Monkeys are one of the most interesting animals on the planet if you ask me. They’re smart, funny, personable and cute. On the other hand, they can get mean and they are dirty. That hasn’t stopped people from taking them on as pets though. In addition to people taking them on as pets, monkeys are one of the likeable animals in pop culture. Whether you are talking cartoons or movies, monkeys just make it a little more fun.
Being that monkeys are such a cool animal, it’s led to a gaggle of monkey tattoos. The same goes for tattoos as for television. Realism, new school or traditional, the monkey tattoo shows up in all forms. In addition to being aesthetically pleasing, the monkey tattoo is symbolic of some interesting characteristics that we will be getting into.
In this post we are going to address some facts about monkeys so we can understand a little bit more about them. We will also talk about the symbolism that is attached to the monkey and how that factor into the meaning of the monkey tattoo. We will also talk about some of the variations of the monkey tattoo and some of the more popular monkey characters in pop cultures. By the end of this post, you should have some good ideas about what to get for your monkey tattoo.
About the Monkey
Since we all know what a monkey is, we figured we would talk about some interesting facts about the monkey that might interest someone that is thinking about getting a monkey tattoo. Remember that no matter what you see on TV, it’s better to steer clear of monkeys because they’re still wild animals.
As far as exotic pets go, monkeys seem to be one of the top choices for pet owners. It doesn’t matter if it’s illegal or not, you will still find people that keep monkeys. Even though they can be wild, some monkeys are trained to assist people with disabilities with companionship and just general help.
You might see pet monkeys wearing diapers to keep them from going to bathroom on the floor or anywhere else. Monkeys are not the cleanest animals; however, they do spend a big part of their day grooming each other. Not only does it keep the fur clean, it is a way for the monkeys to bond with each other.
There is a difference between monkeys and apes. Apes are going to include gorillas, orangutans, chimpanzees and humans. Apes are able to use tools and language and even though a monkey’s DNA is similar to human DNA, an animal like the gorilla is 99% like humans in DNA.
The monkey can be big part of religion as well. In Buddhism and Hinduism, the monkey plays a big role. The Buddhist temples even protect the monkey. They are sacred in the religion and to hurt one is a serious offense. There is even a Buddha pose that has a monkey and elephant giving an offering to Buddha. This happens to be the Wednesday afternoon pose which should give you an idea of the importance of the monkey.
Monkey Tattoo Symbolism
The monkey tattoo is one with a great deal of meaning. If you ask the person with this tattoo, they’ll tell you that isn’t just there for looks. They are symbols of involvement, intensity and intelligence. However, this isn’t the only thing the monkey represents.
The monkey’s meaning often deals in animated entertainment. They are often depicted as mischievous animals in lore, legend and myth. One of the big thing the monkey or a monkey tattoo will represent is playfulness. It can also represent good hearted trickery and practical jokes.
Socially, the monkey is compassionate and understanding. They have a pension for bonding with each other. In this way, your monkey tattoo represents that same kind of compassion and understanding for others and even more so with your friends. Because of the way that monkeys take care of each other by grooming, it can also be representation of protection of your family. They won’t allow insects and other things to cause harm to their family and you wouldn’t either.
Monkey Tattoo Variations
Not all symbolism is about the meaning behind the image. Some of it has to do with popular monkey characters. Some people are just fans of the monkey or are fans of characters the monkey plays in entertainment. Below are some of the most popular monkeys that are being tattooed.
Chim Chim Tattoo
Chim Chim is a popular tattoo for those that are fans of the Speed Racer show. Chim Chim is the comic relief monkey in Speed Racer along with Spritle, Speed Racer’s little brother. Their relationship is bizarre yet strong. You can usually find them wearing matching outfits and never leaving each other’s side.
Abu Tattoo
Abu is the loveable monkey companion of the main character of the movie Aladdin. He doesn’t say much but his personality lies in the expressions of his face. For every one of the silly things the genie or Aladdin does, Abu is right there to give his advice via the look on his face.
Rafiki Tattoo
Rafiki is the wise old monkey in Disney’s The Lion King. He is well known for giving advice to Mufasa and Simba but his best moment in the movie (and the one you’ll most likely see tattooed) is when he lifts Simba up while standing on Pride Rock for everyone to see.
Flying Monkeys Tattoo
The flying monkeys are the minions of the Wicked Witch of the West in The Wizard of Oz. Even though they work for the meanest old witch that ever lived, they look pretty damn cool.
Curious George Tattoo
The curious little fellow is the main character of one of the most famous children’s books of all time. The very first Curious George story came out in 1939 and was written by Hans and Margret Ray.
Mr. Teeny Tattoo
Louis ‘Mr. Teeny’ Toot worked for Krusty the Clown in the animated series The Simpsons. Mr. Teeny was depicted as a depressed, heavy smoker that was often found being a butler, accountant and driver for Krusty the clown. You might see this tattoo on fans of the show.