8 Unique Puerto Rico Tattoo Ideas With Meaning
Reflect your Caribbean pride, from a minimal outline map to a detailed coqui.
Eve Phillips is an experienced artist in various tattoo styles, though she specializes in tattoos with fine details and floral elements. She has owned studios for 20 years in both Australia and the United Kingdom and has a wealth of knowledge and experience in all areas of tattoo art, health, licensing, trends, current issues, and history.
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Experience: 3 yearsManjari is a beauty and lifestyle writer with over three years of experience in writing across different niches, including beauty, health, wellness, and technology. She first discovered her passion for writing in school and has since honed her craft to perfection.
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Experience: 7 yearsAnjali is an associate editor at StyleCraze. She specializes in hairstyles and hair and skin care and has written over 200 articles in these domains. She has 7 years of experience, and her philosophy about hair and skin care is simple: if you love and care for it, it will be healthy.
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Joyce Joyson is a beauty and lifestyle writer with over a year of experience crafting short-form content for the beauty, fashion, and lifestyle niches. She has a triple majors bachelor’s degree in History, Political Science, and Geography from IIS University and a master’s degree in Mass Communication and Journalism from Kristu Jayanti College.
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Puerto Rico may be a tiny Caribbean island but its beaches, tropical rainforests, mountains, and breathtaking waterfalls compete with the most famous natural world wonders. A Puerto Rico tattoo can be a straightforward show of love and respect towards this rich Caribbean culture, irrespective of whether you are a native resident or the average backpacking traveler. These tattoos take inspiration from the island’s rich history, culture, and natural beauty, creating an attractive piece of body art that is meant to impress. If you are looking for ideas for the same, scroll down this article and check out our compilation of innovative tattoo ideas. Keep reading!
In This Article
Meaning Of Puerto Rico Tattoos
A tattoo of the small island territory of the United States represents the pride of a people in their culture and heritage. There are various symbols a Puerto Rico tattoo can be inspired by to express one’s attachment to the land, be it the geographic shape of the island, the historic Taino tribal culture, the land’s deities, its diverse flora and fauna, or its unique native music genres. Taino warrior symbols are trendy choices for Puerto Rico tattoos. For example, the Taino Coqui (frog) is a symbol of prosperity and longevity. Similarly, other animals, such as lizards, snakes, and turtles, are used to represent strength and survival instinct. Below, we have outlined the common Taino symbols in Puerto Rico tattoos and their significance.
- Trigonolito: It is the symbol of the Taino God of fertility. Trigonolito tattoos suggest the wearer’s hopes for personal growth, productivity, and good fortune.
- Behique: It stands for the wisest figure in the Taino tribe. Wearers can embrace Behique tattoos to symbolize their desire for supreme knowledge and wisdom.
- Cemi Boinayel: Cemi Boinayel is the Taino God of rain. Wearers who get this tattoo reflect their profound connection with the natural world.
- Totem: Totem, popularly known as the God of Snuff. This symbol was historically used as a funerary urn for respectable Puerto Rican and Taino personalities. Therefore totem tattoos can serve as a memorial for the wearer’s loved ones, who have passed away.
- God Of Force: This tattoo represents the Taino people’s strong willpower and desire to be free. Wearers can get this tattoo to express their free-spirited personality.
- Abundance: It depicts a trunk in the hands of the God of force. This symbol is representative of peace and fortune. Tattoos featuring this motif reveal one’s hope for prosperity and inner peace.
If you are not a native but completely enamored with their culture, heritage, spirituality, and people, then you can get a Puerto Rican tattoo as a reminder of a memorable time you had there.
Continue on to find the dynamic ways in which the classic symbols can be incorporated into a tattoo to show one’s patriotism or deep love for the land. Scroll down for more!
8 Meaningful Puerto Rico Tattoo Designs
Puerto Rico stands for a diverse culture and traditional practices, and all of that can be expressed through beautiful body art. Scroll down below to find the best Puerto Rico tattoo ideas on the internet right here in our catalog.
