Tattoos
ADVERTIsem*nT
Tribal tattoos have a rich history that spans across cultures and continents. These bold designs are rooted in traditions and hold significant meaning for the communities that they represent. While tribal tattoos have evolved, their essence remains a powerful symbol of heritage and identity.
Today, we’ll take a deep dive into tribal tattoos and their symbolism.
Tribal tattoos often feature bold, black ink designs. You’ll notice that every such tattoo has strong lines, geometric patterns, and symbols. That’s because they draw inspiration from indigenous cultures, such as Māori, Polynesian, Native American, and African tribes, and more. Each tribe has its own unique style, motifs, and meanings associated with their tattoos.
In tribal cultures, tattoos are not merely decorative but have a deep cultural and spiritual meaning. In the past, they even marked important milestones in a person’s life, such as coming of age, motherhood, tribal affiliation, or nature tattoos that represent oneness with Mother Earth. These tattoos were believed to ward off evil spirits and represent a person’s identity and connection to their community.
These trippy tattoo designs are quite popular for their aesthetic appeal. We’ve collected over 150 tribal tattoo ideas for your next ink-spiration.
However, it’s important to note that while tribal tattoos look beautiful, you should approach them with respect and cultural understanding. Find a knowledgeable tattoo artist who can provide insight and ensure that the tattoos are designed and applied with cultural sensitivity.
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Aztec Tribal Tattoo On The Back
POST
Sleestak Sleestak Community Member Follow
It's dramatic and very well-done. If I were to commit to it, I'd go full-on traditional though.
Vote comment up
1point
Vote comment down
reply
View more commentsArrow down menu
Aztec tribal tattoos have intricate geometric patterns, bold lines, and detailed depictions of deities, animals, and mythological figures. The feathered serpent god symbolizes wisdom, fertility, and creation, while the sun god represents strength and power. Other common symbols in Aztec tribal tattoos are eagles, jaguars, maize, and flower tattoos.
#2
Filipino Tribal Tattoo
"Filipino tribal done by Ert Dirosa at no kings tattoo in slidell, LA."
hairythotter420 Report
POST
#3
Tribal Tattoo On The Chest
POST
Māori tribal tattoos, on the other hand, have curvilinear patterns, spirals, and intricate motifs. They hold immense spiritual significance within the indigenous Māori culture of New Zealand. In fact, they are considered an integral part of Māori identity. They represent ancestry, social status, and history. Another interesting fact about these tattoos is that they are applied using chisels or needles, and are believed to be less painful.
#4
Hand Tribal Tattoo
POST
#5
Tribal Tattoo On The Leg
"Tukutuku (Maori weaving) inspired calf tattoo (Manawa Tapu, Sunset Tattoo, Auckland NZ)."
reddit.com Report
POST
ADVERTIsem*nT
African tribal tattoos are another popular style. These tattoos have relatively simpler geometric patterns, and linework. Symbolism is a key aspect of African tribal tattoos. For instance, the adinkra symbols from West Africa convey wisdom, courage, and unity. The Ndebele patterns from Southern Africa represent fertility and social status.
#6
Tribal Maori Tattoo
"Got my first tattoo done by Maori tattoo artist Shaun from Otautahi Tattoos in NZ."
MrMagier Report
POST
Papa Patata Papa Patata Community Member Follow
Zoom in.
Vote comment up
0points
Vote comment down
reply
View more commentsArrow down menu
#7
Tribal Ear Tattoo
POST
Sleestak Sleestak Community Member Follow
So delicate!
Vote comment up
0points
Vote comment down
reply
View more commentsArrow down menu
#8
Tribal Tattoo On The Hand
POST
El Cucuy El Cucuy Community Member Follow
That is the oddest hand I've ever seen.
Vote comment up
3points
Vote comment down
reply
View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTIsem*nT
Tribal Tattoos And Their Meanings Tribal tattoos are rich in symbolism. These are some common themes: Sometimes their meanings can be highly personal and may vary based on cultural traditions, individual beliefs, and personal experiences. Consult a knowledgeable tattoo artist to gain better understand of their meanings. ADVERTIsem*nT
#9
Tribal Tattoos On Feet
"One of my fav healed pieces and a very special highlight to remember from this trip to Nepal. Sadly my time here in nepal is coming to an end yet this tattoo will always remind me to follow your heart. Nepal forever."
fakeskintattoo Report
POST
InfiniteZeek InfiniteZeek Community Member Follow
Before all the "swastika" comments start pouring. The origins of the swastika are from Buddhist Indian traditions.
