Gang Tattoos.
Teardrops:
A common tattoo among gang members is a small teardrop below
the eye. Although some take this symbol to mean the bearer has
killed someone, others use it to show that someone close to the
bearer has died, especially if this occurred while the tattooed
individual was incarcerated.
(Source: Gang Tattoos: Signs of Belonging and the Transience of Signs by
Lina Goldberg)
i can't imagine putting a tattoo on my face! hmmm, this just reminds me, old ladies used to have eyebrow tattoos
Posted by: estan | October 28, 2008 at 08:05 AM
I hadn't consider that. All I know about teardrops tattoo came from movies and TV shows.
It's really sad, about it being their dead friends.
Posted by: Shoshana | October 26, 2008 at 11:41 AM
very good find sidney. it's my first time to see tears as tattoos. quite odd.
Posted by: dong ho | October 25, 2008 at 02:18 AM
According to one INKEDBlog, In Australia it meant a perpetual tear drop that signifies a child molester (or spiders). It is forcibly tattoed and a mark that one is a child molester and justified beatings.
Posted by: Mario | October 24, 2008 at 11:18 AM
What a glance has the second young man ...
Posted by: Still | October 24, 2008 at 05:35 AM
How sad :-)
Posted by: pieterbie | October 24, 2008 at 05:23 AM
I think that must have hurt!
Posted by: joy | October 24, 2008 at 01:54 AM
A fine series. I'm learning so much about tattoos and the people who revere them. Nice shots.
Posted by: don | October 24, 2008 at 12:01 AM
Cela donne au garçon sur la dernière photo, un superbe regard ;-)
Posted by: henri | October 23, 2008 at 10:27 PM
D'où l'expression française " des larmes de crocodile" ??? ;-)
Posted by: petitlouis | October 23, 2008 at 02:06 PM
ah, may meaning pala iyong mga tattoong iyan. i've seen it before.
Posted by: marites | October 23, 2008 at 11:28 AM
a social worker once told me that the number of teardrop represents the number of people killed by the person who bears the tattoo.
Posted by: luna miranda | October 23, 2008 at 11:07 AM
I thought I knew a lot about tattoos and there history, but I was sadly ignorant on the gang related tattoo's ad have found your series n this so interesting, thanks for the amazing amount of information and great photos you have shared with us
Posted by: JJ | October 23, 2008 at 10:45 AM
I have seen this tattoo before on gang members in Canada.
This series is fascinating... I bow in front of your knowledge!
Posted by: Zhu | October 23, 2008 at 10:29 AM
jeez. if such tattoos imply grief, they will be grieving for the rest of their lives.
Posted by: eye_sky | October 23, 2008 at 09:52 AM
These are the kind of tattoos you can't put to hide unless you're going to cover your face...
Posted by: dodong flores | October 23, 2008 at 09:16 AM
The story behind every symbol and characters in their tattoos are amazing. A story of their own, di ba?
;)
Posted by: Kyels | October 23, 2008 at 08:31 AM
That must hurt a lot. Nice concept behind it.
Posted by: kimmy | October 23, 2008 at 07:59 AM
The story behind each tattoo is amazing. I'm glad you're running this series. Pretty cool and educational. Not to mention eye catching.
Posted by: Photo Cache | October 23, 2008 at 07:59 AM
This has to be painful! Very interesting explanation behind them though.
Posted by: AC | October 23, 2008 at 05:50 AM