The Tattooed Poets Project: A Hand for Joy Harjo

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjsB2VoaXj_G-VUQcbnEgz_YyDdqDb2cRpzxMKSRgu50dDEgnC_2qrdjwT9ndoP7D-JF4x2svP2kNvuueBkuyb3wHKEFKXGjkeG2XZLyZbOQjgtp-rk33actInJCjpKU74JO1yrSgynbY/s1600-h/joy1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330414808444406946" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjsB2VoaXj_G-VUQcbnEgz_YyDdqDb2cRpzxMKSRgu50dDEgnC_2qrdjwT9ndoP7D-JF4x2svP2kNvuueBkuyb3wHKEFKXGjkeG2XZLyZbOQjgtp-rk33actInJCjpKU74JO1yrSgynbY/s400/joy1.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 266px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />Our last tattoo for National Poetry Month comes to us from the wonderful poet <a href="http://www.joyharjo.com/Home.html">Joy Harjo</a>.<br /><br />I was surprised, to be honest, when Joy agreed to participate, because she seemed so busy. Despite the exchange of messages from her, aside from her permission to be a part of the project, I didn't get a lot of detail about the piece she offered. Fortunately for me and, by extension, Tattoosday readers, she has <a href="http://www.joyharjo.com/Home.html">a website</a> and an explanation about the tattoo there. I am reprinting it here:<br /><br /><div class="paragraph_style_2" style="line-height: 20.9px;"><span class="style_5" style="line-height: 19px;"></span></div><blockquote style="font-style: italic;"><div class="paragraph_style_2" style="line-height: 20.9px;"><span class="style_5" style="line-height: 19px;">The tattoo on my hand is a tattoo. It’s not henna. The style is from the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marquesas_Islands">Marquesas Islands</a>. The Marquesas are north of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tahiti">Tahiti</a>.<br /></span></div><div class="paragraph_style_3" style="line-height: 20.9px;"><span class="style_5" style="line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://www.roonui-tattoo.com/">Roonui</a>, a Tahitian artist, did the tattoo freehand in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moorea">Moorea</a>, Tahiti. He is now living in Canada. </span><a class="class1" href="http://www.roonui-tattoo.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href); return false;" onkeypress="window.open(this.href); return false;" style="line-height: 19.855px;" title="http://www.roonui-tattoo.com/"><span class="style_6" style="line-height: 20px;"></span></a><span class="style_5" style="line-height: 19px;">It took two-and-a-half hours. (And yes, it hurt.)<br /></span></div><div class="paragraph_style_3" style="line-height: 20.9px;"><span class="style_5" style="line-height: 19px;">I’d seen the tattoo there on my hand for sometime. The tattoo represents assistance for my work. I use my hands for music, writing, and everything else I do. The tattoo reminds me of the levels of assistance. I am also carrying a beautiful piece of art with me wherever I go.<br /></span></div><div class="paragraph_style_3" style="line-height: 20.9px;"><span class="style_5" style="line-height: 19px;">Roonui says: "Polynesian tattooing is not a simple exercise in aesthetics. Polynesian carve into their body the symbols of their actions (past present or future), their promises, their games."<br /></span></div><div class="paragraph_style_3" style="line-height: 20.9px;"><span class="style_5" style="line-height: 19px;">The part inside my wrist, close to my heart, resembles ancestral designs of my tribal people.</span><span class="style_3" style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></div></blockquote>I encourage readers to explore Joy's website (linked above) and to head over to <a href="http://oxypoet.blogspot.com/">BillyBlog</a> to read one of her poems <a href="http://oxypoet.blogspot.com/2009/04/tattooed-poets-series-day-30-joy-harjo.html">here</a>.

The Tattooed Poets Project: A Hand for Joy Harjo

Our last tattoo for National Poetry Month comes to us from the wonderful poet Joy Harjo . I was surprised, to be honest, when Joy agreed to ...

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