Big, medium and small

(C) Greenpeace/Roger Grace

By Barbara, deckhand from Germany

We are in Kiribati, it's Sunday, our day off, and Phil has decided to get a tattoo. When Phil rented a motor bike, he came across quite a few people that got tattooed by this man Ian, and Phil decided that this is what he wants too. In the afternoon he gave me a lift and we were zooming around the island, so I decide to come with him. He drops me off at the place and drives back to the ship to get Dillip, another potential customer.

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The thought of getting a tattoo has been at the back of my mind since the night before when I first heard about the whole thing. I don't know what got me hooked on the idea - maybe it was Mal talking about a turtle-tattoo after our swimstop with the turtle that got me inspired, I don't know. Anyway, when he drops me off at that place I'm quite skeptical - I'm not too sure what to expect from a hygienic point of view. Ian is not there yet, so I go for a sit on the beach, and wait for the boys to turn up.

When I go back to his house I get asked inside. They bring me into a room with a couple of women and kids sitting around and I don't quite know what to do - how much English they would speak, what to say. Then Ian comes and we start talking about tattoos, the beautiful gecko he has on his arms. I ask him if there is a symbol for the ocean in his culture and he draws me a beautiful little design.

When Phil and Dillip show up, Ian gets out some mats and puts them on the floor - we get asked to sit down. After a short talk Phil knows what he wants and Ian prepares for his work. He gets out this little machine he has designed himself, sterile needles, ink. Then he starts. Phil gets very talkative after the first minutes, chatting to distract himself from the pain that is part of the deal. Dillip looks like he is mistrusting the situation a bit.

By the time Phil has gotten his armband - a beautiful woven band inspired by the local Pandanus mats - I'm decided to go for that symbol they have for the sea. When Ian starts on my back all of a sudden the room is packed with people. It doesn't take long and I'm done as well - I can't help to go again and again to the only mirror they have in the other room to get a glance on the beauty on my back.

Now it is Dillip's turn - he has decided to go for quite a big tattoo that is going to be placed on the outside of his lower arm. He lies down and quite quickly seems to fall in a kind of trance, far away from the room we are in. The atmosphere in the room has changed quite a bit compared to when we first arrived: the kids are doing their homework, the grandmother starts talking to us, handing over her newborn grandchild to me so that I can hold it as well. On the radio they are playing the Ocean song Te Vaka has written for Greenpeace. In the local newspaper there is the picture of the Rainbow Warrior I show to the family - their daughter tells me she has visited our ship the day before.

Finally Dillip's tattoo is done as well and he slowly comes back to life. His lower arm looks great. We talk about the final price for our tattoos - big, medium and small. We leave as three very happy people. It will take a while for our endorphins to calm down. We sit on deck with some of the crew, people telling stories about new and old tattoos...