Tattoo Artists Are Known As (Olóòlà) In Yorùbáland

In Yorùbáland, Tattoo Artists are known as "Olóòlà", a highly respected and culturally rooted profession that dates back centuries. The role of the Olóòlà goes far beyond body decoration — it is spiritual, medicinal, social, and symbolic. Let us explore why Olóòlà exist, their significance, and what they represent in Yorùbá culture.

Who Is an Olóòlà?

The Olóòlà is a traditional tattooist, scarification expert, and sometimes even a healer in Yorùbá society. They are skilled professionals who use specialized tools to engrave indelible marks onto the human body for various purposes. Traditionally, they also performed circumcisions, scarifications, and in some cases, assisted in body modifications used for identity, protection, and healing.

Why Do We Have Olóòlà?

1. Identity and Lineage

In ancient Yorùbá society, tattoos or scarifications served as a mark of lineage, identifying one’s clan, tribe, or family. This was especially crucial during periods of war, migration, and slavery when people could be separated from their kin. Through the marks made by Olóòlà, families could **trace ancestry and reconnect.

2. Rites of Passage

The Olóòlà played a central role in rites of passage, such as:

1. Birth or naming ceremonies
2. Initiations into adulthood
3. Induction into spiritual societies (e.g., Ogboni, Egúngún, Òrìṣà traditions)

These body marks signify growth, maturity, and the beginning of a new spiritual or social phase.

3. Spiritual Protection and Power

Some marks made by the Olóòlà are infused with herbal medicines, chants, and incantations. These are believed to provide spiritual protection, strength, or attraction. A person marked by an Olóòlà might be shielded from evil forces, fortified with courage, or imbued with blessings from the Òrìṣà.

4. Cultural Aesthetics

Scarification and tattoos were also seen as beauty enhancers. In Yorùbá culture, symmetrical, well-crafted patterns on the face, arms, or abdomen could signify elegance, bravery, or social rank. This is part of the Yorùbá aesthetics of symmetry (ìtẹ́lọ́run) and balance.

5. Healing and Medicine

Olóòlà sometimes doubled as herbal healers (oníṣègùn). They could open the skin through scarification and rub in potent herbs, serving as a form of spiritual or physical healing— a practice still seen in traditional medicine today.

The Spiritual and Social Significance of Olóòlà

1. Custodians of tradition: The Olóòlà preserve ancient knowledge, working with priests, elders, and healers to perform sacred markings that embody ancestral wisdom.

2. Respected profession: Though modern society may see tattoos differently, traditionally, being an Olóòlà is a role passed down through family lines or through sacred training.

3. Bridge between worlds: The Olóòlà serves as a connector — between the body and spirit, the seen and the unseen, the individual and the community.

Modern Relevance

Today, while body art has become more mainstream and aesthetic, many still seek tattoos and scarification for spiritual or ancestral reasons. A revival of traditional tattooing is occurring among young Africans and diaspora communities seeking to reconnect with their roots. Modern tattoo artists who embrace this sacred heritage are reawakening the legacy of the Olóòlà.

The Olóòlà is not just a tattoo artist — they are spiritual engravers, cultural memory keepers, and ancestral healers. Through their skilled hands, Yorùbá identity, heritage, and spirituality are permanently inscribed onto the canvas of the human body. They remind us that the body is not just flesh, but a living scroll of destiny, lineage, and divine connection.