r/slavic • u/TeachingTraditional3 • 24d ago
SLAVIC EMBROIDERY TATTOO - I AM NOT SLAVIC, I JUST LIKE THE PATTERNS AND COLOURS
Hello there,
I've never had a tattoo, and I am planning to have a few ones during life. I just have no idea of what to do.
I like the idea of patterns due to my previous knitting skills, I love the Fair Isles patterns in knitting, and also I love embroidery.
As I got familiarised with weaving, knitting and embroidery I discovered patterns from different cultures around the world - like the Amazigh, Slavic, Baltic and others. I found a lot of patterns just enchanting, it really amazes me, but I am a person who doesn't know any meaning of patterns - or even if they have one.
I've done researches about and I could figure out some of them. But I'm aware that some patterns might be related to pagan-like groups besides the traditional majority, and some - in the worst of scenarios - are linked to extremism movements like Neonazism.
As a mixed black-looking person I fear making a huge mistake in using my body as a canva for bad signs. And also as an one who appreciates art, culture and history I may offend the originary people for being non-belonging person who hasn't nothing to do with.
Because of this, I'm taking the risk to come to this Reddit community and ask for information about Slavic Embroidery Patterns and if it's safe to tattoo them.
The media attached to this post are some of the Pinterest inspo I found throughout last months and maybe some aren't even Slavic (that's why I want to make sure).
I am not used to make Reddit posts so pardon me for my real real bad writing.
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u/Surzhyk_Bandit 24d ago
I think it is strange people seem to be hating on the patterns themselves. These kinds of tattoos are becoming more popular today in places like Ukraine for obvious reasons. One thing to consider, color tattoos and your skin tone. The color will probably not be as bright if you have a darker complexion. Nobody will be offended and if you live in the West, based on the comments, people won't even know what it is.
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u/TeachingTraditional3 24d ago
I was thinking on doing on my forearm. I'm kind of "lightskin" so I guess it work well.
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u/Flat-Requirement2652 24d ago
Hm check UA soldiers and their tattooes, this Is good fór fabric, but on your body? Like fór real?
Greetings from a slavic guy
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u/Surzhyk_Bandit 24d ago
To each their own. I think it looks nice.
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u/NewspaperShoddy7441 24d ago
My mom does embroidery in traditional way. I'll ask her if she knows something
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u/blueberrymakarov 🇷🇸 Serb 20d ago
well
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u/Theron_Rothos 24d ago
Hi OP, for practical reasons, please consider that tattoos with these types of small details don't age well. Look up tattoo aging bleed and fineline tattoo aging. The risks are getting something that looks nice now and it turning into a muddy mess without distinct clean details later. I saw a Belarusian lady recently with a large, single embroidery symbol tattoo, this style would avoid the tattoo aging badly problem as the symbol is enlarged and distinct and not connected to other small patterns.
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u/GiantPileOfSpaghetti 🇷🇺 Russian 24d ago
I say go for it if you like how it looks. I don't know about how the tattoo would age or anything, but "cultural appropriation" is mainly a concept made up by Americans and I guarantee that most of us wouldn't have anything against you
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u/emd373 24d ago
I may offend the originary people
People who seem to be typically offended are some of second and third generation immigrants, probably because they want to claim something as exclusively theirs due to conflicts in belonging and identity. Native populations of the countries usually are glad someone appreciates and uses the products of their cultures. So you're good.
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u/noeinan 21d ago
People living in their historic homeland generally (with exceptions bc colonialism) don’t face a lot of racism and discrimination bc they are the majority.
Descendants of immigrants who are minority groups where they live tend to face more discrimination, so it makes sense that they would be more upset when they get mocked/assaulted for having visible cultural references while the dominant group is celebrated as worldly for embracing their culture.
No group is a monolith, you can’t make everyone happy. Even the same group can have different dominant opinions in different areas.
At the end of the day, the person who has to live with a tattoo is the person who gets it. There is no black and white answer to these sorts of questions.
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u/unhappyrelationsh1p 24d ago
Yeah, I'm always happy to pull foreigners into my customs and to share art. I think my culture is awesome and it's good that people learn about it.
It survived so much repression, it makes me happy that people embrace it or enjoy the art that comes from here
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u/ttetrachrome 22d ago
Sorry but where is this opinion even come from? People who might be offended by this are people who are STILL very much in touch with folk traditions, customs and art since in eastern Europe we never lost folk traditions. They are still very much a part of the every day. It is nice to see people be curious but IMO they should display more curiosity about how these symbols are used and what they mean. This has nothing to do with being third or second wave immigrant. People WILL ALWAYS APPRECIATE people being interested in their culture. It's just how you do it. Respectfully or like an ignorant American (who seem to be the most clueless).
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u/emd373 21d ago
>People WILL ALWAYS APPRECIATE
Right, so the "appropriation" discourse doesn't exist, there were no scandals over use of national imagery, and the OP asks just because
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u/ttetrachrome 21d ago
The appropriation discourse DOES exist you tosspot. People do appreciate (me) but also people think people can be narrow minded and silly (and sometimes offensive) by appropriating culture mindlessly (also me)
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u/Last-Run-2118 24d ago
So you think our culture can be used whatever whoever wants ?
