45+ African Tribal Tattoos That Will Explore Culture, Heritage, and Art

From symbols and textile designs to maps, I found a wide and varied collection of African tribal tattoo concepts for you to choose from!

As an art history buff, I love learning about the culture, history, art, and rituals of the many different tribes in Africa. And, whenever my clients come in with this idea for a tattoo, it allows me to explore these concepts even further!

In addition to showing you a gorgeous array of African tribal tattoos, I have also given you some background information about each of these designs!

The Best Tribal Tattoo Designs

Here are the top African tribal tattoo ideas you should consider for yourself:

Adinkra Tribal Tattoos

Adinkra are symbols that are used by the Asante peoples of Ghana. What is incredible about adinkra symbols is that they act as a connection between the visual and the verbal elements of that culture. These symbols can be found on jewelry, wooden objects, brass weights, and more.

There are many different symbols for you to choose from for your Adinkra tattoo. Each of these has its own meaning. Some of the older symbols are associated with proverbs, folktales, and folk songs. In some instances, it is only the elders of the tribes or experienced artists that can properly identify these symbols.

Due to this, it is important to always do your research before choosing symbols for your tattoo. Keep in mind that these symbols have great cultural significance and perhaps even spiritual significance to indigenous individuals. Not to mention, they also have a rich history and deep meanings.

As a result, it is important to be respectful of the tribal culture and to only get authentic, meaningful symbols.

African Tribal Symbol Tattoos

Of course, a variety of African cultures use symbols. So, if you belong to one of these tribes or you are interested in these patterns, then here are some of the African tribal tattoos that you should check out:

Each symbolic African tribal tattoo can relate to an animal, sentiment, or cultural icon. So, always double-check the symbol that you are getting to make sure that it has the kind of significance that you are looking for.

African Tribal Mask Tattoos

It is difficult to know the exact origins of African tribal masks - it is believed that various tribes used masks anywhere from 4,000 to 35,000 years ago. However, some of the newer masks are believed to only be around 100 years old.

In any case, masks play an important role in many African tribes. They are typically worn along with costumes and other embellishments. And, these elements give the masks significance. Combined, they are all worn for many different rituals.

This includes those of puberty and fertility as well as those involving stories about creation and popular legends. These masks can also help people feel in tune with various elements of nature.

Now, mask-making is most typically found in tribes in West Africa and Equatorial Africa. So, if you are considering getting these kinds of tribal tattoos, then it is a good idea for you to research the various masks used by the tribes in these regions.

As you can imagine, there can be quite a bit of variation in these masks as they can also have different uses. So, make sure that you understand what a particular is used for and what it means.

Here are the African tribal tattoos that you can check out for inspiration:

Patterned African Tribal Tattoos

As I have mentioned, African tribal tattoos may look a bit different from what some people expect. They may be made up of symbols or imagery to convey a particular meaning. However, you may be looking for a slightly different take on the African tribal tattoo, particularly if you are looking for an African tattoo sleeve.

In this case, these are the African tribal tattoos that you should consider. These African tattoos utilize the symbols and patterns that are found within various tribes. At the same time, this body art embraces a more contemporary of displaying these elements.

So, if you are looking for African tattoo ideas that are a combination of the old and new, then these are the African tattoos you should be checking out.

With such African tribal tattoos, you are free to mix and match when it comes to symbols and patterns. This is especially true if you do have African heritage but your family is made up of different tribes.

Once again, though, you should be mindful of the elements going into your African tribal tattoo. Make sure that they are accurate and authentic, and that the meanings complement one another.

These African tattoos should be all the inspiration that you need!

Warrior African Tribal Tattoos

This is a bit of a different take on African tribal tattoos. With an African warrior tattoo, you get a tribal warrior inked on you. An African warrior tattoo can be a great option if you come from a particular tribe or you simply want to commemorate bravery and courage.

Now, with such African tattoos, you do need to keep in mind that the warriors from each tribe will be different. They may have different clothing, armor, decorative elements, and even body modifications from one another.

So, you should start by deciding on one tribe and then draw a warrior. If you want, you can check history books to determine what the warriors of old looked like or you can choose a more contemporary warrior for your African tattoo ideas.

Portrait African Tribal Tattoos

As the name suggests, these kinds of African tribal tattoos include portraits of tribespeople. While you are free to get any portrait that you want, many of these tribal tattoos consist of at least one African woman.

Now, the portrait of an African woman can certainly be a representative of a tribal woman. At the same time, an African woman portrait can also be a symbol of the African continent - a mother to a civilization.

