Beyond the Ink: Navigating Cultural Reverence and Appropriation in Contemporary Tattoo Art

My name is Mickey Schlick. I’ve been tattooing in Missoula for years, and I’ve watched our local scene, and the wider tattoo world, grapple with a question that’s as old as the art form itself, but feels more urgent than ever. How do we honor the stories we want to tell on our skin, without accidentally stealing someone else’s? In the quiet hum of a tattoo machine, between the smell of green soap and the view of the mountains out our studio window, we’re navigating a complex crossroads. It’s where personal artistic expression meets deep cultural respect, where a desire for spiritual symbolism bumps against the hard reality of history. This isn’t just about aesthetics. It’s about ethics, identity, and the permanent weight of the symbols we choose to carry.

The Stories We Wear: More Than Just Decoration

Let’s start with a fundamental truth that sometimes gets lost in the excitement of a new tattoo idea. For countless cultures, tattooing was never just decoration. It is language. It is genealogy. It is a map of spiritual belief and social standing etched directly onto the body. When I read about practitioners like Kanahus Manuel, who uses traditional hand-poke methods to revive Secwepemc and Ktunaxa designs, it’s crystal clear. She calls it “tattooing land back.” For her, each mark is an act of reclamation, a direct reversal of colonial forces that tried to erase those very traditions. It’s activism made permanent.

This profound, lived significance creates a stark contrast. The chasm between that cultural reclamation and someone casually browsing the internet for a “cool tribal armband” is vast. Indigenous tattoo artist Dion Kaszas puts it bluntly, calling the appropriation of Indigenous designs by non-Indigenous artists “another form of genocide.” That’s a heavy statement. It forces us to pause. He explains, “You’re actually taking someone’s identity and placing it upon your body.” When we frame it that way, the choice of a tattoo moves from a personal style decision to an ethical one. It asks us to consider, whose identity are we wearing, and do we have the right to?

The Artist's Dilemma: Walking an Ethical Tightrope in Missoula

So, how does this play out here, in our Montana studios? I can tell you, it’s a daily conversation. Every artist at Montana Tattoo Company, and every serious artist I know in town, has faced this moment. A client brings in an image, say, a sacred Maori koru pattern or a detailed Haida eagle, drawn to its beauty but unaware of its specific lineage and protocols. This is where we, as artists, become more than technicians. We become guides, and sometimes, gatekeepers.

Many of us have turned down projects. It’s not always an easy conversation, but it’s a necessary one. We’re not just selling a product, we’re collaborating on a lifelong piece of personal history. I respect artists who have developed creative ways to navigate this, like requiring clients seeking scripts like Sanskrit to sign disclaimers. It’s a blunt tool, but it forces a moment of consideration. The heart of the issue is education versus appropriation. Our role is to educate, to ask the hard questions: “What does this symbol mean to the culture it comes from? What does it mean to you? Is there a disconnect?”

This isn’t about shutting down inspiration. It’s about directing it responsibly. Look at the work of the Earthline Tattoo Collective in Canada. They’re not just doing tattoos, they’re running intensive programs to restore Indigenous tattoo knowledge nearly lost to colonization. Their work highlights why so many Indigenous tattooers explicitly ask that if you are not part of the culture, you do not get that specific image tattooed. As one artist explained, this tattooing is a way to dismantle colonization. When an outsider takes the symbol without the context, the story, or the struggle, it can feel like a continuation of that same colonial taking.

Appreciation vs. Appropriation: The Line is Made of Respect

This brings us to the crucial distinction, the line we’re all trying to see clearly. What’s the difference between cultural appreciation and cultural appropriation? In my experience, that line is drawn with respect, relationship, and permission.

Consider two scenarios. In the first, someone travels to New Zealand, seeks out a Maori tattoo artist (tohunga tā moko), undergoes the consultation, understands the tikanga (protocols), and receives a design that speaks to their personal story in a way the artist deems appropriate. The artist might even say a blessing. That’s appreciation rooted in relationship.

Now, consider the second scenario. A famous person gets a facial tattoo inspired by Maori moko from a non-Maori artist. Or a political leader gets a tattoo based on a Haida artist’s work without that artist’s permission, as happened with Robert Davidson and Justin Trudeau. These are high-profile examples of appropriation. The design is taken, not given. The context is stripped away. The symbol becomes a detached aesthetic, which can be deeply offensive to those for whom it is an inseparable part of their identity and history.

