Acat Handpoke Tattoo

When you want to care for nature and keep old traditions alive at the same time, while applying some meaningful nice symbology on yourself, ACAT is to call upon for.

Artemenanki, Holistic Therapist, Costa Rica.

From design to execution, this tattoo was a journey of self discovery. Lying near the river, time stopped as I received the tattoo from Aq'ab'al's caring and confident hands.

Dragon Layrol, Contemporary Artist, France.

The experience was magical, the whole process was a ritual: the music, the atmosphere, the offering, the energy. I am very grateful to have received this tattoo from someone I consider a soul friend. I look at it and I feel like it embodies part of my essence and hers.

Karla Garcia, Info-producer, Mexico.

A Body Art Ritual Tattoo Experience

Describes a physical and spiritual procedure in which people use permanent body art to represent symbols of inner transformation, medical remedies, religious or cultural purposes, protection, devotion, and birth/death processes where a phase of our lives is consciously incorporated.🏺

🏺 Ritual Experience

🌱 Vegan, Natural and Biodegradable Products

🪶 Free of Plastic Use

This is Aq'ab'al, from Poás Volcano, Costa Rica.

I come from Mesoamerican Lands and Culture.

I carry with me a tradition of ancestral natural body art, a service given on a spiritual level and with a small intimate space between me and the person who feels ready to receive it 🖤

What is Hand~poke Tattoo?

It is a permanent body art with ink, given in a very different way than it's given today.

This method of tattooing is very simple and ancestral, there is no aggressive machine buzzing sound or equipment, is a needle that is hand-powered rather than electric, by using a sharp point to deposit the ink pigment into the second layer of one’s skin leaving a permanent mark, it does not hurt as much as a machine tattoo either because it is less invasive which allows the skin to settle right after the session.

Hand~poke tattoos are very distinctive in their look and many styles can be achieved with this technique, it is known that hand~poke tattoos look more natural and organic to the eye.

The difference is that I don't need electricity because it is hand-poked, then all the products I use are completely vegan, biodegradable and with natural ingredients, most of them hand-made by me with organic ingredients and essential oils. There is no plastic use in the process and there is zero waste at the end of the session, it is a service that I like to give outdoors in nature close to a tree, river or in a forest…

An experience of giving ancient symbology to people that are going through transformative moments in their lives so the symbol helps them to connect with themselves or their ancient ones using breathing techniques during sessions to allow full natural relaxation.

Body modification with art has been practised for thousands of years and is used to signify health, birth, death, protection and others religious rituals, highly directed to spiritual, vegan and eco friendly minds 🌀

TRANSCEND SENSATION WITH THE

🏺 ART OF THE ETERNAL 🏺

ACAT

The deity in Maya Cosmogony associated with the process of tattooing and scarification;

“He of the Storage Jar, Inkstand; Doctor's Instrument Case or a Scribe's Pen Case”.

The Maya placed great importance on the body modification process such as tattooing, this deity is related to the importance and difficulty of this art form. Acat blesses the ink, the tools, the work spaces and stabilizes the hands of the workers to obtain clear results.

Also known as Acat-Cib and Ah-Kat.

What is an Altar:

A raised structure or place, a creation of offerings, that is used for sacrifice, worship, or prayer, a symbol of sharing, giving and receiving, which is represented by the way the altar is built, from the presentation of the offerings to their distribution, to music and dance and the way the prayers are performed.

The Altar Represents the Offering

To the intention and foundation of an action, a gift or a commitment by an individual to greater earthly and celestial energies to whom such a moment and possibility is appreciated.

The altars are highly significant throughout Mesoamerica

It is our feeling of gratitude, dedication and expression of being to life for the energies that we want to honour, in this case Acat Handpoke tattoo was founded and continues to expand successfully thanks to the Master Energy of Death, the Master Energy of our Mother Earth and my Master Energy of Inspiration Acat Deity of Tattoos and Mesoamerican Scarification.

An offering,

a moment of communion,

a space created, guided

and blessed by

our ancestors 🪶

Tattoo Word Origin and Meaning

Let's first remember that this word is related to a body modification practice which refers to the deliberate altering of the human anatomy or human physical appearance.

Now the meaning of this word is quite mystical since it has many possible origins, here I will list some examples that have been collected throughout history of what apparently were the first appearances of the word in the global dialect:

The word tattoo, or tattow is a loanword from the Samoan word tatau, meaning "to strike", from Proto-Oceanic Sau referring to a wingbone from a flying fox used as an instrument for the tattooing process.

Before the importation of the Polynesian word, the practice of tattooing had been described in the West as painting, scarring, or staining.

The Japanese word Irezumi means "insertion of ink" and can mean tattoos using tebori, the traditional Japanese hand method, a Western-style machine or any method of tattooing using insertion of ink.

The most common word used for traditional Japanese tattoo designs is horimono. Japanese may use the word Western tattoo as a loan word meaning any non-Japanese styles of tattooing.

The word "Tattoo" could also be derived from the Tahitian word “tatau” which means to mark or strike the skin with pigment.

Another names for this practice are :

Moko refers to a tattoo combined with chiseling to leave furrows in the skin as found in places including New Zealand.

Cicatrix is scarification using a knife or chisel as found in places including West Africa

Keloid is scarification by irritating and re-opening a preexisting wound, to form a raised scar as found in places including Tasmania, Australia, Melanesia and Central Africa.