Sacred Tattoos of Thailand: Exploring the Magic, Masters and Mystery of Sak Yan, by Joe Cummings
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Sacred Tattoos of Thailand: Exploring the Magic, Masters and Mystery of Sak Yan, by Joe Cummings
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Sacred Tattoos of Thailand: Explore the Magic, Masters and Mystery of Sak Yan is the first illustrated book in English to trace the history and origins of the Tai hand-inked tattoo tradition. While Thailand remains the centre of the cultural form's conservation and development, similar traditions exist today in Cambodia, Laos and parts of Vietnam, China and Burma. The product of 18 months of field research and photography, Sacred Tattoos of Thailand brings the world of this fascinating and commonly misrepresented tradition to light.Rather than sensationalize sak yan and popularize the misconception that the tradition is the stuff of gangsters and bad boys, Sacred Tattoos of Thailand sheds light on the tradition’s spiritual roots and how it combines into a single belief system elements of Buddhism, Brahmanism and animism, all of which are underpinned by a strict moral and ethical code that is passed from master to disciple.While masters range from monks to laymen, the "sak yan people" featured in the book come from all walks of life, from New York rock drummer Ming Roth, Singaporean deejay Chris X’Ho and Thai actress Jan Yousagoon, to nightclub bouncers, wandering monks and an officer from the Department of Special Investigations.Joe Cummings expert text traces the development of the tradition in Thailand, Cambodia and Laos. While sak yan is in decline in neighboring countries, the narrative shows how Thailand remains the safe harbor of this vibrant cultural form which otherwise would be at risk of dying out.Beyond bringing the life stories of the various ajarns and their predecessors to light, the author explores the magic and symbolism of the various tattoo traditions, including primary research into the little known Lanna script from Northern Thailand.Visually, Dan White’s reportage-style photography takes readers into the salas of the sak yan ajarns, shedding light on their daily lives, the preparations and rituals that give the tattoos their power, and the deep relationships that are formed between master and disciple. Rather than opting for posed "artistic" portraits the photographer has taken great effort to show the people and places featured in the book in their everyday lives, making them the story.
Sacred Tattoos of Thailand: Exploring the Magic, Masters and Mystery of Sak Yan, by Joe Cummings- Amazon Sales Rank: #139712 in Books
- Published on: 2015-09-07
- Original language: English
- Number of items: 1
- Dimensions: 10.40" h x .75" w x 8.43" l, .0 pounds
- Binding: Hardcover
- 200 pages
About the Author Joe Cummings first came to Thailand in 1977 and two years later begin researching Southeast Asian art history for a master's degree at the University of California at Berkeley. He has written more than 30 guidebooks on countries in Asia and North America, and authored several books on Buddhist archaeology, Thai design and other related topics, including Buddhist Temples of Thailand, Buddhist Stupas in Asia, Lanna Renaissance, Burmese Design and Architecture and Chiang Mai Style.Dan White is a British photographer who has spent two decades specializing in South and South East Asia. Formerly based in Paris and then London, he is now based in Bangkok Thailand. He did pioneering work on India, particularly on the complex world of Hindu ascetics and also in Cambodia celebrating the end of war. Publications include: The Times, Der Speigel, Marie Claire, The Observer and The South China Morning Post.
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Most helpful customer reviews
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful. The finest text available on the Sak Yan tradition By Gedun I have been an annual visitor to Southeast Asia since 2007. My interest in the region was formed by a combination of factors, one of which was watching the Vietnam War on television while growing up in the late 60's/early 70's. Though the images coming through the set were for the most part violent (we were watching a war after all) it was clear that there was something unique about this part of the world (that is when things related to the traditional cultures were allowed to come through the war coverage). Asia was a specialized interest then; Lonely Planet had yet to come along and most visitors to the region were either part of a tour group or, during the war years, US soldiers reporting for duty (and in the case of Thailand; there either on leave, doing reconnoissance work or flying on missions to Laos, Vietnam or Cambodia from one of the US air bases then established in the country).A tradition established in the Thailand for over a thousand years at this point, sak yan was out of favor in the conservative culture of the time and for all intents and purposes still pretty much underground. As a youth and as yet unaware of sak yan I continued hunting through National Geographics, articles, books, etc (the only resources of information available then) for any insights I could find on the region. Aided by a deepening interest in Buddhism I finally became a regular visitor to the area along with being a more active student of the cultures there. In the course of my travels it became apparent to me that the people of Thailand stood out as having a particular genius for assimilating elements (artistic, religious, philosophical) of the foreign cultures they came into contact with and innovating, expanding and putting their own 'stamp' on what they learned while always maintaining their unique identity or 'Thainess'. This is evidenced in the roots of the language system, various elements within Thai (Theravada) Buddhism and, more relevant to this review, the tradition of sak yan.I'd had exposure to sak yan before my first visit to Thailand but mostly in the form of photographs of monks with these strange, esoteric looking tattoos. At the beginning of my fifth trip over in 2012 I picked up a copy of this book in Bangkok before heading off to Cambodia for twelve days or so. I took it along with me, began to read and, figuratively speaking, it immediately started getting 'under my skin'. The scope of scholarship and research in the text is unrivaled by any other book available in English that I've seen on the subject (and I have all of them). Mr. Cummings field research, combined with his long experience in the region, academic background, fluency in the primary key languages (Thai and Lao) needed to penetrate beyond what is available to the average foreigner, have made the book a stunning and revelatory read. The photography by Dan White is equally impressive and provides a window of intimacy simply unavailable in any other text I've seen on the subject.Thai culture is a complex web composed of many threads, all of which seem to connect at one (or more) points. Sak yan is one of the fundamental underpinnings of traditional Thai culture and has also recently begun receiving much more exposure and attention in the West. Many foreigners now travel to Thailand in part, if not solely, to receive sak yan (usually at the famous Wat Bang Phra in Nakhon Pathom Province). Attracted to the visual aspects (which are indeed amazing and completely unique in the world of traditional tattooing), many of them are still ignorant of the meaning behind the symbolism of the tattoos themselves, the spiritual/philosophical tenets (or 'contract') that is an essential part of receiving sak yan and the cultural contexts that need to be understood if one desires to be truly knowledgable about this very unique spiritual path. Along with providing a detailed and thorough historical overview, enlightening interviews with several present day masters and a number of interesting contemporary stories from both Thai and foreigner's personal experiences with sak yan, the text also clarifies many misconceptions and information holes found in other available books on the subject. Wether you're interested in sak yan itself, Thai culture, Buddhism or spirituality in general and wish to penetrate deeper/expand the depth of your knowledge on any of these topics then this book is an absolute must have.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. Sacred tattoos By scott These tattoos have fascinated me since I heard of them. I'm not a tattoo guy, because I know I would tire of the same design on me all of the time. I never thought a picture would hold enough meaning to wear it forever. These tattoos have a deeper meaning and purpose. Tapped in by monks while chanting sacred blessings empowering the tattoo. It would make for a good story to say the least. This book goes behind the scenes describing tattoo meanings, mantras and even the best tattoo artist in Thailand to go to, if you have the cash.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Five Stars By Samantha Great information and history behind the art of Thai Sak Yant! Enjoyed the book very much.
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