I’ve spent the last 24 hours living with the Embera tribe of Southern Panama, and the most fascinating things about this experience has been learning about their tattoo culture.
They have this local fruit called JAGUA, which only grows on select trees in Central/South America. The Emberas extract black juice from the fruit and use it as an ink that they paint their bodies with, and it stays active for about 2 weeks. The geometric shapes and designs have been passed down from their ancestors, and they use it today as a sunscreen and shampoo as well.
This lady, named Lisa, is the main tattoo artist in her community of 24 families and so I wanted to make a story on her life because I find it to be incredible!
Anyone out there have a love for tattoos? Please do share in the comments below!