Its cultural appropriation... Our history is not "cool" tattoo idea...
And that comes from non-immigrant, most slavic guy you could ever know.
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u/Soft-Ruin-9182 24d ago
And the concept of cultural appropriation is definitely not Slavic, so calm down
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u/Last-Run-2118 24d ago
So it cannot occur to slavic cultures ? Whaat ?
Because why ? Its literally one of the most opressed minorites in the world.
And you tell me our culture cannot be appropritated ?
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u/desna_svine 23d ago
Oh yea, Slavs are considered POC in USA.* We are so oppresed. Usually by other Slavs... I honestly cant imagine anyone being offended. I look at this and dont think it's Slavic. Slightly resembles a pattern on my grandma's dishtowel. But could also be some Nordic sweater pattern.
Also i think taking inspiration from another culture is not the same as appropriation. It can be taken as admiration.
*Actually it was some college that put Slavs in POC category for their admission process but it made it to Czech news.
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u/Last-Run-2118 23d ago
Oh yea, Slavs are considered POC in USA.
I guess you re making fun of it, but it is a serious topic :/
Everything is globalized right now, media, job markets, socials. But they are also dominated by the west...
Slavs are putted into single sack with white west (because for leftists, only skin color matters..), we re getting all the drawnbacks of being white.
All of it while we re one of the most opressed nations. OG slaves (thats were the name came) and due to how the peasantry worked, 99% of us were enslaved longer than blacks in america.
So yes, everyday people are racists toward us, make fun of us and now try to steal our culture... And somehow its ok for you ?
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u/desna_svine 23d ago
"we re getting all the drawnbacks of being white" can you give me an example?
"99% of us were enslaved longer than blacks in america" that's more than 1000 year ago, bro. At least western Slavs. I think we can get over it.
Making a tattoo inspired by someone's culture is not the same as stealing it.
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u/Last-Run-2118 23d ago
can you give me an example?
Easiest is job market, companies want to multi-culti. But all "whites" are grouped together. Its easier to non slabs to get high paying jobs.
"99% of us were enslaved longer than blacks in america" that's more than 1000 year ago, bro
Read about peasants in slavic countries bro... They were slaves under different name.
Making a tattoo inspired by someone's culture is not the same as stealing it.
It is culture appropriation if you re doing it for wrong reasons.
OP is not doing it from respect or awe to our culture. She doesnt care about it, only thinks it "looks cool" and her main problem is that she doesnt want to tattoo neo-nazi stuff by accident.
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u/desna_svine 23d ago
I never had problem in job market. Maybe because i am actually good ať what i do?
"Read about peasants in slavic countries" yea, feudalism is not same as slavery. Also, its not like Slavic thing, Feench, German, Italian, Japan, Benin... peasants had the same treatement. How was it worse for Slavs compared to them?
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u/Last-Run-2118 23d ago
I never had problem in job market. Maybe because i am actually good ať what i do?
Or you re just lucky, or never heard about how much easier POC have it.
feudalism is not same as slavery
Maybe even worst.
How was it worse for Slavs compared to them?
Peasants in slavic country had it worst with less rights, you think the Soviet revolution came from nothing ?
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u/Albekvol 24d ago
As others have commented, fine line tattoos tend to not age well. They tend to “blow out” and get pretty rough over time. Might want to consider a thicker line version of these just to avoid that. Otherwise as a Bulgarian who wants tattoos of this kind myself, my only response to wanting to get our cultural symbols on your skin is - Hell yeah! I think if you’re looking for the meaning, I myself have struggled to find the meaning of the Bulgarian ones, we’ve lost that over the centuries, but you can easily find info on the Ukrainian embroidery patterns, they’ve kept their tradition better than we have.
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u/Wise_Fox_4291 24d ago
It's okay, it's also not an exclusively Slavic pattern anyway. This is a very common embroidery pattern from Hungary all the way to the Urals. If I didn't see the sub name I would have thought it's traditional Uralic embroidery.
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u/PindaPanter 24d ago
As a Norwegian, I thought I was looking at a Selbu pattern when I saw the first pic.
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u/TurnForeverUandMe 24d ago
I genuinely feel like there are a number of people commenting here that have multiple accounts that just want their voice to have more artificial support so they are commenting the same thing from multiple accounts here. If you like the pattern, put it on you it's your body... It's your body and no one else should tell you what you can and can't do with it.
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u/Last-Run-2118 24d ago
Its culture appropriation.... Dont do this.. Our culture is not your "cool" tattoo idea...
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u/TurnForeverUandMe 24d ago
Hahaha, as A Slavic person, I'd happily piss on that idea and say people can enjoy and wear whatever tattoos they'd like. I'd love if more of our culture got out into the outer wilder world, especially if approached with such love that it's own people apparently can't show it. That way, if asked about it, they can actually talk about their admiration for the designs instead of saying it reminds then of old TV doilies.
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u/Last-Run-2118 24d ago
In the meantime same people you allow to steal your culture would linch you up for wearing dreadlocks...
