Tattooing amongst youth in Bloemfontein: skin deep communicative signs of a minority group?
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Date
2014
Authors
Lombard, Elbie
Bergh, Luna
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Department of Communication Science, University of the Free State
Abstract
This article reports on a research project that was undertaken to determine both the
scope and communicative value of tattoos mainly among students of the University
of the Free State (UFS) in Bloemfontein, South Africa. The owner of the tattoo
shop on the Bloemfontein Campus of the UFS was interviewed, while clients of the
tattoo shop as well as undergraduate Communication Science students, a larger
random group of students and young working adults of the same age completed
a questionnaire anonymously. The expectations were that tattoos among the four
groups mentioned (i) would not be predominantly culturally determined, nor
(ii) visible all the time; nor (iii) chosen specifically to communicate a rebellious
message. In a follow-up study on the same campus, Communication Science
students requested fellow students to complete a slightly adapted questionnaire
as part of a class assignment. The findings of the analysis are evaluated in
terms of both incremental and entity theories, against the background of a brief
history of tattoos as a means of expressing identity. This study contributes to the
understanding of the role tattoos play in expressing the identities of communities.
The findings indicate that the participants choose tattoos for different reasons
than a few decades ago in other parts of the world. It can also be concluded that
tattoos are by no means skin-deep communicative signs. Given that the majority of
respondents have tattoos, the tattoos cannot be considered the signs of a minority
group.
Description
Keywords
Tattoos, Minority group, Bloemfontein, South Africa, University of the Free State
Citation
Lombard, E., & Bergh, L. (2014). Tattooing amongst youth in Bloemfontein: Skin deep communicative signs of a minority group?Communitas, 19,192-214.