Location
Palermo
Start Date
26-6-2025 11:30 AM
End Date
26-6-2025 1:00 PM
Description
Pilgrimage tourism and sacred tattoos represent unique intersections of cultural heritage, spirituality, and personal identity. Pilgrimage tourism involves journeys to sacred sites, often for religious or spiritual reasons, and has evolved into a global industry. Sacred tattoos, deeply embedded in various cultural and religious practices, symbolize a connection to the divine or mark significant life events.
This study explores the evolving role of sacred tattoos in the context of pilgrimage tourism, where travelers seek not only physical journeys to sacred destinations but also spiritual transformations through body art. Sacred tattoos often serve as markers of identity, protection, or devotion, integrating personal experience with the sacred spaces pilgrims visit. This intersection of body and place fosters a deep connection between the individual and their religious or spiritual practices, highlighting the significance of these rituals in contemporary society.
The methodology for this study is ethnographic, involving participant observation, in-depth interviews, and fieldwork conducted at several major pilgrimage sanctuaries known for their association with sacred tattoo practices. Through informal and formal interviews, the study captures the motivations behind choosing to receive sacred tattoos and how these tattoos are perceived in relation to the pilgrim’s spiritual and cultural identity. Observational data was supplemented by photographic documentation of the sites, tattoos, and pilgrim behaviours. This ethnographic study has illuminated the complex relationship between pilgrimage tourism and sacred tattoos, shedding light on how these practices are intertwined in both sacred and personal contexts. By observing pilgrims at sacred sanctuaries, it becomes evident that sacred tattoos are not mere body art; they are deeply spiritual markers, embodying the personal transformation and devotion experienced during the pilgrimage journey. The tattoos serve as both symbols of the pilgrimage and as lasting representations of the individual’s spiritual journey.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-Share Alike 4.0 International License.
DOI
https://doi.org/10.21427/fm6r-1m85
Included in
D1) Sacred Tattoos and Pilgrimage Tourism as Spiritual Identity
Palermo
Pilgrimage tourism and sacred tattoos represent unique intersections of cultural heritage, spirituality, and personal identity. Pilgrimage tourism involves journeys to sacred sites, often for religious or spiritual reasons, and has evolved into a global industry. Sacred tattoos, deeply embedded in various cultural and religious practices, symbolize a connection to the divine or mark significant life events.
This study explores the evolving role of sacred tattoos in the context of pilgrimage tourism, where travelers seek not only physical journeys to sacred destinations but also spiritual transformations through body art. Sacred tattoos often serve as markers of identity, protection, or devotion, integrating personal experience with the sacred spaces pilgrims visit. This intersection of body and place fosters a deep connection between the individual and their religious or spiritual practices, highlighting the significance of these rituals in contemporary society.
The methodology for this study is ethnographic, involving participant observation, in-depth interviews, and fieldwork conducted at several major pilgrimage sanctuaries known for their association with sacred tattoo practices. Through informal and formal interviews, the study captures the motivations behind choosing to receive sacred tattoos and how these tattoos are perceived in relation to the pilgrim’s spiritual and cultural identity. Observational data was supplemented by photographic documentation of the sites, tattoos, and pilgrim behaviours. This ethnographic study has illuminated the complex relationship between pilgrimage tourism and sacred tattoos, shedding light on how these practices are intertwined in both sacred and personal contexts. By observing pilgrims at sacred sanctuaries, it becomes evident that sacred tattoos are not mere body art; they are deeply spiritual markers, embodying the personal transformation and devotion experienced during the pilgrimage journey. The tattoos serve as both symbols of the pilgrimage and as lasting representations of the individual’s spiritual journey.