Tattoos and scarification

Tattoos, body piercing and scarification for centuries have been a mechanism for proclaiming difference in satus and social grouping among many culture groups. http://tattoos.com/mieko.htm explains that tattoos in Japan as early as 500BCE served two primary functions such as "a mark of distinction on a man of very high status, and the other is to identify criminals." Such body modifications allow people to communicate with out the use of words; as in the case of the Tahitian's (http://tattoos.com/allen/TATAU.htm) people used these modifications to "indicate a young girl's sexual maturity, freedom from food tapus and other restrictions, [and]genealogy". Body modification in any format separates those from the unmodified establishing a sense of us and them. Body modification may also serve as a ritual or a right of passage into manhood or a celebration of a battle won. Different social groups, both primary,secondary, formal and informal are proclaimed. Establishing different groups in various cultures is very important because they help to reinforce the culture's wolrdview and provide permanence and order both socially and in the cosmos. I have three tattoos and a few piercings and to me they represent different stages in my life, different lesson I have learned just like emotions and intellectual lessons are indelibly etched on my psyche so are these etched upon my body.