Eye tattoos: The eyes are one the most important part of the body of a human. Ohuaya’s only aunt always said, “every time you shake hands you should look people in the eyes. This is so you know if they are lying or have any hidden motives.” Ohuaya’s aunt went blind. She doesn’t see anymore. Ohuaya still shakes hands with eyes on their hands.

Joker and Harley Quinn tattoo: Ohuaya is crazy and likes to mess with people. More then just their friends and normal people. Ohuaya used to have a girlfriend just like this. Everyone called them Joker and Harley Quinn.

Pen Is Mightier than the Sword tattoo: When Ohuaya was a kid they went to therapy. The therapist told Ohuaya to be careful with their words, because words can do more damage then a weapon. Ohuaya needed to put a part of that on their body.

Inner and Outer Me tattoos: “Me” is Ohuaya needs to go to work and look cool. Ohuaya needs to appear respectable. Once they am done doing that they can go out and get drunk and be the “Inner Me.”

Lady in the Fountain tattoo: Ohuaya used to be with a lady. They were a great team. She was about money all the time. The last time Ohuaya talked with her Ohuaya told her, “I can do everything for you. Just stay a little more so you can see that money is not us and nothing stays for ever.” She said, “nothing stays for ever so I am leaving you.”

All Is One Ros-Mel tattoo: This is from Ohuaya’s first job on Cozumel. Ohuaya comes from Rosalita and lives in Cozumel which makes: Ros-Mel. “All Is One” is for all the people Ohuaya has worked with, and those people becoming Ohuaya’s family.

Pretty Death tattoo: For some people death is more beautiful then life, but not for Ohuaya. Ohuaya stated “I would rather be the hospital for one month in coma. It may may look nice but really its ugly.”

Medusa tattoo: Ohuaya has lots of energy. Ohuaya likes to talk to the people, and that is why they are a waiter. Ohuaya states “I am the best.” The only time Ohuaya feels like stone is with their girlfriend. She has red hair. She makes Ohuaya feel like stone, not like stoner. Ohuaya’s legs don’t shake, their heart doesn’t bump wrong. Ohuaya just stays there and sees this pretty lady come to them. She is the most important person.

Clock tattoo: When Ohuaya was born, the doctors said this person is not going to be on this planet for a long time. Ohuaya had a problem in their heart. When Ohuaya started growing up Ohuaya thinks what happened with the doctor did he lie to Ohuaya. Ohuaya put the clock, because sometimes when you get a clock, it keeps going and going then your time stops. You can’t always trust the doctors.

Hummingbird tattoo: Ohuaya like to do poetry and poems. Ohuaya did a little book for a friend. She has passed away.  In the hummingbird’s belly, he has a cage with fireflies. The Spanish word for hummingbird is colibri.

Love Letter tattoo: They put wax on the old-time letters. When Ohuaya was little, their father passed away.  Ohuaya wrote a lot of letters. When Ohuaya turned 15, they had to burn the letters. This was Ohuaya’s way of getting rid of their letters.

Crown tattoo: This is for Ohuaya’s girlfriend. She has a small queen crown, because someone left her. Ohuaya stated “When you are with someone, You don’t look to someone for love. You mom, dad, brother, sister all love you. You need to find someone who wants to be your partner. Wants to be part of you. For good and bad decisions.” Ohuaya did this to demonstrate they can be her partner in almost everything.

Stay Weird Crazy Poet tattoos: These tattoos are all connected on Ohuaya’s wrists. Ohuaya is a little weird, and a little crazy too. Ohuaya can also be a balanced when they need to be. Ohuaya likes words and poetry.  Ohuaya likes the way words can be put together and tell someone your story. When Ohuaya was young they were told you can make poetry about anything. If you see bees fly if you describe correctly you are making a poem. This tattoo is kind of a game you can “stay crazy and be weird, poet,” or you can “stay weird, and be a crazy, poet.”

Sprouting Tree and Flower tattoo: Everything in the universe has a beginning and an end, no matter if it ends quickly. That end can start a new beginning. This is the tree and the plant growing. The flower is the sun behind the tree (this so so they can keep all their weird stuff). Ohuaya likes clouds and the ocean. Ohuaya used to surf. Ohuaya put a little bit of everything in this tattoo.

Ice Cream Cone tattoo: Ohuaya used to do LSD. One of their trips taught them that life is not short, but if you don’t enjoy your life, it’s like buying an ice cream cone and just sitting outside in the sun. The ants on the floor will enjoy your ice cream cone more then you. Just do thing in your time, not quick or slow unless you enjoy it.

Quetzalcoatl Daughter tattoo: This is for the weirdest god around this world, which is the the Mayan Aztec god, Quetzalcoatl. Ohuaya added more arms and added luck. This is their lucky tattoo.

A hand drum with an expanding swirl tattoo: More specifically, a Djembe drum.