1. Puerto Rico Taino Tribal Tattoo
The Tainos are a historic indigenous tribe, native to Puerto Rico, who were severely impacted by Spanish colonization with much of its identity lost today. However, thanks to descendants and revivalists’ continual efforts to preserve the culture through historical evidence, many of the native tattoo styles are inspired by patterns found in old pottery and cave walls. These patterns are majorly geometric with nature-inspired iconography, animal motifs, and facial markings depicted in Taino art. This Taino tattoo on the sleeve reveals the wearer’s deep admiration for their culture.
2. Puerto Rico Flag Tattoo
A tattoo of the Puerto Rico flag is a straightforward show of patriotism and love for the island. The flag itself carries a lot of symbolic weight, like the red stripes representing fallen heroes, the white stripes hint at new beginnings and hopes for a peaceful future, while the blue represents the bright Caribbean skies and seas. It represents a resilient tribe who have thrived despite hardships from a colonial past and is a celebration of a fun and vibrant culture.
3. Puerto Rico Tattoo Sleeve
A sleeve tattoo lets you flaunt various elements and concepts at once. So, if you are not sure which aspect of the Puerto Rican heritage you are most attached to, you can get them all! This tattoo features an intricate pattern that begins with a portrait of a Taino chief wearing a mesmerizing feather headdress, followed by geometric patterns that are further paired with nature-inspired motifs. Similarly, you can depict local people engaging in the native dance genres, wearing vibrant outfits and lively expressions.
4. Puerto Rico Outline Tattoo
If you are a Puerto Rican in the diaspora, an outline tattoo of Puerto Rico can serve as an endearing reminder of home. It acts as an anchor, supporting you through tough days, nudging you forward to accomplish all that you set out to do and quickly be able to make your way back home. You can also pair this outline with the Puerto Rican flag or surround it with your favorite flowers from back home.
5. Puerto Rico Forearm Tattoo
A forearm tattoo is the best way to flaunt your pride in Puerto Rico. This mural-style tattoo, shaped like an amulet encircling the wrist and forearm, has a great balance of fine, bold, as well as rough lines. The use of varying gray and black shades gives the design a realistic depth and photograph-like finish. As you can see, the design is inspired by tropical plants and paints a meaningful silhouette. You can add a flower using a vibrant color to make your tattoo stand out.
6. Puerto Rico Frog Tattoo
Nights in Puerto Rico are accompanied by the sounds of frogs croaking all over the island. They are called coqui and are the unofficial national animal of Puerto Rico. They are known as tough creatures that can thrive through all challenges. So this design speaks of Puerto Rico’s resilience and identity. You can design this frog in the native Taino art style or in an animated version strumming a guitar and wearing a pava on its head, as if its croaks were a serenade for the islanders.
7. Puerto Rico Chest Tattoo
The chest placement itself has a deep symbolic significance. For many people, getting a tattoo on the chest area, which is home to the heart, speaks of a deeper attachment to the tattoo’s subject. Hence, if you wish to convey how intense your emotions towards the Puerto Rican culture is, get a chest tattoo depicting one of various cultural or patriotic symbols. This Taino tribal tattoo is shaped like a neck ornament. It instantly draws attention when paired with a low-neck top and serves as a permanent accessory.
8. Puerto Rico Leg Tattoo
The leg, being one of the largest areas on the body, allows for larger, more intricate and elaborate designs. You can choose the thigh, knee, shin, calf, ankle, or foot area for your tattoo to add an extra oomph to your style when paired with an outfit of suitable length. This thigh Taina art tattoo, placed just above the knee, would be perfectly displayed when paired with a short sun dress or shorts, ideal for tropical beach weather. Go for intricate geometric patterns or colorful florals to enhance the look of this Puerto Rican Taino tattoo.
A Puerto Rico tattoo can be executed in multiple creative ways, going beyond basic tribal iconography as we have seen in the designs above. However, if you would like just a subtle reminder of home, keeping you grounded and mindful of your roots, then a simple tattoo of the geographic outline of the island or the vibrant flag could be great tattoo subjects. The placement you choose for your tattoo also plays a huge role in conveying how emotional you are about your homeland. Further, even if you are not a native, you can get a tattoo to pay homage to the island, its vibrant culture, and warm people. We hope these designs and ideas have inspired you to get a Puerto Rico tattoo of your own. Salud!
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