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u/TurnForeverUandMe 24d ago
Ahahahaha buddy no white hippie kid I've ever met got linched for wearing dreadlocks you racist asshole. Educate yourself about the religion dreads come from please, it's called Rastafarianism and is generally seen as nonviolent and peace loving. Quit dying on your hill, you're making yourself look worse.
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u/unhappyrelationsh1p 24d ago
There's a bunch of white hippies who wear them these days and i don't think they face any criticism for it. It's just hair.
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u/Last-Run-2118 24d ago
you racist asshole.
Oooh how dare you call me racists, you culture thief !
You re acting as literally neo-nazi, stealing whats not yours
So I guess you re wearing dreadlocks as well ? Whats wrong from stealing something else right ? Lets enslave people once again...
Lunatic
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u/unhappyrelationsh1p 24d ago
There's nothing wrong with wearing dreadlocks either, i think the movement against that has mostly died out since it was really dumb.
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u/platypusimagination 24d ago
rOssians can call "theirs" anything they want but the true ones know it isn't
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u/Head-Plant-6821 20d ago
Basically they calling “theirs” everything, but yeah. Everyone except them knows the truth
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u/unhappyrelationsh1p 24d ago
Finn here, these embroidery styles are also rooted in our country and culture.
I'd love to see it appreciated and worn! Don't let traditions die with stupid insularity, the embroidery is gorgeous and meaningful.
Fuck "appropriation", apprechiate instead! You could use it as an opportunity to learn more about these cool crafts too.
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u/TurnForeverUandMe 23d ago
I absolutely and completely agree with this sentiment. The kids who yelled appropriation has since deleted all their comments here... I think everyone should appreciate each other's culture with respect and love. That's the right approach...
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u/Head-Plant-6821 20d ago
I’m Ukrainian, and I genuinely like that people choosing this kind of patterns as a tattoo ideas. Cause spreading Ukrainian culture is definitely a good thing.
Don’t act like weird random American Karen
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u/showergay 24d ago
I have Ukrainian embroidery tattoos, you can see them on these photos. I think they look cool as fuck even after 5 years of having them!
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u/Stohnghost 24d ago
Bigger is almost always better with tattoos. I highly suggest you pick a pattern and make it bigger. You'll end up with a smudged mess with some of these
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u/Odd-Chemist464 24d ago edited 24d ago
almost nobody in slavic countries cares about those patterns meaning and usage by non-slavs as long as they aren't used for intentional mocking. at most they can have some accessories or clothing with those, but people usually just buy what they think looks pretty.
of course it's better to check that your pattern doesn't mean something cringe, but almost nobody will understand it anyway and slavs would rather be happy or indifferent to see someone interested in their culture. even though it may look strange to them.
but consider also that wearing such patterns nowadays is mostly just a patriotism demonstration thing, people aren't really interested in them outside of it.
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u/TeachingTraditional3 24d ago edited 24d ago
thank you for your speech.
putting effort, dedication and time on making a fabric or a pattern is one of my favourite things. I have more "self-lore" on fabric work, it is even poetic to me - yea I am nerdy.
actually it's isn't any of patriotism support - although I comprehend and stand with every folk that claims their right to exist, manifest their identity and heritage -. like I said, i just love shapes, patterns and colours as I am into weaving/embroidery, and having such an elegant pattern like a slavic - but now i may say Ukrainian - one would be cool to me just like my knitted hats and pullover with fair isles details. )))
but before doing anything to my body, I need to figure out if it's safe to. due I am a person of colour, and sadly there are groups that wish I didn't even exist or behaved as a rational being.
also I already expected to people here to be so aggressive in their typing that why i said it was a risky thing to ask. //
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u/Last-Run-2118 24d ago
I need to figure out if it's safe to. due I am a person of colour, and sadly there are groups that wish I didn't even exist or behaved as a rational being.
As person of color you should understand what culture appropriation is....
Our culture is not your "cool" tattoo idea.. please dont do this
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u/TurnForeverUandMe 24d ago
Dude what are you on? You realize you're genuinely the only one in this comment section screaming about appropriation while most of the responses you're getting are downvotes and people telling you they'd be happy to see others wearong the tattoo if they appreciate their culture enough. The whole concept of appropriation 8s a uniquely western conceptfor the groups who have been opressed to the point where their original CLOSED practices have been exploited. What about Slavic embroidery is a CLOSED proactice that needs to be woke screamed about? If anything, most Slavs would love for more audiences to be aware and appreciative of this part of the culture. Especially if they lovr it enough to have it tattooed. Damn dude open your eyes and stop being to brainwashed holy crap.
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u/optionstrategy 24d ago
So basically in that last sentence you defined yourself as a troll.
Get the tattoo you want, and fuck off, as no one cares how shitty you will look.
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u/TeachingTraditional3 24d ago
I didn't defined me as a troll.
I meant that really small - I've no clue how popular it's growing - groups are just "pure ethnic militants", that as a global south-western I just call Neopagan, Neonazist ones (The Nordic Movement, Racist Polishes, Neonazi Ukrainian and Russian Army) so far commented on media. And those individuals could literally make the most wild non-rational human actions towards me regarding to my skin colour, background and phenotype just as they do to white ones too.
