Type and hit ENTER

Commonly used tags...

Brighton Festival Brighton Fringe Brighton Pride British Sea Power Cinecity Lewes Psychedelic Festival Locally Sourced Lost & Found Love Supreme Festival Mutations Festival Nick Cave Poets Vs MCs Politics Rag'n'Bone Man Record Store Day Save Our Venues Six Of The Best Source Virgins Streets Of Brighton Street Source Tattoos The Great Escape Tru Thoughts Unsung Heroes
  • Home
  • News
  • Previews
  • Reviews
  • Features
  • Food
  • Tickets
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Advertise
  • Home
  • News
  • Previews
  • Reviews
  • Features
  • Food
  • Tickets
  • Contact
    • Contact
    • Contribute
    • Advertise
Features

Interview: Jeremy Lo

Nov 11, 2011
-
Posted by Chris Dyer

Jeremy Lo is renowned in the tattoo world for his unique ‘hand-tapping’ method that is ingrained into the culture of his homeland. The technique involves two sticks, one with a needle on the end, while the other is tapped against the back of it to pierce the skin, kind of like a mini chisel and mallet. Traditional hand-tapping tattoos go back centuries and are an important part of Bornean culture, signifying Rites of Passage and a connection to the natural world.

“Each symbolises each stage of life. The eggplant flower is the first to do and is for the first time a young man leaves the village. It starts as a flower and if the person reaches the next stage then it grows into animals like a scorpion, dragon, then monkey. It grows like a tree, from what you see in nature, like a tree of life,” says Jeremy.
“In Borneo if you do not get a tattoo then you are not a man. The first one you get is usually on the shoulder so that if you are killed the first time you leave the village then in the other world as you approach the river in the afterlife, if the river god cannot see tattoos he will shake the log as you try to cross because he can see that you are not one of us.”
There are some places he will not tattoo though; “I never tattoo on peoples palms or on the back of the hand, that means you have blood on your hands.”

His guest appearance in Lewes lasted from 12th September to the 19th and proved very popular with enthusiasts and newcomers alike. Jeremy is from Sarawak, the birth-place of traditional tribal tattoos, and has been honing his craft from the age of 16, appearing at conventions and workshops around the world, from the beaches of Thailand to the streets of Amsterdam.

Resident artist at Tizzs, Fade FX, said: “It’s a very ancient method of tattooing, from before electricity, it’s old, organic and a big part if the culture. Jeremy attracted a lot of interest because he’s international and not many artists from Borneo travel this far.”

tattoo

The whole process is very different to what is considered normal tattooing in Britain; first of all everyone in the room has to take their shoes off, scented candles and incense are placed everywhere with soothing sape music (a four-stringed guitar-like instrument) plays in the background.
“The sape is calming, relaxing for the person, sometimes I even tap to the rhythm of the music,” Jeremy added.
It takes much longer to complete but those that have had both machine tattoos and hand-tapped ones say the experience is much more pleasurable, with less pain, quicker healing time and no peeling or redness on the skin afterwards.
“It [hand-tapping] feels more gentle as it drags less and doesn’t churn up the skin. Traditionally sometimes magical ink is put in the tattoo from a Sharman ritual in order to gain the power of an animal, like a scorpion or dragon.”

Some of the old ways have had to be adapted to modern hygiene regulations. In the past needles would have been re-used and the ink would have come from less than sanitary sources.

“Originally the ink was made from burnt carbon from cooking at the bottom of the pot, it was then scrapped out and mixed with glucose sugar. The problem was it’s not hygienic, they didn’t know how people’s skin would react to that. Now we use disposable needles and inks,” said Jeremy.
This method is not restricted to just traditional tribal tattoos, it can also be used for designs that are more familiar to western customers….but where’s the fun in that?

To see more of Jeremy Lo’s work go to www.myspace.com/monkey_tattoo and www.tizzs.com to find out more about the shop.

WORDS & PHOTOS BY CHRIS DYER

Tattoos
Nov 11, 2011
Email
← PREVIOUS POST
Review: Ghostpoet
NEXT POST →
Review: British Sea Power
Mailing List

Recent Posts
  • Inspector Morse: House of Ghosts Review
    Oct 21, 2025

    Expectations are high with a new Inspector Morse story on stage, sadly this is more a ghost of a Morse story, although die hard fans might enjoy it for the nostalgia.

  • The Lovely Eggs Interview
    Oct 15, 2025

    The Lovely Eggs tell us about their 20th anniversary, the new album and tour with Polite Bureax and some comedy legends supporting.

  • Ocean Film Festival Review 2025
    Oct 11, 2025

    A selection of beautifully shot short films covering diverse ocean lovers' passion for interacting with the sea.

  • Fractured Album Launch, Saturday 20th December
    Oct 10, 2025

    Fractured celebrate the release of their new album supported by Amelia And The Housewives.

  • 2:22 A Ghost Story Review
    Oct 7, 2025

    An evening of two couples having dinner together has never before been so gripping and enthralling, filled with tension, with the ultimate question: is their new house haunted or not?

  • Richard Hawley Review
    Oct 5, 2025

    As Coles Corner turns 20, Richard Hawley dazzled and delighted an up-for-it Worthing crowd with a 2 hour-plus set.

  • Brighton Psych Fest 2025 Review
    Sep 26, 2025

    The second Brighton Psych Fest was a beauty as we got down with Getdown Services as the evening sunlight glowed through the Concorde Stained Glass.

  • David Devant & His Spirit Wife, Friday 12th December
    Sep 23, 2025

    One of Brighton's greatest live bands returns for a pre-Xmas homecoming party.

Website developed in Brighton by Infobo
Copyright © Brighton Source 2009-2023
Interview: Jeremy Lo - Brighton Source