Inked: tattooing and identity in Gozo

Abstract

While visiting Gozo, it was not difficult to notice the large number of tattooed individuals. It seemed that there must be a reason for this widespread practice and what significance it held. I wanted to figure out why tattooing occurred at such a high frequency and what it meant to the individual as well as the community. Luckily, the majority of the people of Gozo are very friendly and love discussing their tattoos, which made my research easy and enjoyable. Just by sitting on the beach, waiting for a bus or shopping, I was easily able to strike up conversations with local residents. Because tattooing is so personal, but also so widespread, I thought it was important to get many different sources and opinions. My reasoning being that what is true for one person may not be true for another, thus I am not putting all of my eggs in one basket, so to speak. Therefore, I relied on numerous, brief conversations. However, I was also able to contact the only certified tattoo shop owner on the island, I frequented this shop many times, and we had many deeper conversations concerning tattoos and island culture. After piecing together the information I had acquired from my brief encounters and the tattoo shop owner, I was surprised to find that tattooing is a way for individuals to express themselves outwardly, but is also a mechanism for providing solidarity and identifying with their own culture. It is a practice that has become internalized, and over time it is incorporated into Gozo’s cultural habitus, solidifying its place in the lives of Gozitan people.