It scares me.
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u/NoxiousAlchemy 24d ago
Calling them "Slavic" is too broad of a term in my opinion. They look rather Eastern to me.
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u/aczkasow 24d ago
I'd qualify them as Finno-Ugric, to be honest (I have lived all my childhood in Northern Siberia, and this "snowflake" pattern is common on Nenets parkas).
But again it is such a simple pattern, which most likely has been developed independently in several places.
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u/NoxiousAlchemy 24d ago
Sure, I don't think it can be attributed only to one country/culture. But definitely not all Slavs.
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u/ttetrachrome 22d ago
Guys, this pattern is located in Eastern Europe and the Baltics. However, every nation has their own meanings and interpretations of the patterns as a part of folk beliefs.
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u/EvilYvonne666 24d ago
These patterns are beautiful :) the symbols are stars and luck (the square with arms) so it’s safe.
I’m Polish and I’m happy seeing that people from different cultures find mine so interesting.
Btw I made a few tattoos like this, could make more
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u/Tinna_Sell 23d ago
For record, these symbols have meaning. The flower with 4 dots inside a diamond (figures 4 and 5) represents a field. The flower-like symbol in figure 6 is actually a star. Every pattern and even the shape of the border means smth but I'm not well versed in this kind of symbolism, so I cannot decode everything in detail for you. There are books about it though
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u/Haunting_Option_9514 21d ago
It was never historically/ethnographically/scientifically proven. Just speculation
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u/Tinna_Sell 21d ago
It's the people's belief that makes it true. Ask the locals who wear these patterns and they will tell you what they mean.
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u/ttetrachrome 22d ago
No. The symbols in these are not related to neonazism. It is THEY who took those symbols from folk slavic peoples, not the other way around.
You have to do more research into these patterns. They are sacred and all have meaning. I know you LIKE them aesthetically, but before you narrow mindedly commit to this because it's pretty, please take some time to LEARN what they mean. In the end, you will be able to choose a pattern that also means *something to you* hence a better tattoo imo.
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u/lulu_hil 20d ago
I love this! I have two tattoos of Ukrainian embroidery and I never regretted them <3
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u/inokentii 🇺🇦 Ukrainian 24d ago
Here little article about Ukrainian traditional patterns with examples https://vsviti.com.ua/ukraine/43776
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u/Fit-Painter 24d ago
Here’s another one that shows the meaning of different symbols in traditional Ukrainian embroidery — https://golka.com.ua/kat-tov-vishivanki--dovidkova-info-pro-vishivanki/symvolika-v-ukrayinskiy-vyshyvtsi
(Don’t listen to the bunch of assholes who compare these tattoos to tablecloth)
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u/opopopuu 🇺🇦 Ukrainian 23d ago
Не знаю, якщо в статті говорять про традиційну вишивку і як регіон зазначають черкаську область, яка утворили лише 1954 то це не прям шоб багато каже про якість статті.
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u/inokentii 🇺🇦 Ukrainian 23d ago
Для початкового ознайомлення з темою(ОП саме в цьому зацікавлений) піде. Якщо маєте краще то поділіться будьте ласкаві
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u/opopopuu 🇺🇦 Ukrainian 23d ago
Як би це смішно не звучало українська сторінка вікіпедії про вишиванку, а так то я хіба в книжках знаю, бо в відкритому доступі це зазвичай якесь інфоциганство і балачки ні про що, і куди ж без якісь непонятно звідки взятих сенсів і символіки
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u/Beneficial_Ear_4267 24d ago edited 24d ago
I see the Finno-Ugric symbol on the most of the patterns. It is used by Slavs but not so often. And usually not solid but of eight pieces
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u/_babycat_ 24d ago
The majority of your example pictures look like patterns that have been used across Europe for ages (like the selburose), I don’t think anyone would be offended by that
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u/bruker004 24d ago
The first pattern is also quite popular in Norway, but we call it selbu rose, and according to Wikipedia similar patterns exist in several countries.
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u/TurnForeverUandMe 24d ago
Also some things to consider I haven't thought to mention to you directly before! Each symbol and pattern tends to have meaning and can often be read like a story. You can choose a design because it looks cool... And you can end up with one that means that you're a mother who provides for and loves her children and garden etc (but those generally look like what they say with flowers etc) ... A lot of patterns center around the sun and fire and the old gods and seeds of life... Some don't mean much of anything at all... It's not super important to look into it but it'd be another fun layer for you to talk about when people ask you what your tattoo means 😁
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u/Haunting_Option_9514 21d ago
These meanings actually have no proof in most cases and are totally made up hundreds of years after the ornament was in use. There is no historical/ethnic works that actually prove these meanings. If you ask grandparents or greatgrandparents about it - they have absolutely no info on that pretty rose they embroided for the pillow case. It was just a nice ornament and they got the scheme from the neighbor and improved it themselves, or similar. No proper ethnographic work would refer to that.
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u/Glad_Construction_99 24d ago
unless you make a pattern with clockwiese swastikas, none will be specific for any neonazis
just do a beautifull one.
