Title: Embodying Empire: European Tattooing and German Colonial Power*
Abstract: Abstract Via an investigation of the broader historical conditions of European tattooing practices, this article argues that the example of the last German Governor of Samoa, Erich Schultz, demonstrates the key role of the body in colonial entanglements. By allowing himself to be tattooed in Samoan style, Schultz signalled his strong affinity with Samoan social practices and politics. Not merely indicative of a subjective shift, his tattooing also furthered his authority as a German colonial official. At a time when other European officials, including Germans in other colonies, shied away from engaging with the cultural and political practices of those they governed, Schultz and other German officials in Samoa self-consciously sought to colonize the Samoans while accepting and employing Samoan symbols of authority.
Publication Year: 2016
Publication Date: 2016-09-30
Language: en
Type: article
Indexed In: ['crossref']
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Cited By Count: 1
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