Tattooing in Yap

In Yap there are three different types of tattooing. Each kind has a special meaning. The three kinds are Yol, Zalbachag and Gachow. A few older Yapese wear many tattoos, sometimes covering most of their body. Japanese banned tattooing, and few younger Yapese have taken it up. Tattooing remains popular in some of the outer islands.
Most older Yapese also have pierced ear lobes, but this practice is also dying. One type of the body decoration still common is turmeric– an orange powder, spread on the face, arms and shoulders before dances.

Yol is the kind that covers the upper part of the body and is the mark of a high rank.

Zalbachag is the kind that covers the legs and is the mark of a man who is an expert fighter during wars between villages; all zalbachags have the same design.

Gachow is the kind that anyone can have, man or woman, high or low caste; any kind of design can be used for gachow.

The Tattoo Instrument: The "teeth" of the instrument are shaped from bone or shell. After the ink is applied by the "beak" of the bird shaped hammer, the hammer is used to drive the ink under the skin by striking the back of the sharpened instrument.