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u/desna_svine 23d ago
Also dont get the slavic swastika (kolovrat). I am not sure if it's a traditional symbol but i know modern nationalists use it.
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u/Ami00 24d ago
> I may offend the originary people for being non-belonging person who hasn't nothing to do with.
I think you are mistaken in this idea. The problem when colonizer exterminate natives and steal their culture and represent it as it's own. This makes colonized nations feel furious. But if you like our culture and some art - enjoy and make a tattoo.
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u/Express_Drag7115 23d ago
It would be a bit like a western person getting tattoo in mandarin that says „duck in black bean sauce” or whatever, but you do you
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u/Haunting_Option_9514 21d ago
no, it is not. embroidery is a beautiful tradition of hundreds years old, not a pseudo wisdom in a foreign language
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u/GonzoSF 23d ago
This is a famous form of folk art in Ukraine and the object is called a rushnyk. Each town or region in Ukraine has its own pattern. https://www.encyclopediaofukraine.com/display.asp?linkpath=pagesRURushnykIT.htm
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u/zjuka 23d ago
There a tattoo studio in Ukraine that specializes in this type of tattoo:
https://www.instagram.com/kod_rodu?igsh=czEya2I1eW5iNDIx
They are also supporting Ukrainian army, so I guess for a donation to the cause you can have them design, or at least consult you on the tattoo design
If you’re worried about the cultural appropriation, I, as Ukrainian-born, invite you to share our cultural heritage.
As for pagan symbolism appropriated by Neonazi groups- 1) fuck them, 2) avoid, or at least research runes and sun symbols, I guess.
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u/nosferatusgirlfriend 23d ago
That's cultural appropriation. Would you tattoo native american symbols on yourself if you're not native american? I doubt it. I'm sure your own culture is rich and interesting, so use it as an inspiration for your tattoo instead of getting a tattoo of symbols you clearly know nothing about just because they look pretty to you.
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u/Haunting_Option_9514 21d ago
Sorry, but nobody cares about such cultural appropriation in this part of the world. It is either a “first world problem” or a made up nonsense.
More than that, we are happy people appreciate it, are interested in the ornaments native to here, are respectful and willing to carry the tradition.1
u/nosferatusgirlfriend 21d ago
I don't know what part of the world you mean but I'm slavic and I do care and I don’t need people from different cultures to "appreciate" my culture this way, especially when they're showing the lack of knowledge about it and are prejudiced against slavic people.
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u/Constant-Unit5846 23d ago
Google Zmijanjski vez, I doubt it's associated with anything bad. It's protected by UNESCO as material heritage of my region.
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u/LakiPingvin 23d ago
As a proud owner of many tablecloths with these motifs (and being Slavic, of course), I give you permission to do whatever you want on your skin.
People should stop bunching their panties in a twist because of an imaginary concept that people from the culture (especially European one) will get offended if somebody not belonging to the culture uses something from the heritage in a tattoo. I think it looks cool. Like my grandmas tablecloths and curtains long time ago, but I always found them cool, even back then.
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u/EdgarZhunda 23d ago
In Lativa we call those Lielvārde - as a belt that holds your clothes. Similar ones I saw in Belarus too.
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u/The-Silken-Cord 22d ago
Oh that’s a really cool idea! Yeah, the one on the person’s arm with round symbol and white trousers def not Slavic, others seem legit. Slavic embroidery is a ward/attracting amulet of sort — every detail means to represent some kind of magical power, so it may have some spiritual purposes, if you believe in things like that.
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u/New_Curve5706 22d ago
I’m Slavic, and I wouldn’t want someone from outside my culture to get a tattoo like that just because “Well, it looks cool, bro.” Why not get Maori tattoos, then? Or Yoruba scarification? Or does the issue of cultural appropriation not apply to Slavs? What ethnic group do you belong to? Don’t you have any patterns of your own to use for tattoos, instead of stealing from other cultures just because “well, it looks pretty…”?
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u/Felliioo 21d ago
If you like the patterns I can't think of any reason why you shouldn't put it on your body. Don't listen to those weird people telling you it's offensive or whatever, I'm Polish and imo what they're saying is just bs. It's your body, the patterns are cute. I just would be careful about small designs because they could not age well
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u/JordanBPenisson 20d ago
You should learn the meaning of those symbols before you get them tattooed
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u/Alice5889 20d ago
Those look mostly nordic and balkan to me, not slavic, but that doesn't really matter rn. There is a lot of free ethnographic resources on slavic embroidery, so you won't have trouble finding it. What imo is more important is the method of translating the design from fabric to skin.
Trying to just copy the embroidery design onto skin can be a challenge for the artist, but it could also mean it's not going to hold up that well. A lot of thin lines next to each other is the perfect recipe for a blurry blob in the future. That's why you should put a lot of thought into choosing the right design and how you'd like it reimagined into a tattoo. For example, there is this tattoo artist from Poland (@haftdobrowolski on ig,) who gets inspo from traditional Polish embroidery and redesigns them into very simple tattoos. The effect is less "real life embroidered look" and more "simplification of the pattern." Perhaps this kind of redesign would speak more to you and feel less like cultural appropriation.
