Pattern, Texture and Tribal Traditions.
Native Americans & Indians
Tribe - A culture group of people who have the same way of life and live in the same region.
The two tribes Native Americans and Indians are so very interesting to study and look at the texture, detail, colour and especially their pattern designs.
Tribal influence has been taken into influence by almost everything you could imagine in today world.
Clothes, furniture, fashion, nail art, hair, make-up, photo shoots, film, editorial, bags, curtains, carpet, rugs, pillows, table clothes and tattoos.
Mood board 1 'Fashion Tribal'
I have created this mood board to show just a handful of prints and patterns which have been taking into influence in todays 'culture fashion world'. It was most defiantly in fashion 'trend' to have these types of patterns on your clothing / house hold furniture many years ago, and s usual the trend has come back around in just a few years further on. Especially this winter 2012 leggings and woolly jumpers are in on trend to have a cheeky tribal pattern on somewhere in your wardrobe. wether it would be a little patch on your pocket of your denim jacket or your pumps or even your scarf or umbrella you will almost defiantly have it somewhere without even a second glimpse to think the background and history of the design or where that has come from.
Below I have also done many of my own designs on my nails. As to keep my designs in fashion it also represents a traditional tribal print/ colour/ patterns but with a modern twist.
My nail art taking in consideration the main points of tribal patterning which would be the lines, colour and dots an stripes! love these nails think i may have to do them especially for me to wear!
Also what is a good nail varnish for effect would be the crackle nail varnish. when you apply it cracks and has this lovely interesting textured left behind ...
Crackle Nail Varnish Used- O.P.I , CHINA GLAZE and MIA CRACKLE.
layers colours underneath and using the crackle nail varnish on top really does show through and remind me of the textures and lines some tribes use to scare themselves to show that they are ready for 'manhood' and shows there strength.
Mood board 2 'Furniture Tribal'
These patterns above i have chosen to put into a mood board to show how the influence of tribal patterns have been taken into influence when the surface design and patterns have been applied and designed. native americans have a distinctive image and it amazes me how much influence has been taken from there culture. the patterning designs in the make up that they would do is so similar to the designs that the scarification process was taken place.
Body Modification
Tribal scarification is such an interesting subject and amazes me how people have come to think of this method and the reasons behind the process. In todays culture pretty much anything goes, your can almost get away with what ever you want to wear, look like and can have anything tattooed on your body for what ever reason you like. scarification takes this to a whole new extreme and leaves me wondering why would some one want to go through so much pain to end up with a massive scare left across there body?
"for woman pain is a requirement of belonging"
In the North West of Thailand there is also another process which woman have to partake in for there tradition which is known as Neck stretching. stretched necks and shackled limbs define the woman as glamourous. A tradition that the unusual culture has for all woman to have had the metal rings around there neck when they are young little girls whilst there bones are still growing and flexible.
how this look has been taken into music videos and fashion culture as well as jewellery designing is mesmerising.
Links to videos of neck Stretching and Shackled Limbs.
Thailand's Female neck Stretching Rings
High street and high fashion Influence and copies of the tribes tradition. Celebrities promoting this style and jewellery development by wearing particular piecing which can be thought to be a similar copy of the neck rings these ladies have to wear within there culture.
The replicare is outstanding. How i get the feel of slavery from certain pieces of designed jewellery. if you take a look at the cuffs on the wrist at the top right hand side of the mood board it can be assumed that is a copy of chain hand cuffs. If you actually take a moment to have a look at your jewellery you have brought have a think of how the design was ocomplished its from a very, very long time ago and some could be taking as offence which if why you have to be very carful with your designs and meanings.
Topshop is a well known high street brand to be able to get catwalk 'high fashion' garments for high street prices. I found on their website a lot of there jewellery if chains, solid thick gold and i found this piece which was very similar in shape and design to the metal neck rings the woman in north-west thailand would have to wear...
As you can see the shape of the necklace above is very similar top the shape which the 'neck stretching rings' make. As you will see from the videos that i have posted on here the shape that the rings make whilst there sitting on your neck it forms this pyramid shape around the top of your shoulders and sits there limiting the movement in your neck. this designing of a chocker does very similar. I actually went into Topshop myself and tried the neckwear on and its very uncomfortable and limits and restricts my movement of a 180 degree rotation.
Body Scarification
Tribal scarification is such an interesting subject and amazes me how people have come to think of this method and the reasons behind the process. In todays culture pretty much anything goes, your can almost get away with what ever you want to wear, look like and can have anything tattooed on your body for what ever reason you like. scarification takes this to a whole new extreme and leaves me wondering why would some one want to go through so much pain to end up with a massive scare left across there body?
A link to a videos on youtube which shows the scarification process on the body which can take place on any person any age.
Some people use the scarification method to just be able to use a different method to tattoos or piercing. An example from the link below if a man who believes it will bring him closer to a religion or particular reason behind the image which is being engraved into your skin.
Can it be that a tribal tradition which has originated as a process for their community to have performed on them to give a release into adulthood has been turned into a form of fashion?
Originally a performance for one member of a tribe to practice on another member of their tribe and release the from their 'childhood'. It seems its has been turned around to mainstream of fashion to certain types of people. Wether it would be to seal a friendship, family, fashion stamp, show a passion, religion or even to make a statement of your personality. in the videos i have uploaded for you to see it shows how the boys are going through the scarification process to release them from their childhood and show people with their scares that they are a man and be welcomed into adulthood. They say the more intricate the designs of the cuts and process the more pain they would go though and the more of a man or adult they would be considered. The really detailed and explicit scares performed normal the person receiving this process is very are to survive it as it could be due to infection, lose of blood, heart attacks or there body just literally cant cope with the pain and goes into shock.
References
http://www.beaconlearningcenter.com/weblessons/differentTribes/groups003.htm
htttp://www.youtube.com/scarification
