| July 05, 2008 |
|
| © Copyright applies to all material |
 
 Needle art draws all and sundry Luyolo Mkentane WEEKEND POST REPORTER mkentanel@avusa.co.za BODY-piercing is rivaling tattoos when it comes to body art with the fads now even spreading to the corporate world and to the tourism industry with foreign visitors keen on “travelling tattoos”. Despite the economic downturn, business is booming for body- piercers and tattoo artists in Nelson Mandela Bay with doctors and lawyers queuing up for the needle. Shawn Lindgren, owner of Bayview Tattoo Parlour in Mill Park, said there were lots of people including professionals and corporate career-types who‘ve used his services in the last couple of months. “We‘ve seen lawyers, doctors and even soldiers from Iraq coming here for tattoos,” said Lindgren. “Tattoos are becoming more popular among the township youth, too. I had one guy who came here for a tattoo (who) told me he went to prison so that he can get a jailbird tattoo.” Lindgren, whose father was a tattooist in the 1980s, said people got tattoos for different reasons like a change of lifestyle or when a man had just bought a new car. However, he said others got tattoos because of peer pressure. “That is why we make sure that we don‘t tattoo anyone under the age of 18. If the person is underage we require written permission from their parents,” said Lindgren who has been running his parlour since 1996. However, he said body-piercing was surpassing tattoos because piercing was not permanent. Breda Weise, a professional body-piercer at The Yo! Tattoo and Body Piercing Studio, agreed. He said the latest trend was surface piercing and earlobe stretching. Surface piercings takes place in areas like the back and hips. Weise‘s colleague, identified only as Kirsty, said: “Guys from Ghana and Kenya come here because there are no (tattoo) studios in their countries, while international tourists always visit the studio during December.”
|
 |
Take away the cars that kill THERE can be no disputing the fact that drastic measures are needed to curb the death and destruction we see every day on South Africa‘s roads. Similarly, it is now widely accepted that reckless and criminal driver behaviour is the cause of the vast majority of accidents, that collectively claim 15000 lives and cost a staggering R43 billion each year. And so it is clear that much harsher punitive action – rather than more passive awareness campaigns or better driver education – is the key to changing that behaviour.... 
Stunning food, with view you could drink in forever But if you need something stronger the winelist is also good, if somewhat pricey, writes Gillian McAinsh... 
Bay United won‘t rest on laurels in play-off – coach Mogan Segadavan WEEKEND POST CORRESPONDENT BAY United will continue their quest for Premier Soccer League status at the Malamulele Stadium in the former Venda tomorrow when they play Black Leopards in the second leg of the National First Division play-offs.... 
Ford lynchpin finally rolls off the line Bob Kernohan BUSINESS EDITOR kernohanb@avusa.co.za ONE of the key members of the team that put Port Elizabeth, and later Pretoria, on the worldwide Ford Motor Company export map is retiring after 40 years’ service.... 
Spicing up the biltong bash ONE of the South African artists chosen to sing at the Nelson Mandela birthday concert in London, Kurt Darren, will be on stage in Somerset East next week.... |
