There is one imposter among us
Can you find the imposter? If you can’t, it’s because that's how similar Jagua and Tattoos are. At some point, some of us may have thought of getting tattoos or played around with the idea of getting tattoos, but are unable to do so because of certain restrictions. Jagua art could be the answer to your concerns.
What is Jagua?
Unlike tattoos, Jagua (pronounced as Ha-Gua) art is done with fruit juice but gives the same effect as a tattoo. Jagua is a natural product derived from the fruit Jenipapo of the Amazonian plant, Genipa Americana. It is native to South America and the juice of the fruit is used to make the paste, earning the name ‘Jagua’. Various indigenous tribes have used it as body ornamentation in intricate patterns or bold geometric designs for all kinds of ceremonies and celebration.
The fruit juice of the unripe Jenipapo is made into a gel-like paste to produce the ink which leaves a blue-black stain that mimics the look and feel of an actual tattoo. So, you could have tattoos without the pain, stress and permanency of it. But the catch is: it does not last long. The ink will only stain your skin for 2 weeks before it fades away.
Worldwide Popularity
Jagua art is a part of the indigenous culture and was protected by the tribes. Hence, it was not known worldwide. According to a Buzzfeed article, the South American tribes allowed Jagua to be accessed by the rest of the world and started selling the gel/ink in 2006. From there, it started gaining popularity among henna artists in North America and Europe.
(Photo Credit: Syraskins, thelittlejotter and goddessbygg on Instagram)
The Local Jagua Community
Jagua art caught the attention of Ng See Min, owner and founder of Henn.Drawn with over 24.4K followers on Instagram, in 2016. She believes that she is the first Jagua artist in Singapore, and her work sparked interest in the community. This spotlighted a different type of medium which can be used and was slowly picked up by the henna community in Singapore.
Despite the coverage Ng See Min has given Jagua and the Jagua community through various platforms like Straits Times and Channel News Asia, many people are still unaware of what it really is and have many different misconceptions about it. Currently, it is still a small community in Singapore which is growing — but very slowly. “I would say it's half (50/50) because there are still some people who don't really know it or its existence but some really know it well!”, says Charlotte Abigail Jackson, a 16-year-old, henna/jagua artist.
Following Ng See Min’s work, various henna and tattoo artists start dabbling in Jagua, including one Sarissha Dinesh.
“Not a lot of artists who practice Jagua in Singapore”, Sarrisha notes about the size of the Jagua community here, saying many people prefer traditional henna. Many people who aspire to be tattoo artists start with Jagua first to master the skills and use it as a way to practice tattooing, just like Sarissha, who is currently on her apprenticeship with Richard Tat, the youngest son of Johnny Two Thumb - one of the pioneer tattoo artists in Singapore.
RISING ARTIST: From henna to jagua, Sarissha is making her way to becoming one of the more well-known artists in Singapore with over 1000 followers on Instagram.
(Photo Credit: Nadia Ravi and Sarrisha Dinesh)
A growing artist
22-year-old henna and jagua artist, Sarrisha Dinesh, started her own henna business 5 years ago. Her henna journey started off with her parents’ Henna and Airbrush tattoo business at Underwater World, which they moved to Siloso beach following the closure of Underwater World. At 16 years old, Sarrisha started learning henna from her mother to help out at their store. She mastered the skill of henna and went on to open her own business on Instagram.
Since young, she has always had an interest in tattoos and was fascinated by the way they were done. When she found out about Jagua art a year ago, she was amazed by how the Jagua gel resembled an actual tattoo. Inspired by Jagua, she decided to add it to her business. Now, it is the most popular service she offers.
“Jagua is unique compared to henna; it is not as common. Also, it looks more like a tattoo compared to henna, which is brown and you’d know that it’s henna,” said Sarissha when asked why she thinks her Jagua service is garnering attention.
(FAVOURITE DESIGN AMONG CLIENTS: Sarissha Dinesh drawing one of her most popular designs on a client, using her favourite Jagua cone from Goddessbygg, one of the few local Jagua suppliers. Photo Credit: Aina Ruzana Yuseri and Nadia Ravi)
HOME BASED: Sarissha’s workspace is never empty as she has clients always looking to get Jagua-ed up. (Photo Credit: Shruti Palaniappan and Sarissha Dinesh)
Her Clientele
Sarissha’s clients consist of students — mostly. But people who are interested in getting tattoos but would like to see what the placement and design looks like on their skin first, would also get Jagua from her. Others decide to get Jagua because of restrictions from their parents and religion with regards to tattoos so Jagua is the closest thing they can get to a real tattoo. Per week Sarissha sees five to six customers. “I think I’ve only done Jagua for four guys before”, she says when asked about her male customers.
According to Sarissha, most of her customers are ladies because males tend to associate Jagua with femininity and being girly, claiming it as ‘gay’. However, despite such perception one of her male customers decided to just go for it and got a lion jagua on his arm. He received a completely different reaction from his friends after they saw what the Jagua looked like and were shocked at how it resembles a real tattoo.
(Photo Credit: Sarissha Dinesh)
Challenges in Acquiring Supplies
Jagua gel is not available widely in Singapore unlike henna cones. As the fruit is native to South America, importing it to Singapore can be costly. Sarissha gets her supplies online from two Singy supplies from a manufacturer in the US,” says Goddessbygg, one of the local suppliers of Jagua. Besides the price point, getting the right consistency of Jagua is tricky. “I find that a thick consistency is ideal for traditional henna type designs. But, for complex tattoo-like designs I prefer a thinner consistency.”
Jagua cones are small but they can last to up to 7-8 people. She purchases her cones based on how many customers she gets per week. She was afraid to invest her money on Jagua cones after Circuit Breaker ended as her number of customers reduced significantly due to Covid-19. She plans to make her own Jagua gel to save cost but it's costly to do so. Minimum 1kg of gel could cost up to $100. Also, her apprenticeship is keeping her busy and has no time to focus on this yet.
Changing the perception of Jagua art
Jagua is endlessly misjudged. From being called ‘girly’ to being labelled as ‘gay’, it is the result of always being associated with henna. In reality, these two are different artforms with differing end products.
Now that you know all about Jagua, can you identify the imposter?
Jagua gives the same look and feel of a tattoo but without the unnecessary pain, which makes it an amazing alternative to tattoos. But it is also an artform of its own as it allows limitless possibilities and versatility that tattoos do not allow. Even though it has the same longevity as henna, it requires more skills to master due to the consistency of the Jagua cone. “It has become a unique medium to create art and express oneself. Plus, you get to have a new "tattoo" every week without the commitment and needles” Goddessbygg notes about the perception of Jagua. Hence, Jagua is an entirely new thing on its own; it’s not henna, and it’s not tattoos. It’s a new artform that stands in between the two.
Additional Information
Comments