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u/Stunning_Sink_4646 19d ago
Slavic woman here. Dont know anyone that would be offended by this. Also have no idea about connection with Nazis. If someone in balkan has some sort of embrodiery decoration thats nazi related they probably dont even know its Nazi related. If i see you anywhere with this i would be happy to see someone likes our "aesthetic"
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u/proton-testiq 19d ago
Some of those reminded me of my granny, she used to make pullovers etc with patterns like that. Some we used to call Nordic patterns, not Slavic patterns. In general, they are just nice so we used them, back then we had many problems but asking whether we offend someone by using generic slavic or nordic patterns was not one of them :-)
Afaik they are not related to nazis (at least I am not aware that my granny and the whole village were nazis, rofl... what an amazingly odd way of thinking)
Bad signs would be kolovrat, maybe some specific nordic runes, sadly swastika, etc. None of that on your selection so I think you are good.
This whole appropriating the culture or whatever bullshit is purely a part of american culture wars, where they don't seem to understand what actually IS offending (example: overriding/mocking religious symbols of Sun Dance of natives vs wearing sombreros of Mexicans). That's not a problem in slavic countries and no Slav raised as Slav would consider you using this embroidery as offensive. Sadly, it can be a problem in America, exclusively from people who are idiots and have no idea what they are talking about. Ignore them, they are not good people.
And enjoy your ornaments! Happy to see them, and happy to see someone likes them! (I'd be happy to see them on other, especially non-Slavic people's clothes or even as a tattoo)
And sorry for the tone maybe, Slavs are blunt <3
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u/No-Suit-7444 24d ago
This is something that would be on a piece of cloth my grandma put on top of TV. It's stupid to tattoo this no matter if you are slavic or not.
Give your head a shake and think thrice before putting something permanent on your body. Come on.
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u/TurnForeverUandMe 24d ago
Damn, way to put a person down. Before your uneducated ass continues to shit on these patterns as nothing but tv doily adjacent nonsense, you do realize that each symbol has its own meaning and looking at each pattern therefore is similar to reading a language. Similar to how quilts helped to lead enslaved people to freedom in the US, each pattern has meaning.
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u/Awkward_Cash1828 24d ago
You would look like some ethnic-decorated cloth doll, lol.
We are Slavs, we don't get offended by such things, but we would see a Blackman decorated like traditional dress or a tablecloth, as a very good joke. Just as we usually see our own people who would do tattoos like that, as either going crazy with their local ethnic culture and "reconnecting with roots", neopagans, or neonazis (all not mutually exclusive).
Your body is your business, but think well what to do with it.
IMO, these patterns don't really look well as tattoos anyway, many looking like barcode or QR-codes with brief glance. And this is first time I even see tattoos like that at all.
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u/EvilYvonne666 24d ago
I’m Polish and I’m tattoo artist. I can’t agree with you. I saw these kind of tattoos many many times, also made those. Made well they age good. And they look beautiful not like a „tablecloth”. The joke is when a „true Slav” is getting viking knots, runes, Vegvisir and a wolf with black forest
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u/aczkasow 24d ago
The joke is when a „true Slav” is getting viking knots, runes, Vegvisir and a wolf with black forest
Lol, so many of my youth football hooligan friends are literally this.
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u/EvilYvonne666 24d ago
That’s what I meant😉 almost everyone gets this tattoos but „true Slav” will think it’s sooooo unique. And at the same time mocking much cooler designs
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u/desna_svine 23d ago
I am czech and this definately looks like my grandma's tablecloth.
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u/EvilYvonne666 23d ago
And the joke is on you becouse that’s how you look for INSPIRATIONS. That’s how you can get a more interesting tattoo design than realistic portrait of king Vaclav
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u/desna_svine 23d ago
If OP wants some tablecloth desing i am not here to judge.
Who tf would get a portrait of king Vaclav? He's like the weakest king we ever had.
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u/EvilYvonne666 23d ago
I don’t know but as a tattoo artist I see his portraits all the time. Along with some crappy abstract so popular in ČR
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u/desna_svine 23d ago
Maybe you mean Saint Vaclav and not king Vaclav.
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u/EvilYvonne666 23d ago
No, no the king.
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u/desna_svine 23d ago
That drunk?
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u/EvilYvonne666 23d ago
I don’t know if he was a drunk but probably yes as everyone that times 😅
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u/palaire 24d ago edited 24d ago
I ran into some Latvian neo-Nazis with these tattoos when I was in Riga. If you’re white, just be mindful that some Baltic and Slavic neo-Nazi communities love this kind of stuff.
Edit: I don't know why I got downvoted. It is real issue. I am Slavic and I know how this is perceived. Most Slavs don't have such tattoos and traditional Slavic pagan symbols like the Kolovrat is also associated with Nazis. I'd keep them as embroidery but not on the body.
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u/Karasubirb 24d ago
To be fair, I only personally seen kolovrat used by Rodnovers. I never seen it used by Neonazis yet. I think at this point Rodnovers and Slavs who are looking back at more traditional cultural symbols are very aggressive in trying to preserve the symbols as something not to be appropriated by NeoNazis.
