top of page

Hand
tapping

Hand Tapping,
an ancient tattoo tradition from Borneo and mentawai Islands

hand tapping of mentwai tattoo

Hand tapping

is a traditional tattoo technique originally used by ancient tribes all over the world. Some islands of Indonesia also have a long tradition of hand tapping. 

Traditional Tattooing in Kalimantan and Mentawai

Anker 1

Two islands of Indonesia where hand tapping and its traditions is still practiced. Traditional hand tapped tattoos all over the world have their specific design, often using motives from mother nature or tools of the daily life, but they all have one thing in common: They all have a deep meaning and bring honor to the person receiving the tattoo. They stand for powerful attributes like strength and wisdom or give protection. For hand tapping two handles are used, one with a needle attached and a second one for tapping it to insert the needle softly into the skin. Many people consider this method as quiet rough or even painful, but in fact hand tapped tattoos are less invasive than machine tattoos and many people also experience the tattoing process as even less painful than machine tattoos. They find the steady sound of the two handles knoking together as soothing and quite relaxing. With a traditional tattoo, hand tapping or handpoke, you can go swimming after only three days of healing.

At Satapak Traditional Tattoo Bali you can either choose a traditional tribe design or get your custom-made traditional inspired design individually made for you by our experienced tattoo artists.

bottom of page