Hebrew letters and kanji...

Hebrew letters and kanji apparently have at least one similarity. At
least that's my impression from the following article which tells about
a Muslim girl asking for some Hebrew letters and then offers the tattoo
artist's reflection on that request:

"She didn't even know what the letters meant. She just liked how they
looked."

Sweet.

The entire article:

Thursday, August 10, 2006
Iran's latest secret chic: Tattoos
By Brian Murphy
The Associated Press

TEHRAN - It's an undercover movement - literally: Tattoos have become a
fad among many young Iranian women who proudly display them in private
but must keep them under wraps from authorities.

"This is the tattoo generation," said Milad, a 24-year-old artist who
does body art as a sideline in his Tehran studio. He gave only his
first name, fearing police might crack down. "It's the new sign of
being hip."

It's a select, largely female clientele, mostly teens and 20-somethings
in Tehran's most affluent and style-savvy districts. But these have
been the birthplaces for nearly every limit-testing trend since the
strict dress codes of the Islamic Revolution began to erode in the late
1990s. It began with nose jobs, then moved on to makeovers,
body-hugging jackets, funky sneakers and head scarves that leave more
hair exposed than covered.

As the Islamic coverings shrink, the next fashion frontier appears to
be what's underneath, and it's catching on with men, too.

But officials don't yet seem ready for tattoos, and even block access
to tattoo Web sites.

Maryam, who is 20, wears a fish-shaped tattoo on her shoulder and won't
give her full name. "We have so many secrets from the authorities that
they know about but can't stop: our parties, our music. This is just
another one," she says.

The tattoo wave is so new - and with such high chic appeal - that few
people have paused to think much about the consequences of being marked
for life, said Milad. The only real plan for the future is that some
girls pick intimate spots that only a spouse would see.

His back-room tattoo parlor is one of dozens in Tehran, its lights
wrapped in brown paper for mood. His paintings - loosely rendered human
and organic forms - cover the walls. Clients rest on a low divan as he
works, using ink and a needle-tipped pen. Professional tattoo equipment
is nearly impossible to find.

He relies on word of mouth through the places where the tattoo
generation flocks: the house parties with Western music and dancing;
the malls and fast-food spots in north Tehran. Milad's business card
has only his name and cell phone number.

"This is an underground business," said Milad. "I'm not too scared of
the police anymore. But you still have to be careful."

He gets a call for a job about once a week, and the customers are
getting noticeably younger.

"When I started two years ago, it was rare to get a teenage girl. Now
that's the typical client."

For an average of 800,000 rials - about $90 - they choose from Milad's
standard designs - interwoven flames called "Creeping Death," a burning
cross dubbed "Dragon Sword," or, for the less daring, butterflies,
flowers and unicorns.

But he'll work up anything for an extra fee. He has done marijuana
leaves and symbols from Iran's pre-Islamic Zoroastrian faith. A Muslim
girl asked for some Hebrew letters - in a country whose leaders
repeatedly call for Israel's destruction.

"She didn't even know what the letters meant," said Milad. "She just
liked how they looked."

Placing also is getting more adventurous; Milad said more women are
asking for tattoos on the small of their backs or on their breasts. "No
big deal," shrugged Milad. But it would be an outrage in a society that
still tries to segregate the sexes at some colleges and public events.
From:
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/lifest...tattoos10.html

--
Curt
http://curtjames.com/