Vote comment up
7points
Vote comment down
reply
View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#10
Tribal Black Tattoo
POST
Linda Csapo Linda Csapo Community Member Follow
IMHO: Horrible.
Vote comment up
3points
Vote comment down
reply
View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#11
Tribal Leg Sleeves Tattoo
POST
Headless Horseman Headless Horseman Community Member Follow
This comment has been deleted.
Vote comment up
0points
Vote comment down
reply
#12
Spine Tribal Tattoo
POST
#13
Tribal Tattoo On The Hand
POST
Auntyseptic Auntyseptic Community Member Follow
Weirdest looking hand I've ever seen!
Vote comment up
8points
Vote comment down
reply
#14
Tribal Tattoo Sleeve
POST
#15
Tribal Mask Tattoo
POST
Animal Symbolism In Tribal Tattoos Animal tattoos are a huge part of tribal designs. They embody unique meanings and qualities. ADVERTIsem*nT These are just a few examples of animal symbolism in tribal tattoos. The specific meanings associated with animals may vary across different cultures. That’s why it’s important to research and understand the symbolism within the context of your chosen tribal design.
#16
Tribal Tattoo On The Back
POST
#17
Dot Work Tribal Tattoo
POST
Sleestak Sleestak Community Member Follow
The Clan of Argyle
Vote comment up
2points
Vote comment down
reply
View more commentsArrow down menu
#18
Tribal Collarbone Tattoo
POST
ί𝔫ＣίŦᵃт𝐔𝐬 ί𝔫ＣίŦᵃт𝐔𝐬 Community Member Follow
The point is off center, I just can't. 🫣
Vote comment up
1point
Vote comment down
reply
View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#19
Cyber Tribal Torso Tattoo
"Cyber tribal torso by Keni at Droptheink Toronto."
maomien Report
POST
ί𝔫ＣίŦᵃт𝐔𝐬 ί𝔫ＣίŦᵃт𝐔𝐬 Community Member Follow
I don't believe cyber tribal is a thing. This seems more like a "I like to drink monster energy" kind of tattoo.
Vote comment up
0points
Vote comment down
reply
#20
Tribal Feather Tattoo
POST
El Cucuy El Cucuy Community Member Follow
You left out "on the hand" in the title.
Vote comment up
2points
Vote comment down
reply
#21
Hand Tribal Line Tattoos
POST
Papa Patata Papa Patata Community Member Follow
These look awesome on her.
Vote comment up
0points
Vote comment down
reply
#22
Tribal Leg Tattoo
POST
ADVERTIsem*nT
#23
Tribal Tattoo On The Back
POST
Papa Patata Papa Patata Community Member Follow
Wow!
Vote comment up
0points
Vote comment down
reply
#24
Hand Tribal Tattoo
POST
#25
Hand Tribal Tattoo
POST
#26
Marquesan Inspired Half Body Sleeve Tribal Tattoo
POST
#27
Tribal Tattoo On Forearm
POST
Sleestak Sleestak Community Member Follow
I can't not see Lisa Simpson
Vote comment up
1point
Vote comment down
reply
#28
Tribal Chest Tattoo
POST
#29
Freehand Tribal Hand Tattoo
POST
#30
Ribs Tribal Tattoo
POST
#31
Tribal Leg Sleeve Tattoo
POST
#32
Shark Tribal Tattoo
POST
ADVERTIsem*nT
#33
Tribal Fish Tattoo
POST
#34
Tribal Octopus Tattoo
POST
#35
Folk Flowers And Bold Blackwork Tattoo
POST
#36
Tribal Armband Tattoo
"First tattoo came out better than I expected. Filipino and Polynesian tribal mix done by Steven house at Skanvas tattoo out in Cypress, CA."
reddit.com Report
POST
#37
Hand Tribal Tattoo
"Four face tribal by Zantoru at Subdidink in Vancouver, BC."
bronwizard Report
POST
#38
Polynesian Tribal Sleeve Tattoo
"Contemporary Polynesian Tribal Sleeve by Wayne Austin Fata at Sacred Tatau in Las Vegas, NV."
Tcujo Report
POST
#39
Neotribal Half Sleeve Tattoo
"Neotribal half sleeve. Done by Connelly Tait at Studio Arcanum in Seattle, WA."
ctatmeow Report
POST
#40
The Pain Of Being Born Tattoo
POST
ί𝔫ＣίŦᵃт𝐔𝐬 ί𝔫ＣίŦᵃт𝐔𝐬 Community Member Follow
Good Christ.
Vote comment up
0points
Vote comment down
reply
#41
Tribal Collarbone Tattoo
POST
#42
Polynesian Arm And Chest Tattoo
POST
#43
Hand Tribal Tattoo
POST
El Cucuy El Cucuy Community Member Follow
I'm beginning to think the OP doesn't know the term for forearm.
