The Pennsylvania State University The Graduate School Department of Recreation, Park and Tourism Management AN ETHNOGRAPHIC CASE STUDY OF A LOS ANGELES TATTOO SHOP A Dissertation in Leisure Studies by Eric Wayne Foemmel 2009 Eric Wayne Foemmel Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy August 2009 ii The dissertation of Eric Wayne Foemmel was reviewed and approved* by the following: Garry Chick Professor of Recreation, Park and Tourism Management Thesis Advisor Chair of Committee Harry Zinn Associate Professor of Recreation, Park and Tourism Management Geoffrey Godbey Professor Emeritus of Recreation, Park and Tourism Management Edward Paul Durrenberger Professor of Cultural Anthropology John Dattilo Professor of Recreation, Park and Tourism Management Head of the Department of Recreation, Park and Tourism Management *Signatures are on file in the Graduate School iii ABSTRACT This ethnographic case study was undertaken to explore the emic knowledge of tattoo artists and tattooed individuals in Los Angeles, California. Four tattoo artists and eleven tattooed individuals were recruited and interviewed about the nature of the tattoo experience in order to determine the nature of the experience and its meaning to the participants. The participants were also interviewed about their knowledge of the social consequences involved with getting tattooed, and whether or not tattooing has become socially acceptable. Two tattoo artists did not complete the structured interviews, but each participated in an unstructured interview. Lastly, twelve participants were asked to free-list, sort, and scale their free-list of recreational activities on several attributes of leisure. The data from these instruments affirmed that the idea of leisure is subjective among the participants. Several characteristics of the tattoo experience described by the participants seemed to indicate that for them, tattooing is a leisure activity. The participants discussed the growing acceptance of tattooing in Los Angeles, California, as well as several variables that make some tattoos socially acceptable or tolerated, demonstrating that this morally controversial leisure activity has challenged social norms. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES ........................................................................................................................ vii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.......................................................................................................... viii Chapter 1 Introduction ................................................................................................................. 1 Impetus .................................................................................................................................. 1 The Purpose Statement of a Tattoo Ethnography........................................................ 3 Morally Controversial Leisure ..................................................................................... 6 Problem Statement-Purpose of Research............................................................................. 11 Delimitations......................................................................................................................... 11 Limitations ............................................................................................................................ 12 Chapter 2 Related Literature........................................................................................................ 13 A Brief History of Tattooing ................................................................................................ 13 Tattooed Mummies....................................................................................................... 14 Yoruba Kolo.................................................................................................................. 16 Japanese Tattooing........................................................................................................ 16 Maori Tattooing ............................................................................................................ 18 A Brief History of Tattooing in the United States............................................................... 22 Tattoos as Entertainment .............................................................................................. 22 Tattooing Among American Subcultures .................................................................... 24 Tattoo Renaissance in the United States...................................................................... 25 Tattoo Laws in New York City.................................................................................... 26 Bills on Tattooing in Pennsylvania .............................................................................. 27 Emic Knowledge................................................................................................................... 28 Emic Knowledge and Morally Controversial Leisure................................................. 29 Chapter 3 Methods....................................................................................................................... 32 Proposed Sampling at Venice Beach Recreation Center..................................................... 33 Participant Observations....................................................................................................... 34 Questionnaire ........................................................................................................................ 34 Research Problems at Venice Beach Recreation Center ..................................................... 35 Relocation of the Study Site ................................................................................................. 37 Sampling at Traditional Ink.................................................................................................. 37 Ethnographic Methods Used at Traditional Ink................................................................... 37 Participant Observations....................................................................................................... 38 Recording Language............................................................................................................. 39 Structured Interviews............................................................................................................ 40 Tattoo Experience Interview Schedule ........................................................................ 40 Morally Controversial Leisure and Social Norms Interview Schedule ...................... 41 Unstructured Interviews........................................................................................................ 41 Introduction to Free-Listing, Sorting and Scaling Recreational Activity Tags .................. 42 Free-Listing and Sorting Recreational Activities Tags ............................................... 43 v Scaling Recreational Activity Tags.............................................................................. 43 Summary of Methods............................................................................................................ 45 Chapter 4 Results: Participant Observations............................................................................... 46 Venice Beach Recreation Center Participant Observations ................................................ 46 Traditional Ink Participant Observations ............................................................................. 63 Participant Observations at Mondo Video................................................................... 64 Participant Observations at Traditional Ink ................................................................. 71 Chapter 5 Ethnography of Traditional Ink .................................................................................. 84 Venice Beach Recreation Center Ethnography.................................................................... 84 Reluctant Tattoo Artists................................................................................................ 85 Reluctant Participants................................................................................................... 86 Dislike and Abstinence of Tattooing on Others................................................................... 87 Gradual Acceptance of Tattooing......................................................................................... 88 Gang Tattoos ......................................................................................................................... 90 Parental Concern................................................................................................................... 90 Summary of Venice Beach Recreation Center Ethnography .............................................. 91 Relocation of the Study to Traditional Ink........................................................................... 92 Motivation to Relocate Tattoo Shop ............................................................................ 92 Traditional Ink in Gallery Row ............................................................................................ 94 Interview Results................................................................................................................... 95 Tattoo Experience Interview Schedule Results ..................................................................