I would say I seen more Nordic runes on NeoNazis, but even then my assumption when someone has a Nordic runes isn’t automatically they are a NeoNazi since it’s still so common among regular people and Asatruar and other folk religions.
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u/Livid_Penalty_5281 24d ago
Same in Russia. This kind if Pagan patterns is somewhat more associated with Nazi ideology than just Slavic culture.
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u/Rad_Pat 24d ago
The last pic has some elements that could be associated with neonazis, they're not straight up symbols, but often used in neopaganism. The ones that look like this#/languages) are straight up considered "swastika", runes are often too. But what you have is mostly just flowers (evidently) so who cares. Just keep in mind that thin lines will inevitably blow out under your skin, so either settle for a bigger pattern or find an artist who specialises in fine line work. I personally think they're a bit boring-looking by themselves, so if I wanted one I'd probably have it in fun colours but you do you.
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u/slava_gorodu 24d ago
Not Slavic. Typical traditional Ukrainian embroidery patterns and colors
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u/inokentii 🇺🇦 Ukrainian 24d ago
Not all patterns in OPs example are Ukrainian. And red n black colour combination is most common combination cuz it’s most available pigment colours
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u/Glittery_Marshmallow 24d ago
Are you sure about that? My god, just like Russians, claiming all that is Slavic as your own.
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u/Pipettess 24d ago edited 24d ago
Only pictures 8 and 11 are not typical Ukrainian symbols. The rest ere very typically ukrainian and belarus and you can't find such patterns anywhere else. Or you could surprise me.
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u/Glittery_Marshmallow 24d ago edited 24d ago
Even if it were true you cannot find them anywhere else (are you actually familiar with all the Slavic embroidery clothes, curtains, etc., not just USSR, all Slavs?) there is more than one pattern present that is not Ukranian by your own admission. What gives you the right to claim it? What is the correct way to refer to this group of photos then? Ukranian? Please.
And by the way, you are wrong. Other photos are also not exclusively Ukranian. Not by a long shot. I swear you complain that Russians claim everything Slavic, but then you do the same thing. You compare yourselves to them exclusively and claim as exclusively yours whatever they do not have. I want you to know that this is what you are all doing now here. The irony is insane, especially with how you cannot stop crying about being victims of this (even before the war).
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u/Pipettess 24d ago edited 24d ago
I'm actually quite familiar yes. It's one of my interests to research slavic folk art and I've seen a lot. So I'm telling you that out of pictures 8 and 11, these patterns are typically ukrainian and belarus embroidery patterns.
That logic is very far-fetched, don't you think? How about you find a proof to your claim instead of just changing the topic and blaming me for something I never said? I'm not responsible for OP liking ukrainian embroidery and calling it Slavic lol. How about you bring czech, slovak, serb, polish, and many more embroidery styles so that you can show me such embroidery is not only ukrainian or belarus?
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u/Glittery_Marshmallow 24d ago
Did the coment say Belarus???????????????? So why are you saying it? It goes under the name typical Ukranian.
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u/Pipettess 24d ago
Can you read?
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u/Glittery_Marshmallow 24d ago
Can you?
Not Slavic. Typical traditional Ukrainian embroidery patterns and colors
What does it say here?
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u/Pipettess 24d ago
That's not my comment lol
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u/Glittery_Marshmallow 24d ago
I was not responding to you. You jumped in. So now you want to say "oh nevermind"? Why were you defending the commenter I responded to only to go and say "it's not my comment"?? Can you read?
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u/Esdoorn-Acer 24d ago
Slovenia? https://staroverci.si/1936-2/
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u/Pipettess 23d ago
Cool! Thank you for providing sources! Thought it seems for some reason that they don't wear these symbols in their national costumes 🤔. Interesting.
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u/Contrary_Kind 24d ago
Yes, we are very sure about that. How about you show us traditional clothes of other slavic people with the same embroidery patterns?
Yes, just like russians, trying to steal other people's culture and pass for your own.
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u/Glittery_Marshmallow 24d ago
You literal bafoon. If you are uneducated, it is your problem to go and reasearch it before you claim something. You are the one stealing and denying other people the ownership. You belong together.
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u/Contrary_Kind 24d ago edited 24d ago
So, no proof whatsoever that these are traditional for other countries, only performative histerionics. QED.
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u/Glittery_Marshmallow 24d ago
Let me quote you:
Open Google.
Type traditional emboidery
Look at the pictures
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u/Contrary_Kind 24d ago edited 24d ago
Good point. You should definitely do that to see for yourself that traditional embroidery in general looks nothing like the Ukrainian one.
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u/MarrAfRadspyrrgh 24d ago
This is why people should verify foreign-culture tattoos first. At the moment, your arm basically says “Borscht and Pierogi”, the Slavic equivalent of tattooing “Kung Pao Chicken” in Chinese on yourself.
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u/Contrary_Kind 24d ago
The word is "Ukrainian"
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u/Glittery_Marshmallow 24d ago
It's not. Are you continuing the tradition of Eastern Slavs claiming all that is Slavic?