Vote comment up
0points
Vote comment down
reply
#44
Tribal Sleeve Tattoo
POST
#45
Tribal Chest Tattoo
POST
XenoMurph XenoMurph Community Member Follow
That's not tribal, it's full of Christian symbolism.
Vote comment up
0points
Vote comment down
reply
View more commentsArrow down menu
#46
Tribal Tattoo On The Chest
POST
#47
Tribal Calf Tattoo
POST
#48
Black Work Tribal Tattoo
POST
#49
Tribal Tattoo On The Leg
POST
#51
Tribal Tattoo On The Back
POST
#52
Tribal Tattoo On The Back
POST
#53
Shoulder Piece Of Tribal Tattoo
POST
#54
Tribal Lower Leg Tattoo
POST
#55
Sleeve Tribal Tattoo
"Filipino Sun/Tribal by Filipino tattoo artist Nino Desuyo, Fait Maison - Bayonne."
SamdersonPaak Report
POST
#56
Abstract Tribal Tattoo
"Abstract tribal tattoo with LOTR Elements by Jason Corbett | Insider Tattoo | Edinburgh."
Natvika Report
POST
XenoMurph XenoMurph Community Member Follow
Calling it "tribal" does not make it tribal.
Vote comment up
0points
Vote comment down
reply
See Also on Bored Panda
19 Haunting Pictures That Showcase How The Most Beautiful Places Can Change After Being Abandoned
Mom Demands Her Whole Family Be Upgraded To First Class, Forcing 13-Year-Old To Give Up His Seat, But Gets Deplaned Instead
#57
Tribal Tattoo On The Foot
POST
#58
Hand Tribal Tattoo
POST
#59
Tribal Shark Tattoo
"My first tattoo! By Lucas Denton at Oddy Knocks in Lansdale, Pennsylvania."
Evening-Stage5320 Report
POST
#60
Tribal Flower Tattoo
POST
#61
Tribal Tattoo On The Back
POST
#62
Tribal Tattoo Leg Sleeve
POST
#63
Small One Tattoo
POST
#64
Small Tribal Tattoo
POST
#65
Tribal Tattoo On The Back
POST
#66
Tribal Shoulder Tattoo Sleeve
POST
See Also on Bored Panda
6 Y.O. “Realizes Something Isn’t Adding Up” With Great-Grandparents Living Wealthy On Ordinary Jobs
Parents Demand 18-Year-Old Son Start Acting Like An Adult, He Goes No-Contact And Offers To Sell Parents His Forgiveness 16 Years Later
#67
Tribal Bull Tattoo
POST
#68
Tribal Tortoise Tattoo
POST
#69
Tribal Polynesian Tattoo
POST
#70
Maori Tribal Tattoo
"A Cultural Maori, Ta Moko - By Tony Brown At Otautahi Tattoo, Christchurch, New Zealand."
Zenfranklin2 Report
POST
#71
Filipino Tribal Tattoo
"Freehand contemporary Filipino tribal done by Jerome Noveras at Royalty Tattoo Collective. Burlingame, CA."
aBaldWookie Report
POST
Eden Belkin Eden Belkin Community Member Follow
It’s a nice tattoo but you can tell it’s not even
Vote comment up
0points
Vote comment down
reply
#72
Tribal Sleeve Tattoo On The Hand
"Renewed old Initials into bluework tribal style half sleeve by Reny Tattoos at Studio Paradiso, Toronto."
Putrid_Signature5588 Report
POST
#73
Symmetrical Tribals Under The Knee
POST
#74
Tribal Sleeve Tattoo
"Tribal side finished, done by Ben, Deluxe Tattoo in Chicago."
SSJVIC Report
POST
#75
Filipino Tribal Tattoo
"My first piece, a northern filipino tribal by Zel at Spiritual journey tattoo, in Stanton, CA."
FromChicagoWithLove Report
POST
#76
Tradition Filipino Tribal Tattoo
"Visayan/tradition Filipino tribal done by Nate Arbaquez of Spiritual journey tattoo in Southern California."
yanroxphoto Report
POST
See Also on Bored Panda
Three-Year-Old Goes Missing In A Huge Play Place, Mom Finds Her Within Minutes By Utilizing A Technique She Learned On TikTok
Maine Coon Cats: Giant Kitties With The Softest Character
#77
Full Sleeve Tribal Tattoo
POST
#78
Dark Tribal Tattoo
POST
Joel Hopkins Joel Hopkins Community Member Follow
That's not tribal, that's a logo for a black metal band!
