What is the Henna Tattoo?
BY SEKMETH AHMES
Henna Sessions with Sandra Piedade, CBOS student.
Over time, body paintings have been used for various purposes and although their cosmetic application is largely one of the most visible reasons for their use, the reasons underlying them are actually much deeper. All over the world - from peoples in northern Europe, to tribes in Africa and from pagan religions to Christians themselves - various civilizations have used tattoos of certain symbols for ritualistic celebrations, whether in rites of passage, ceremonies or beginning of journeys (such as departures for long journeys or wars). The designs and symbols used vary from culture to culture, but the matrix is always analogous: they all consist of prayers for the gods to ascribe to them wisdom, spiritual enlightenment, health, fertility, protection and good luck.
Used for its medicinal and cosmetic capabilities, more than a decorative art, Henna is a form of spiritual connection, full of symbology and messages that give us a mystical link to our body and to the superior entities that rule us.
But before delving into history and understanding the role of henna in the daily life of those who wore it, let's start with the essential, which gives its name to one of the best known forms of body art in the world.
What is Henna?
One of the best known plants in the entire ancient world, henna, as it is commonly known, has the scientific name Lausonia inermis, but can be recognized by many other names, such as L. Alba, L. Spinosa or L. Ruba.
The ancestral name by which it is best known, henna or hinna, is Arabic and is believed to have been first used by the Persians. In Egypt, this plant would have the name of Henu, Henou or Ank-imy but its expansion was such that there are references to henna in Aramaic, Hebrew, Chinese, Greek and Sanskrit. In India alone, there are different names from region to region, such as mehendi. There are also some reports of areas in Morocco where henna is also called Beberiska.
Its origins as we know it are believed to be in Ancient Egypt, but several historians disagree with this version, claiming that there could be several plants with these characteristics at the time. This plant has acquired several names over time, which has often made its historical location almost impossible. Mysterious origins aside, its use can be proven going back in time to before the century. VII BC, in India, Morocco, Persia, Mesopotamia. It is also known that it was introduced in Turkey by the Persians when their spoken language was Farsi and that it later spread throughout the eastern world.
Use of Henna In The Ancient World
As mentioned before, henna was not only used for decorative purposes. Therefore, we can define 4 categories into which henna can be divided: Medicinal, Cosmetic, Esoteric and Social.
Its medicinal use is rooted in ancestral civilizations and it is known that they used it for almost everything. Its anti-fungal, anti-bacterial and at the same time moisturizing power made henna ideal for treating skin diseases and infections. For this, the leaves and roots of the plant would be used, ground and used together with a solvent that would normally be water. There are also references to the use of Henna as a pain reliever.
Its cosmetic use is well known these days, but it played a huge role in ancient cultures in women's lives, being used for virtually all beauty rituals on a daily basis. The same moisturizing properties that led to henna being used as a medicinal plant were also the cause of its cosmetic use. Women covered their skin with henna, to make it softer to the touch and with a floral fragrance, but they also applied it to their hair, making the hair stronger and shinier. Due to its pigmentation properties, it was also used to color nails, often lips (in India, even the eyelids) and, of course, to adorn the body with temporary tattoos that made henna a reference in everyone's imagination. the Westerners.
In another aspect, henna has a symbolic and esoteric component of connection to the divine. Its connection to the Sacred Feminine ranges from its more mundane application to the role of women in society, to its integration into rituals by priestesses. Among several mystics developed around henna, it is said that the energetic charge and the symbiosis between whoever makes and who receives henna dictates a transformation in our state of consciousness and energy, directing us and guiding our path in a good way. sense, attracting good energies.
You can see the works of the Henna Sessions 2020 with Catarina Branco (in the picture), Vera Mahsati, Sara Naadirah and Yolanda Rebelo. They all had different hennas in accordance with the feeling that their dance emanated.
Henna also had an important social factor. Henna rituals often acted as an opportunity for women to exchange knowledge and discuss important issues with each other, without any male interference. In some cultures these gatherings of women are seen as sacred and important not only for caring for the body, but also for nurturing a healthy mind and soul. In Morocco this tradition is still maintained in some places.
Henna was also used as a differentiator between families or tribes among some peoples, such as the Amazigh tribes. Using their own symbology, they would be able to distinguish not only the various tribes but also their ancestors, family history and hierarchical position in the tribe.
Symbology
The symbols used are almost as important as the areas of the body where we make the henna.
Generally, hands and feet are always the choice of choice but even hands have different meanings. We can make henna to thank, ask or protect ourselves from something. For this purpose, we also consider the areas where we will make the henna:
The palms: must always invoke symbols of offering or opening. It is with the applause that we ask and thank the blessings present in our lives.
Back of the hand: they are protective shields, defending us.
Right hand: represents the Male side, we project.
Left hand: represents the Feminine, the way of the heart, to which we are receptive.
Feet: they are considered points of contact with the divine, the point of union between the being and the earth.
Then there will always be a need to consider the various symbols to be integrated into the design, so that the henna has the necessary attributes (happiness, joy, growth, loyalty, love, prosperity, among others).
In Dance, dancers from various cultures have hennas in all these areas described in accordance with the dance they do or the feeling they intend to express. It is common in some cultures that the palms of the feet and hands are even covered with a uniform henna stain. It is a way of rooting and connecting to your inner self so that the expression of the dance can be more profound. Unfortunately it is a culture that has been lost, especially in the more traditional Oriental Dance.
In an attempt to recover this tradition and for having the strong belief that these two elements, henna and dance, should be unified and increasingly, I have made an effort to show the work of dancers and henna, in the form of photographic record.
Nowadays, henna is still used in its original cultures for the purposes it was designated for, but in the West it gained its fame through henna tattoos and hair pigmentation. Although, initially, the relationship that was established was purely aesthetic, its use in the West is now often more linked to rituals of self-knowledge, raising self-esteem and self-image, and celebrations of life (mommies with bellies of henna and cancer patients with henna crowns).
The Types & Colors of Henna
Natural, homemade henna is safe for the vast majority of people, causing only allergies to a very small part of the population, as well as certain rarer food intolerances. It reacts according to the person's organism; the color that an oxidation achieves may not be the same every time you make henna. This can happen especially in us women, due to our hormonal cycle, full of changes and changes almost daily.
Henna can reach orange, reddish and brown tones, more or less dark in accordance with a series of factors that we can control.
Henna will never be black, white or multi-colored, nor should it come pre-made, as it will certainly have chemicals that are potentially harmful to the body and can cause serious health problems. When choosing a henna artist, make sure they use only the best natural products!
I look forward to all those who want to experience the ancient art of henna!
Sekmeth Ahmes is a Henna Painting Artist and Level 2 Oriental Dance student at Catarina Branco Oriental Studio. You can find her at Arab-themed events and medieval fairs across the country. If you want to schedule events or a photo shoot with Henna, contact her through her professional Instagram!