Hand Poke Tattoo vs. Machine Tatooing

A lot of people I interact with are curious about why I would tattoo without a machine. Modern tattoo machines are quiet, effective and create crisp lines and saturated color. These are all good things. Hand poking is the older approach to marking the skin, like thousands of years old. As I write this the oldest documented evidence of tattooing was found on the “Iceman” mummy who has been carbon dated to be 5,200 years old! Humans all over the globe from varying cultures and ethnicities have marked their skin by hand to serve as protective talismans, declarations of love, indicators of status, religious beliefs, and simply for decoration. I’ve always been fascinated with ancient tattoo practices and traditions which is one reason I feel called to use this method.