At the age of 10, I started to notice these cool new stands at the beach with signs reading, "Henna Tattoos." I was shocked that mehndi, the Pakistani-cultural term for henna I knew, was now emerging as a part of American culture. Nowadays, henna is being used by different people in different ways as an artistic design to add to an individual's personality or style.
Originally popular in the Middle East, Northern Africa and Asia, Henna has been used for centuries in various religious and ethnic groups. It can adorn a bride on her wedding day, serve as dye for hair, or provide a reason to gather with friends and have fun. However, in America, henna is still relatively new and not widely used. It is starting to become part of the American culture in it’s own ways.
While henna hasn’t been assigned to any specific sub-culture in America, it has been noted to attract the more bold personalities of the younger generation. Many are saying that the characteristics of henna are the factors that attract mainly two groups of people: the rebel "wanna-be” crowd or the artistic types.
Because henna is semi-permanent and only lasts a few weeks, people who desire tattoos but do not wish to commit to something so permanent have begun using henna. Young adults and teens are using henna tattoos to rebel in a less extreme way - a "henna tramp stamp" which could read "sexy" located on the lower back, or a "henna classy tattoo" which could be a vine of leaves wrapped the ankle. Parents of these younger adults might not like the idea, but won’t be able to say anything because it isn’t permanent.
The artsy types like henna for its versatility. They often notice the cultural roots of henna application and either adorn themselves with traditional patterns or create intricate designs of their own to experiment with. The fact that they can apply new tattoos over and over again attracts their creative personality. As a result, henna is slowly finding it’s way into American culture.
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