Of course, if you are looking for a more spiritual tattoo, then you can also consider an African goddess tattoo as well - the options are endless here.

You may want to think about if you want to depict a woman from a particular tribe. In this case, do some research into hairstyles, clothing, body modifications, jewelry, etc. so that you can get a more accurate tattoo.

Bird and Animal African Tribal Tattoos

Birds and animals can have strong significance throughout Africa. Some tribes may have similar meanings associated with certain birds and animals and in other instances, the meanings may be different.

For example, the hawk can symbolize faith, courage, divine guidance, transformation, and more. The lion, on the other hand, can be associated with strength, and bravery. The giraffe can be a symbol of the natural world and being caring.

So, look up the different meanings of the birds and animals and get a lion tattoo, giraffe tattoo, or crocodile tattoo if you want.

One interesting thing to consider here is that some tribes have symbols for animals. So, if you are looking for a smaller tattoo or are looking for African tattoo ideas that are representative of a particular tribe, then this is something that you may want to consider.

Artwork and Textile African Tribal Tattoos

If you are interested in tribal artwork or textiles, then this can be a great idea for you. Here, you can get actual art or patterns inked on you. This can be a beautiful way to display the creativity and creations of a particular tribe.

Once again, designs and patterns can vary quite a bit from one tribe to another so make sure to figure out which tribe you would like to borrow these elements from.

Afronesian Tribal Tattoos

This is a newer category of tattoos - it is where Polynesian tattoo designs are combined with those of African tribe patterns. This can be the perfect choice for anyone who has both African roots as well as Polynesian roots.

This idea can also work well because traditional African scarification can be difficult to replicate as a tattoo. However, tattoos are quite common in Polynesian cultures. What's more, as with African patterns, they are quite meaningful and tell a story.

So, it can be quite lovely to combine both of these elements together. Of course, if you are from just one culture or of neither culture, then you have to be careful about cultural appropriation when it comes to tattoo designs.

Bear in mind, that patterns, symbols, and even the rite of tattooing and scarification can be incredibly significant and sacred to people from both cultures. So, make sure that you choose patterns or designs that show your cultural appreciation for each region instead of appropriating something that you have little understanding of.

African Tribal Map Tattoos

With this kind of tattoo, you combine tribal patterns with maps. Now, if you want, you can get a map of the entire African continent. If you are from a particular region in Africa or if you have lived in a certain area, then you may want to get this location inked on you instead.

Another option would be to get the entire continent tattooed on you but mark out the region that you are from. This way, you get the best of both worlds!

Scarification vs. Tattooing: Are There African Tribal Tattoos?

Well, while there may be some tribes that do get tattoos where the ink is poked or tapped into the skin, in Africa a process known as scarification is a bit more common. This is where cuts are made to the skin with a knife or some other blade. Then, ink is rubbed into the cuts.

However, you can now get those traditional designs inked on your body instead.

A Note About Egyptian Tattoos

Some of the earliest evidence of tattoos comes from mummies from Ancient Egypt. These tattoos found on Ancient Egyptians are a bit closer to what we consider tattoos - designs inked into the skin.

So, you may be wondering why I haven't included a tattoo design with Egyptian elements in this post. Well, this is because referring to Egypt as an African country or calling Egyptians African is a bit tricky.

The reality is that Egypt is a transcontinental country. So, while much of the country is in the African continent, some of the country is in Asia. To add to this, there are many Egyptians who don't think of themselves as Africans and may often refer to themselves as Arabs.

However, if you want, you are certainly free to get an Ankh tattoo design or a pyramid tattoo design as a representation of African tattoo ideas.

What are the African Tribal Tattoos Called?

Well, there isn't just one umbrella term for African tribal tattoos. This is because each tribe tends to have its own symbols, designs, concepts, etc. Due to this, such tattoos are typically referred to by the tribe from which they come from.

What is the Significance of African Tattoos?

There can be several African tribal tattoo meanings. As you can imagine, these often depend on the individual tribe. In many instances, though, the tattoos can depict the tribe that people are from, their social status, and more. In essence, tattoos can be used as a form of identification.

In some tribes, the tattoos can also be used to mark important moments in people's lives. This includes puberty and other rites of passage.

Of course, you should bear inmind that modern or contemporary African tribal tattoos may be simply derived from older designs. Due to this, there could be different meanings to these tattoos.

These are the top African tribal designs that you can consider for your tattoo. There is so much rich history and culture with these tattoos so make sure that you show them the proper respect when getting them inked on you!