Women’s tribal tattooing functions in a similar way to those of men’s designs.
They exemplify rites of passage, personal achievement, tribal status, animal motifs, or kinship and community references.
Women’s tribal ink can also signify protection and strength.
Many tribal tattoos for women are etched in the same manner of those of the men, with commitment to black ink tattoos of strong detail with negative space and pattern etching predominant.
Women’s tribal body art also creates opportunities to apply other creative options, such as the use of flowers, sun and moon motifs, or simple geometric support.
The following collection of tribal tattoos for women showcases great variety in placement choices, motifs, and patterns to display top quality pieces.
1. Back Tattoo Designs
2. Ankle and Lower Leg Tattoo
3. Forearm Tattoos
4. Full Sleeve Tattoo Ideas
5. Hip Tattoo Body Art
6. Leg Tattoos
7. Tattoo Ideas for the Shoulder
8. Small Tattoo Ideas
9. Sternum Tattoo Ideas
10. Upper Arm Tattoo Art
FAQs
What do tribal tattoos for women symbolize?
Tribal tattoos are most often connected with rites of passage, connection to tribe, the journey of life, or significant transformation.
They are also used as symbols of protection and strength.
The shoulders, arms, back, and legs are the most popular areas on the body for women’s tribal tattoos and can incorporate a range of supporting imagery.
The heavily patterned, precise black ink designs are made to accent or emphasize the shape of the body, following the flow of muscle and bone.
What supporting themes are used in women’s tribal tattoo?
As is the case with men’s tattoo, women’s designs often tell unique stories within the cultural context of each society.
Many themes are deployed along with core messages, including:
- Animal motifs
- Geometric supporting patterns
- Sun, moon, and star tattoos
- Flowers, particularly those common to the Pacific Islands such as hibiscus and plumeria
- Concepts such as the all-seeing eye and the circle of life
Is getting a women’s tribal tattoo ok, or cultural appropriation?
The only time in which I think it’s problematic to get a tattoo based on elements of another’s culture are few, and they are specifically linked to rites of passage or culturally significant events.
And even then, it’s usually not the type of thing you could walk into a tattoo shop and get done, as it’s policed within the cultural and tattoo community.
For example, the Maori Ta Moko tattoo is strictly done by Maori only for Maori, however there are different tattoo art designs within the medium called kirituhi which are just as rich in tradition and meaning that have been developed for non-Maori (either to tattoo or be tattooed).
This goes for many of the tattoos from the Polynesian Islands and other cultures – Celtic, Filipino, and Iban are just three of many – where essential story telling comes from body art.
As always, do your research and if you have any doubts get in touch with an expert, they’ll be happy to help you make the correct choice.
How much do tribal tattoos for women cost?
There are many factors that go into that final price tag for a tribal tattoo, including:
- Time taken to execute the work
- Tattoo artist’s level of experience and demand
- Your relationship with the artist (or lack thereof)
- Artist per hour or per piece pricing
- Size of the tattoo
- Use of colors and ink quality
- Placement
- Tipping
Simple black ink tribal tattoos are around $150-$200, small designs can be even cheaper.
Larger, more intricately patterned pieces can cost significantly more (from $400 up to $2000+ for a sleeve), as they use precision detail which adds to the time taken.
Also, if you use a tribal tattoo specialist (which I would always recommend), their starting per hour rate is more likely to be greater than an all–rounder.