Ethiopian Christian Women Get a Permanent Cross Tattoo on The Forehead Since The 4th Century

✞ Spiritual Tattoo or Niqsat: the Ethiopian tattoo tradition

Niqsat, an age-old practice in Ethiopia, should be thought of as a kind of body art like tattooing.

Young girls, particularly in the northern regions of Ethiopia such as Tigray, Gondar, and Gojjam, get Niqsat drawn on their faces, necks, gums, and hands.

The commonly executed tattoo patterns differ from place to place. Girls in Tigray and Gondar have similar symbols tattooed while those in Gojjam have their own particular designs. As the Niqsat tradition is mostly practiced among Christian communities, the decorations mainly contain varying images of The Cross.

Tattoos were used as a sign of strength in faith by Egyptian Copts during the time of oppression by the invading Ottomans between the 12th and 15th centuries, says Jeniffer Johnson in her article – Tattoos of the Cross, also claiming that the Egyptians learned the practice from Ethiopian Christians.

If one is a Coptic or Ethiopian Christian, especially if female it is a way of marking yourself as a Christian in such a way that you are physically unattractive to a would be Muslim captor-enemy of The Cross who would attempt to sexually abuse, to force a marriage and a conversion to Islam with it. Both men and women mark their wrists, but it usually only the women who mark their foreheads.

Ethiopians started getting tattooed in the fourth century along with the introduction of Christianity

Symbols of the organic non-toxic permanent Tattoos or Niqsat are believed to be cultural and religious identifiers of the bearer. In Northern Ethiopia, women from Gondar, Gojjam and Tigray usually get Cross marks on their foreheads.

Apart from beautification, and its role as an identity indicator, tattoos are also believed to ward off evil eyes. Those who get the symbol of the Cross on their forehead are considered to be protected.

To sum up, in Ethiopia, Cross tattoos hold significant cultural and religious meaning, particularly among the Ethiopian Orthodox Christian community. Ethiopian Christians have Cross tattoos as a mark of faith, and an invocation of divine protection.

Here are some key points regarding their significance:

1. Religious Symbolism: The cross is a central symbol of Christianity, representing faith, sacrifice, and redemption. Tattoos of crosses serve as a personal expression of faith and devotion to God.
2. Cultural Identity: Cross tattoos can signify a person's ethnic and cultural identity. They may be used to express belonging to a specific community or tradition within Ethiopia, which is known for its rich diversity of cultures and languages.
3. Protection and Blessing: Many believe that cross tattoos provide spiritual protection and blessings. They are thought to ward off evil spirits and misfortune.
4. Rites of Passage: In some communities, getting a cross tattoo may be part of a rite of passage or a significant life event, marking important transitions such as adulthood or marriage.
5. Artistic Expression: Beyond their religious and cultural meanings, cross tattoos can also serve as a form of artistic expression, with designs that vary widely in style and intricacy.

Overall, cross tattoos in Ethiopia are deeply rooted in the intersection of faith, culture, and personal identity.