Childhood Memories

Growing up I always carried around a rag doll. I would sleep with her, take her places and spent all my time with her. At night time my mom would tell me to tell her all my worries and by the morning she promised that they'd all be gone. Growing up this doll was my best friend, to resemble my childhood I spoke to Scott, the tattoo artist to sketch out a picture of her so I could get a tattoo of her. He asked if she was a true "Worry Doll". She isn't, but I still believe she takes away my stress and worries.

The worry dolls were first created by the Mayan Indians to remove all the worries of the small children. Th children would tell the doll their worries and then place the doll under their pillow. When the small children would wake up, theirs worry's and fears would be removed. Indians used to believe they had special "powers" to make these dolls work. They used to make rituals when they would speak to their "Gods" so they could help the small children.

Worry dolls are made of string or small pieces of clothing put together. The dolls are so small that they fit around 8 inside a mall cloth bag the size of a coin purse.

As I spoke to Scott about it he laughed and didn't believe me! When it comes to believes it is all based on your culture and what your ancestors believed. Many Indians had ancestors that believed in rituals and summoning spirits.

I believe those worry dolls and anything that has to do with spirits is pretty scary and dangerous. I told Scott that I didn't believe in any of that. My rag doll just represents me growing up. It represents how much I've grown, all the friends I've made and all my accomplishments.

Many people have an object that represents their growth. I wondered and asked Scott if he had one.

Scott still has his very first sketch that he tattooed on someone and his very first tattoo machine. AS I looked at his old machine and sketch I was so surprised. 

Scott's work has improved so much over the years! He began from being a house tattoo artists to working at a shop with his closest friends and family.

His wife Sunny, began piercing with sewing needles at home to having her own job at the tattoo shop piercing people. She still has some of the needles she used to pierce herself with.

I think it's pretty cool how to people have an artifact to remind them of all the hard work they have been through to be where they are at now.