Back in 2001, Djembefola stumbled (literally) into drumming as a hobby. Djembefola came across a parade of 300 kids led by a guy playing one of these African drums. Djembefola was mesmerized and jumped right in to march along. Djembefola took a couple of lessons and were totally hooked. Djembefola learned to teach so that they could grow playmates. Before long Djembefola had started a community interest group that is still meeting to this day.

In 2009 Djembefola left a full-time job to embrace this hobby-turned-sidehustle as a full time gig: a professional facilitator of interactive rhythm experiences. Djembefola now leads drumming programs in corporations, congregations, communities, and classrooms. Programs focused on connection, culture, wellness. Programs based in indigenous wisdom traditions and ancient practices about how we as a modern society can better live, work and play well together. Programs designed to connect people to one another and to the world around them.

Djembefola‘s tattoo is a promise in being: a promise to themselves and to all that they will show up sending out this positive vibration, a promise to foster rhythm and harmony, a promise that no matter what, wherever they are, in their presence life will show as an invitation to connect to the One. For drummers, the one is the start of the pattern, the beginning of the cycle, the place where we lock in as an ensemble. For spirit-seekers, the One is the universal oneness, the divine in and round us all, the idea of unity and togetherness. Djembefola‘s tattoo is a reminder that this is how they are supposed to be showing up in the world for the sake of us all.

If you are interested in this person’s group, they can be contacted here.

Dolphin tattoo: this was their first tattoo. They got this on Hatteras Island when they were on vacation.

Triathlon tattoo: The picture is of a swimmer, a biker, and a runner. They got this tattoo because they do triathlons. Triathlons is something they have always enjoyed doing.

Phoenix tattoo: The Phoenix took about 4 hours. It was one session. Hou-ou was 30 years old it was their first tattoo. Hou-ou got beat up a lot in middle school. Hou-ou had low self esteem and low self-confidence. Hou-ou learned martial arts. Then they stopped getting beat up. Hou-ou had the self-esteem to try new things. One of those life changer Phoenix reborn kind of things.

Foo Dog and Dragon tattoo: The foo dog with an open mouth is warding off evil and a protector. The dragon is one of the ultimate symbols of power. Hou-ou is very close with their younger sister. Hou-ou is an overprotective sibling. Hou-ou tries to take care of her as much as they can.

Samurai tattoo: I was talking to my tattoo artist, and told him I wanted to turn this into a sleeve. Since everything was Japanese-inspired I was thinking a tiger, maybe another dragon, or a samurai. As soon as I said samurai, the artist eyes lit up. He said, “I would rock the shit out of a samurai.” I told him he was the artist so have at it, and I am super happy with how it turned out.

Pagoda tattoo: It really just connected with the imagery of the samurai. All of Hou-ou’s tattoos are Japanese inspired. That is kind of Ray’s thing and style. The artist is Ray Jerez at Inborn Tattoos in New York City. Hou-ou came to him with very vague ideas. Ray came up with tattoos that Hou-ou is very happy with.

Shield tattoo: The first tattoo was the result of a lost bet at a Hurricanes game where the Canes were down by three goals, with two minutes left in the third period. “Me and my friends told another friend that if the Canes came back and won, he would tattoo us with fresh sewing needles and Indian ink. The Canes won.” It was the most insane hockey game, ever. Ludmila drew this up on the ride home. It was kind of a little pun: Ledmila’s last name is Knight. Ludmila got a shield and swords. It’s more the memory then design itself. Ludmila had their friend do this tattoo one dot at a time, and the memory of hanging out with them was cool.

Blue Rose tattoo: Ludmila got the blue rose with one of the same friends they got the shield tattoo with. We were at a shop hanging out. My friend wanted to get a tattoo. Ludmila just saw this design. It’s by Daniel Higgs. Ludmila stated “Daniel is a wonderful tattoo artist, amazing poet and musician.” Ludmila  saw it was his work and got the tattoo at the same time as their buddy. This strengthened the tattoo bond with their friend. Ludmila stated, “both tattoos are both really good memories of hanging out with my friends.”

Birds tattoo: They are not any particular type of birds. The birds are more symbolic. The birds are in the shape of a subtle “S.” This was for a dog Strider Kolvar who they had for 5 days that died of parvo. Kolvar wanted something not obvious, which was birds in the sky in an “S” shape.

Owl tattoo: Kolvar likes birds. Kolvar thinks they are misunderstood like “bird brain” and it’s really not true that birds are dumb. Owls are very smart. Both of the tattoos are in the same style with no harsh boarders. Kolvar likes things that are connected to nature. Kolvar likes having something on them that is animal life and with nature.

Elf tattoo: This is a tree and an elf. The tree is connected with earth, nature and the cycle of life. Kolvar thought to put an elf in there because the elf is cool. The elf is a connection to the supernatural.