Romani Tattoos

The tattoo art of the Romani community is as unique as the tattoo art of other communities, although certain meaningful images have particular popularity among the group. The most common Romani tattoos feature a female symbol, artistically varied based on the individual and the meaning the owner wants it to convey. Other tattoos tend to feature imagery that highlights their nomadic way of life, and especially honorific art dedicated to their ancestors.

 

Some Romani tattoos however hold a much deeper meaning. During World War II, the Romani people were heavily persecuted and systematically killed as part of Hitler’s ‘Final Solution.’ Those that survived the German concentration camps left bearing the memory of the camp tattooed as a number on their forearm. Today, many younger Romani tattoo their forearms with Chakra wheels or messages of importance as a way of honoring their family members who endured the Holocaust.

;