Traditional cultural practices are fast becoming endangered due to cross-pollination and westernization. Tattoo Traditions of Asia is an important resource for both those interested in understanding the foundations of tattooing and those who are committed to reclaiming a practice that has been ignored by dominant societies. This is a book long overdue.

Lohe i kani o ka hāhau, o ia nō i ka leo hāwanawana o ke kupuna--listen to the sound of the hāhau, it indeed is the whisper of the ancestors.

Lars Krutak has given us a landmark publication, a geographically wide-ranging and historically informed survey of tattooing practices in Asia. In addition to bringing together beautifully a diverse range of sources, he shares insights from two decades of fieldwork and dozens of interviews with Indigenous tattooists and tattooed people--all enriched by a stunning collection of historical prints, drawings, objects, and photography.--Sean Mallon, co-author of Tatau: A History of Sāmoan Tattooing

This is a tremendous feat of research, writing, and decolonization by a renowned scholar of Indigenous tattooing. Krutak's personal engagement with the cultures he chronicles--including participation in initiation rites--allowed him intimate access to varied tattoo practices, many of which are slipping away. Written with sensitivity and authority, the book marks a major milestone in tattoo ethnography.--Margot Mifflin, author of Bodies of Subversion: A Secret History of Women and Tattoo and The Blue Tattoo: The Life of Olive Oatman