Just a look at search engine figures for tribal tattoo design would be enough to tell you that it is one of the most sought-after designs. There is however, more to getting a tribal tattoo design than just picking a generic set of unidentifiable curves and lines. If you are interested in getting a tribal tattoo, you should take note of a couple of things.
Before you get a tribal, ask yourself first what a tribal tattoo design really is. The term "tribal" is already a clue to the nature of this particular tattoo category. A tribal design is most often an original figure or a modified one that draws its roots from real tribes today or of long ago. Since tribes that perform tattooing were or have been around for centuries in different continents, this particular category can have a very broad scope. A tribal tattoo design can therefore trace its origins among tribes belonging to the Maori, American Indian, Samoan, Incan, Aztec and Hawaiian traditions. Of course, these are not the only tribes in the world. There are countless more with their own unique tribal tattoos.
In other words, an original tribal tattoo design is supposed to identify an individual as a member of a particular tribe. Within a specific tribe, there can also be variations to a tattoo design. Differences in designs and placement of tattoos in a tribe can tell such things as social status, role in the tribe, skill and family affiliation.
One common reason would still be to mark oneself as a member of an ancient or old tribe. Some young American Indians for example would want to get a traditional tattoo associated with their tribe to identify them as modern but true members of that tribe. A tribal tattoo design is therefore a link to an individual's historical and cultural identity.
For some people who do not really belong to a specific tribe, tribal designs are a way for them to express their own sense of style, fashion, freedom and individuality. For some, tribal tattoos communicate who they feel they truly are.