Do not steal or lie (I do my best!)
3. Do not be ungainful to your partner (as good as done)
4. Do not become intoxicated (well...)
5. Do not speak ill of your family (no worries there... my family is awesome!)
6. Do not allow the feet of another to pass above your tattoo (hmm... I don't think I've broken this one... but I don't care as much about feet as Thai Buddhists might...)
There may be others, but breaking these commandments will strip the power away from your tattoos, rendering them impotent.
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| Hindu statues |
I was actually in Laos several years back. On that trip, I had booked a ticket on a double-decker bus to take me from the ancient holy city Luang Prabang back to the capital of Vientiane. There was a bit of a kerfuffle before our bus could depart. The driver was refusing to take his seat in the bus so long as there was somebody sitting in the seat above him. He was angry; insisting that taking that seat would break one of the rules of his tattoos (the passenger's feet would have been above his head). In the end, the bus attendants had to ask the confused tourist sitting in the front seat of the upper level of the bus to move to another seat. People take it very, very seriously.
I am definitely not into tattoos myself, but I have to admit, I find tattoos with a purpose - such as these sacred Sak Yant - to be very meaningful. It's not just a cosmetic design, but a sacred covenant with the divine; a physical mark of one's devotion in exchange for the bestowment of some specific power or protection upon the recipient.
Read more about sacred tattoos in this post:
https://michaeldesrosiers.blogspot.com/2019/10/discovering-thainess-at-museum-siam.html
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| several masks |
Both the tattoo master and the recipient must wear sacred Thai opera masks during the ceremony, as depicted in the picture below:
Read more about Thai opera (Khon):
This is to ensure that the holy energy passes through the ajarn and into the tattoo recipient.
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| a photograph of the ceremony |
Nowadays, modern tattoo ajarns utilize modern techniques of administering sacred Sak Yant tattoos. To prevent infection, the traditional bamboo needles are equipped with disposable metal tips in accordance with Western tattoo standards. This ensures that the tattoos are properly administered and are safe (even if the price for receiving such a blessed tattoo is naught but a pack of cigarettes...).
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| Hindu masks are an important part of the ritual |
Thailand is a deeply religious country; a land in which tattoos, amulets, and magic hold a great deal of power. Visiting this Sak Yant studio was a fascinating glimpse into a deep and ancient tradition which is more deeply rooted in ancient Thai shamanistic Animism than in modern Theravada Buddhism.
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| both the master and the person receiving the tattoos must wear masks |
I was most surprised to see the framed crucifix hanging on a wall of the studio in a place of honor. Thai Buddhism is interesting, in that it does not claim a monopoly on truth. (You can also see this reflected in the amazing churches (Holy Redeemer) and temples (Wat Niwet and Wat Atsadang Nimit) in Thailand.
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| religious syncretism: the crucifix is adorned with Sak Yant symbols |
Administering a Sak Yant is a prayerful act; the ajarn must consult star charts, ancient Buddhist texts, and more to determine the proper tattoo to administer to a particular devoted visitor. Even the trained National Museum curators and myself were a bit confused by the deeply animistic studio of the tattoo ajarn. It's an ancient tradition so far from the traditions and standards of the Theravada Buddhism which we have studied academically and have trained in identifying that it is almost hard to recognize.
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| a view of the studio |
Read more about the Bangkok National Museum:
We spent about half an hour at the master's studio. It was a fascinating glimpse at a sort of pre-Buddhist practice of ancient Thai spirituality which is still practiced today. It is a super interesting aspect of the culture that is still mostly inaccessible to outsiders.
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| the shaman's studio |
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| a statue of an ancient shaman |
And if I ever - unlikely as it may seem - decide to get a Sak Yant tattoo myself... I imagine that this is the place I would come. There was something comforting about this spooky little tattoo studio.
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| a mask adorned with Sak Yant symbols |
In the end, while I admit that I cannot completely understand the depth of the Thai sacred tattoo tradition, I can definitely respect and acknowledge the importance of it upon the modern Thai society.
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| various statues and icons within the studioi |
But until that day, I will just have to imagine it and read about it online.
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| a shrine to the Hindu god Ganesha at the tattoo studio |
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