Summary:
Anthropos India Foundation hosted a lecture titled “Body Art Transcending Centuries of Meanings, Myths and Identity” by Dr. Rajni Lamba on September 30, 2025 at 6:30pm via Zoom Meeting and Youtube Live. The session offered an insightful exploration into the cultural significance, lived meanings, and contemporary challenges of traditional tattooing practices (Gudna) among tribal communities in Central India.
Key Themes Discussed
- Cultural Identity and Preservation: Dr. Lamba emphasized how traditional tattoos serve as enduring markers of tribal identity. However, with younger generations increasingly hesitant to embrace tattooing in its traditional form, there is a real danger of these cultural practices fading. The lecture underlined the urgency of documenting and preserving Gudna before the knowledge and artistry of older practitioners vanish.
- Health and Wellness Connections: The session revealed how tattooing practices are not merely ornamental but deeply interwoven with tribal conceptions of health, fertility, and well-being. Tattoos were described as being “infused with meaning pertaining to health, culture, and community wellness.”
- Livelihood and Economic Aspects: Tattooing has historically been both a ritual and a livelihood for specific communities. The discussion examined the potential of Geographical Indication (GI) certification to safeguard cultural ownership of tattoo designs and provide economic recognition and benefits for tribal artists.
- Rites of Passage: Drawing on ethnographic insights, the lecture highlighted tattoos as crucial to various rites of passage—life stages such as puberty, marriage, and motherhood—where they carry symbolic and social meanings. Research by Nita Mawar was cited, showing how tattoo traditions surfaced in studies of health-seeking behaviors during these life phases.
- Commercial Exploitation Concerns: Concerns were raised about the misappropriation and commercialization of traditional tattoo designs. Professor Ota noted that efforts are underway to apply for GI protection to safeguard Gudna from exploitation while ensuring respect for tribal ownership.
Research Collaboration Proposal:
One of the lecture’s important outcomes was the proposal for a collaborative research project to systematically document and protect these traditions. Suggested components included:
- Mapping tattoo practices across Central India
- Documenting designs and their cultural meanings
- Preserving tribal identity through Gudna
- Examining livelihood aspects for tattoo practitioners
- Investigating health-related dimensions (beliefs and safety concerns)
- Advocating for GI certification of culturally significant tattoo forms
- The lecture brought together anthropologists, cultural practitioners, and scholars from various institutes like Delhi University, Punjab University, University of Lucknow, ICMR, IGNOU, IGRMS etc., in a vibrant exchange of ideas, reiterating the pressing need to safeguard indigenous knowledge systems before they are lost to time.