Vote comment up
0points
Vote comment down
reply
#79
Tribal Tattoo Sleeve
POST
#80
Tribal Fish Tattoo
POST
#81
Tree On Fire Tattoo
POST
#82
Tribal Filipino Tattoo
POST
#83
Tribal Rose Tattoo
POST
#84
Neotribal Hearts Knee Tattoo
POST
#85
Tribal Tortoise Tattoo
POST
#86
Turtle Tribal Tattoo
"A sea turtle design tattoo I had put of for grabs on my story has now come to life!!"
taza_of_ink Report
POST
See Also on Bored Panda
Teen Refuses To Babysit 16 Kids, Gets Woken Up With Ice-Cold Water On Her Face The Next Morning
“Bought The Property, Landscaping Included”: Woman Shocked By Ex-Homeowner’s Request 2 Years Later
#87
Fern Leaf Tattoo Wrap On The Knee
POST
#88
Rose Tribal Tattoo
POST
#89
Tribal Tiger Tattoo
POST
#90
Tribal Tattoo On The Back
POST
#91
Tribal Tattoo Sleeve
POST
#92
Hand Tribal Tattoo
POST
El Cucuy El Cucuy Community Member Follow
Umm...arm?
Vote comment up
0points
Vote comment down
reply
#93
African Piece Tattoo
POST
#94
Japanese Rival Tattoo
POST
#95
Tribal Bull Tattoo
POST
#96
New Tribal Tattoo
POST
See Also on Bored Panda
"I Connected The Dots": 19-Year-Old Seeks Online Advice After Discovering His Sister Lied About Her Identity For Years
Handyman Gives Squatters Their Own Medicine After They Take Over His Mom’s House
#97
Maori Tribal Tattoo
"Maori sun god, made by Sara Teodorescu at Jack Ink Tattoo, Bucharest Romania."
Str3m1sBlack Report
POST
#98
Polynesian Tribal Tattoo On The Hand
"Mixture of Filipino, Polynesian tribal, with mandala patterns. Artwork done by Steven House from Skanvas Tattoo in Cypress, CA."
PLO_24 Report
POST
#99
Tribal Tattoo On The Leg
POST
#100
Tribal Leg Tattoo
POST
#101
Tribal Tattoo On The Leg
POST
#102
Arm Tribal Tattoo
POST
#103
Tribal Flower Tattoo
POST
#104
Small Tribal Tattoo
POST
#105
Small Tribal Tattoo
POST
#106
Tribal Fish Tattoo
POST
See Also on Bored Panda
"We're A Movie Theater, Not A Free Babysitting Service": Karen Threatens To Sue Cinema For "Making" Her Kids Walk Home At Night
30 Of The Funniest Halloween Fails That People Couldn’t Resist Sharing
#107
Irish Tribal Tattoo
POST
#108
Aztec Tribal Tattoo
"Tattoo done at MothArtTattoo. Aztec inspired piece with Bull centerpiece to commemorate my grandmother/Mexican heritage."
MrFingerable Report
POST
#109
Tribal Heart Tattoo
POST
#110
Tribal Tattoo On The Hand
POST
Anyone can write on Bored Panda. Start writing!
Follow Bored Panda on Google News!
Modal close
Add New Image
Modal close 
Not your original work? Add source
Publish
//=__('About the author', 'boredpanda')?>
Natallia Pisarenka
Natallia Pisarenka
Author, BoredPanda staff
I work as a visual editor at Bored Panda and my main responsibility is to search or create illustrations related to gardening and home design posts. As a first step towards my dream of having a beautiful house with a gorgeous garden, I have started growing greenery in pots on my balcony. In my free time, I like to hang out with my friends and play board games. For me, spending time with my three-year-old corgi named Halfy is the best way to lift my mood and bring positivity to my day. I truly believe I can spread more positive vibes on social media.
Read more »
//=__('About the author', 'boredpanda')?>
Damanjeet Sethi
Follow
Damanjeet Sethi
Writer, Community member
Damanjeet is passionate about cycling and fascinated by sci-fi movies. When not writing, you can find her conducting silly science experiments with her 5-year-old.
Read more »
Show All Contributors
You May Like
Akvile Petraityte 🇺🇦
Inga Korolkovaite
Akvile Petraityte 🇺🇦
Popular on Bored Panda
Add your comment
POST
POST
Popular on Bored Panda
Trending on Bored Panda
Newsletter
Stay Tuned to Your Favorite Categories
More categories Subscription arrow right
Thank you! You've successfully subscribed to newsletters!
By entering your email and clicking Subscribe, you're agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
Also on Bored Panda
