“Are you nervous?” Charissa Peterson asked form four student Madison Blyden during a recent art session at St. George’s Secondary School.
“It’s all natural: nothing harmful here. It’s not ink as a lot of people think,” Ms. Peterson told the class of art students who had gathered to learn about henna tattoos. “Henna is something that I am obsessed with.”
The form of body adornment — which is particularly popular in south Asia and northern Africa — is an alternative to permanent tattoos, Ms. Peterson told the students.
“It’s made from the leaves of the henna plant,” she said. “They dry the leaves of this plant, grind it into a fine powder, and then you can use that powder to make a paste.”
The paste is applied to the skin and later scraped off, leaving a stain that lasts about a week.
Muslim uses
Ms. Peterson, who owns a craft business on Anegada, came across henna when some Muslim women in the Virgin Islands approached her and asked her to decorate their hands as part of their Eid al-Fitr celebration, which marks the end of Ramadan.
Since then, the artist said, her services have been requested more and more often.
“You can beautify your body and express yourself at the same time,” she told the students, adding, “It’s painless, it’s natural and I can change it as often as I want. I like change.”
Form five student Morgan Creque got her first henna tattoo about a year ago.
“I got it done before by my cousin, who is saving up for college,” she said while watching Ms. Peterson decorate her classmate’s hand. “I like that it doesn’t stay on forever. No matter how hard you rub it off, people find it fascinating that it stays.”
The tattoos can be addictive, Ms. Peterson warned.
“I cannot be blamed for your addiction which is about to happen,” she joked. “Usually, once I have it on hand, I get it done as often as I can. Usually, as soon as one fades I get another one.”
Ms. Peterson doesn’t have a henna tattoo parlour of her own, but she plans to open one this year, she told the students.
“If you’re looking for an intern, I’m ready to be one,” Ms. Creque chimed in after hearing of her plans.
Hindu uses
Henna is also used in Hindu rituals. Savitree Ramkobair, who attends services at the Hindu mandir in Sea Cows Bay, has had henna tattoos on multiple occasions.
The practice is often used during Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, and before weddings, she explained.
“The significance of henna actually derived from the belief that the darker the colour of the henna on the bride’s hand means that the family she is entering in — which are her in-laws and also her husband — would love her even more,” Ms. Ramkobair said.
Some also believe that the henna tattoos, which are referred to as mehndi by Hindus, are a powerful medicine.
“Days before weddings and stuff, everyone is stressed out,” she said. “And the application of the henna prevents the stress because the body keeps the nerves from becoming tense.”
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