The difference is night and day. One approach enters a space with humility and a desire to learn. The other enters with a sense of entitlement. In a world where information is at our fingertips, claiming ignorance isn’t the excuse it might have been thirty years ago. A little research, a moment of reflection, can change a tattoo from a potential insult into a mark of genuine cross-cultural respect.

When the Rent is Due: The Economic Pressure on Artists

Let’s be honest about another layer of this. Tattooing is our art, but it’s also our livelihood. The rent on a studio in Missoula isn’t free. This creates a real, tangible tension. Research into this very topic shows that artists who refuse culturally appropriative tattoos consistently call the practice unethical. But the same research shows others feel pressured by the “economic reality of needing customers to pay the bills.”

Some artists rationalize it by thinking, “Well, if I don’t do it, someone else will, and I’ll do a better, more respectful job.” It’s a tempting compromise. But it’s still a compromise. This economic pressure reveals something bigger. Cultural appropriation in tattooing isn’t just about individual bad actors. It’s often a symptom of a system where artistic skill and economic survival are in conflict with ethical practice. As artist and writer Micah Riot points out, the core of appropriation is power. It’s when a dominant culture takes from a marginalized culture “just because it pleases us.” Recognizing that power dynamic is the first step in challenging it.

A Path Forward: Building a More Conscious Tattoo Community

So, where do we go from here? In Missoula, and in conscientious studios everywhere, I see a path forward being built through intention and dialogue. It’s not about creating a list of forbidden images. It’s about fostering a smarter, more empathetic approach to the art we create together.

Here are some principles I see guiding that path:

• Prioritize the Source: If you are drawn to a specific cultural style, seek out an artist who comes from that culture or has dedicated their life to its respectful study. The difference in depth and authenticity will be evident in the work.
• Embrace the Consultation: The consultation is everything. Come prepared to talk about meaning, not just looks. A good artist will ask you “why?” Be open to that conversation. It might lead you to an even more personal and powerful design.
• Support Reclamation: Follow and support the work of Indigenous and cultural tattoo revival projects. Understand that for some communities, this work is healing historical trauma. Our role as outsiders can be to amplify and respect, not to imitate.
• Accept Boundaries: Recognize that some stories, some symbols, are not ours to tell or wear. That’s okay. True creativity often flourishes within constraints. Your personal story is unique and powerful enough to inspire incredible original art.

The most meaningful approach I’ve witnessed is one of humility. It’s the client who approaches a cultural symbol not as a cool graphic to own, but as a sacred space to enter with permission. It’s the artist who has the courage to say, “I’m not the right person for this tattoo, but let me help you think about what you’re really seeking.”

Your Skin, Your Story, Our Shared Responsibility

The tattoo industry is evolving. The question is no longer just “what do you want?” It’s “what does this mean?” and “is this meaning yours to claim?” The answers aren’t always simple, but the conversation is essential.

In the words of a Maori woman named Neho, who received her traditional chin moko in a weekend-long ceremony, seeing non-Natives with moko can feel “as an affront to that particular culture.” She speaks of the feeling when people “blatantly disregard process.” That process, that respect for protocol, is the heartbeat of reverence.

Here in Missoula, surrounded by the landscapes that hold the stories of so many First Peoples, we have a special responsibility. Our tattoos should reflect not just who we are, but our understanding of where we are. They can be bridges of appreciation, not walls of appropriation. They can tell our personal truths while honoring the larger truths they touch upon.

At the end of the day, the ink is permanent. The consideration we put into it should be just as lasting. Let’s make sure the stories we wear are stories we have the right to tell, told with a respect that does justice to their origin and their new home on your skin.

This post topic was inspired by something I was writing about for Unorthodox Tattoo Blog. I dive a bit deeper into the mythology and off beat topics over there... At Montana Tattoo Company we host independent tattoo artists who run their own businesses and create work with intention. Call 406-626-8688 or visit any of our artist pages to start the consultation process. Every project starts with a conversation and a vision. Choose the artist whose style fits your idea and reach out directly. Connect with Mickey Schlick, James Strickland, Noelin Wheeler, Nicole Miller, and boldbooking.io" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">BoldBooking. Book a consultation, explore portfolios, and bring your idea to life. I have completely automated the studio side. Aftercare, directions, booking links 24 hours a day with completely consistent customer service available at 406-626-8688. At any interaction you are welcome to ask to talk to Mickey directly and you will either be connected to me or I will get back to you asap.