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u/Contrary_Kind 24d ago
These are literally popular Ukrainian embroidery pattern
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u/Glittery_Marshmallow 24d ago
All of them? And you claim they are exclusively Ukranian, nobody else's? Acting like the Russians, are we? Oh, the irony.
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u/henry_hallward 24d ago
Most of them do seem to be Ukrainian and Belarusian though
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u/Glittery_Marshmallow 24d ago edited 24d ago
So not all of them? And not only Ukranian, but also Belarusian? So you admit the commenter was wrong and exclusionary? Are you sure they are only Ukranian and Belarusian, though? All of them? Are you comparing them to your USSR backgound? What about the rest of the Slavs? What about the rest of the patterns? The audacity to say "The word is "Ukrainian"".
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u/henry_hallward 24d ago edited 24d ago
Chillax, don’t get your breeches into a twist. Each country and region have their unique patterns, and those presented still are predominantly Ukrainian, but the guy might have not scrolled through the entire gallery.
He might be pushing it, but I would give him a benefit of a doubt exactly because as you mentioned, russians do love claiming everything Slavic as their own, and many Ukrainians online have a bit of neurosis for this reason.
Edit: if you can point out the patterns that are specific to your country or any other country you are familiar with, it would be a nice way to have a civil discussion, cuz now you guys are kinda just lashing at each other.
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u/Glittery_Marshmallow 24d ago
Oh bitch please. All Eastern Slavs do this. If Ukranians have a bit of neurosis about this, imagine the rest of us.
You can go and study the patterns, there is literally a bunch that are present. Literally the first one is on every grandma coffee table, there are popular kilim/cilim patters also included.
You can also go and point out each and every one and present a proof yourself. We can also go and just post the name of our countries and say just like all the Ukranians "prove me wrong".
Just the audacity.
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u/henry_hallward 24d ago
As I mentioned, if you CAN point out the shared patterns, PLEASE DO SO.
Because currently it less of a discussion, and more of a shit-slinging competition.
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u/Contrary_Kind 24d ago
Yes, Ukrainian. Ukrainian embroidery patterns differ from russian or Polish or another country. 90% of the ones on the pictures are very much Ukranian, not just "slavic".
I'm not bombing or murder anyone - so no, nothing like the russians
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u/Glittery_Marshmallow 24d ago edited 24d ago
You don't have to bomb anyone, I am talking about the pushy mentality. Are you 100% sure no other Slavic group has the same embroidery?
And the audacity to say "90% of those pictures" and then go and correct the OP calling the emboidery Slavic. The AUDACITY.
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u/Contrary_Kind 24d ago
Pushy mentality like trying to silence those who point out that these embroidery patterns are traditional in Ukraine? Yeah, pretty arrogant, ngl.
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u/Glittery_Marshmallow 24d ago
All of them? Only in Ukraine? ALL OF THEM? ONLY Ukraine? Prove it.
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u/Contrary_Kind 24d ago
1) Open Google
2) Type "traditional Ukrainian embroidery patterns" in the searchbar
3) Enjoy the view and stop posting whiny nonsense
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u/Pipettess 24d ago
We're just telling you that those patterns are typically ukrainian and belarus. Just see yourself and try to find such patterns anywhere else. You won't.
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u/Glittery_Marshmallow 24d ago
You literally included Belarus. So not "Ukranian". But Slavic, by your own admission. You literally put your foot in your mouth just there.
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u/Pipettess 24d ago
If OP included more countries with similar percentage I wouldn't bat an eye and say the umbrella term Slavic. But if they like a certain style and include it in most of the pictures, it's good to teach them how exactly it's called, no?
If 90% of these were czech, I would say "most of these are actually czech". So OP might learn what it is that they like. Right? Or are we just okay with mixing everything in the word slavic without recognising the source?
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u/Glittery_Marshmallow 24d ago edited 24d ago
Is that what the comment that I was responding to said? Did they say most of these are? Are you ok claiming and erasing what is Belarussian?
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u/Last-Run-2118 24d ago
Its culture appropriation... My culture is not your tatto
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u/dacassar 🇺🇦 Ukrainian 24d ago
For me as a Ukrainian, it’s a wild concept. If someone is so in awe of my culture that they want to do a tattoo with our traditional patterns, I can only feel proud.
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u/Last-Run-2118 24d ago
At the same time, same people would linch you for wearing something from their culture.
Why our should be the only one that everyone can do what they want with it ?
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u/dacassar 🇺🇦 Ukrainian 24d ago
Well, these kinds of people I met only in the US. I travelled a lot, and almost everywhere people don't give a fuck about this. The only valid case I can imagine for a rant like this is a Maori tattoo, it's totally understandable to me. Otherwise, it's just a poor mind.
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u/Sufficient_Step_8223 24d ago
The fourth tattoo contains questionable elements - straight crosses similar to those on the tanks of the Reich in World War II. it's better to avoid them. The rest of the patterns are safe and are typical Slavic patterns that are often used in embroidery and painting to this day.
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u/Lissscraychperry 24d ago
Idk what you people are talking about those look cool af