From the Kathmandu valley of Nepal, John Ma talks about the emergence of tattoo, about Nepalinked, about Metal For Nepal, about traditions, art and about his engagement to help Nepali natives. Far more than just tattooing, a real commitment to his people.Nepal is a place more known for its geographic position, between India and Tibet, with Bouthan on the right side, more famous for the utopian vision from the 60’s and 70’s: the Kathmandu’s dream land for generations of hippies, for the strong impact of the Buddhist religion and for the rage of destruction from earthquakes. But Nepal is now open to tattoo art… and lots more! John Ma is one of these guys always finding something to do, to make it moves, to make it changes, in the good way, not only for him, but for many others. Open minded and non stop worker, John Ma show us his work as a tattoo artist and his dedication and love to his land, art, culture and peoples.By Chris Coppola.
Please, John, introduce yourself, as a tattoo artist and about all the others things you do.
Namaste! I am a tattoo artist based in Nepal, known as John Ma, but my full name is John Maharjan. I founded and work at Jads Tattoo Shop, I created and make Nepalinked Tattoo Festival, I’m also the founder and publisher of Nepal Inked Magazine, also curator and board member of Metal For Nepal and at last I’m the founder and curator of Gallery One (an Art gallery-collectives worldwide). About Nepalinked: it was planned to make it in 2012 but we couldn’t, officially this concept was started in 2013 as Nepalinked Tattoo and Lifestyle convention. As it was one of the biggest tattoo show in South Asia, you can check videos on YouTube. It was a huge expo, with different artists from different fields, various art and crafts, vintage cars show, bikes show, includes 3 days of music live performances from all top bands from Nepal, 22 bands played during festival and followed by after party show. Guess Nepal was not ready for that! Ha ha! Jokes apart. In 2014, we collaborated with Silence Festival and it was one hell of a show. We made a body suspension during Underside playing in front of 6000 crowds, headlining Silence Fest by Sikth. Due to earthquake in 2015, we decided not to make it. In 2016, we tried to make it in a different way, we put the whole show in open air but whole production costs were too high and working on mainstream and commercial level was too hectic according to our circumstances. And we realized that it’s not what we wanted to create. In times of commercialization of tattooing and the unclear expansion of conventions, we decided to take a step back and make different than convention formats. The team of Nepal Inked wants to create an alternative space for more personal interaction between tattooists and their artworks. As we cannot identify with the mentioned commercialization and our wish is to create something according to the context of Nepal which is more about nature, landscape, spiritual aspects, traditions… we wanted to keep more for art and artists, and its more for love, for tattoo, for art. We decided to leave Kathmandu and take the visitors to a journey away from the capital. Revisited Nepalinked in 2017 has been an amazing experience and we were more motivated to create the space. We were very much criticized by many artists and people around for doing festival in a way, but I must say after three editions that Nepalinked is a vibe. So thankful for all the artists, participants, visitors and team. Everyone has lived and contributed as much as they can. You can see on youtube: Nepalinked Tattoo Festival / Nepalinked Tattoo and Lifestyle Convention. About Metal For Nepal. This project initially started as an idea of bringing heavy metal and tattoo community together for the humanitarian crisis situation created in Nepal during beginning of the pandemic in 2020. We wanted to support migrant workers who were stranded in the Nepal-India borders with no access to food and water. From there, we adapted our work as and where necessary. We provided hot meals for daily wage workers in Kathmandu for over the period of 6 months, provided food ration for underprivileged across Nepal, supported indigenous communities of Nepal like Chepang and Tharu with monthly food ration, these peoples are some of the most disadvantaged communities of Nepal. Then we moved on to support flood victims and worked alongside with many local organizations to support as many initiative as possible. Our collaboration with Hami Nepal in Manang resulted in making Manang the first fully vaccinated district in Nepal. After this, we evolved as an organization from humanitarian crisis response to something sustainable and shifted our focus on children, their welfare and access to education. Since then, we have launched a campaign called “Warm Smiles” through which we reached out to some of the most inaccessible Himalayan region of Nepal and provided warm jackets for the most disadvantaged and impoverished children to deal with harsh winters in these regions. Our goal was to keep these children warm so they continue to attend the school. So far we have reached to Dolpa, Humla and Manaslu regions of Nepal and have provided warm jackets to more than 2000 children. Our next project “And Computer For All” will aim to provide computers in these remote schools so children can get familiar with the computers and have access to the world of internet. We are committed to make sure children in these hard to reach regions have the equal chance to get education like any other child.
What brings you into tattooing? What and/or who gave you the passion and the will of being a tattoo artist?
It was just started as fun, I built a tattoo machine back then out of dentistry equipments and I tried on my friend who gave me that equipment pouch. After that its on going till now. I am self-taught tattoo artist. Because I am ethnic from Kathmandu valley its always in our culture to get tattoos even my granny got full leg tattooed, till their generations tattoos were for beauty purpose and mostly all ethnic people has it as a culture. Never thought tattoo can be a profession either, when I started, and in general this is not something that you pick as a job either as we were taught in school. In a very young age I got into tattooing. I was just fortunate to know the form of art and it was just love for the craft that its just kept me going. Now its more than passion or profession.
Since how long are you tattooing by now? How was your beginning here in Nepal? How it was about your first customers and about the fact to open a tattoo shop?
I started on 2000, I was 15years old only. From 2002, I have been tattooing full time. Hardly there were 2 tattoo shops in Kathmandu at that time. We were clue less. No Internet access, we got to see only few magazines by-chance and those were the most influential at that time. Did mostly tribal tattoos, arrow on heart, skull and dagger, spider webs… Those were the days, now we call it jail break tattoos ha ha! And we didn’t have access to proper tattoo equipments, it was very hard to get inks even and we used to do with drawing inks and fabric inks. After internet came, then things got so much easy, first thing was get to know about proper tattooing equipments. And even then, we can’t pay from Nepal so we need to wait for some one to come from abroad. And after, few tattoo shops in late 2005 start to sell equipments, but very expensive. Then later on through conventions, it was great exchange, many changes and now you can say Nepali tattooing is top class and in a global map. In 2007, I opened my studio Jads Tattoo. Even at that time, there was only few studios around that you can count on fingers. And I always wanted to work on my own artworks, but that era was like you go inside the studio look the book, choose and get tattooed. At the beginning, it was very hard to get clients for me because people always want tattoos from catalogues.
How the Nepal’s authorities saw the tattoo when you start working as a tattooist? How is it nowadays?
In a time of globalization, people forgetting their ethnicity and culture. Then tattooing became more famous in prison, whores and drug abusers still people think only junkies and bad people get tattoos. Due decades of impression, tattoo has so much wrong image. In modern society, tattoo was not acceptable as a job. Even my family they never took my work so seriously. I wished they were more supportive. But from last 10 years, its more acceptable, nowadays, tattoo is very famous and everyone wants one. Thanks to tik-tok! Ha ha ha!
What brings you some inspirations, inside and outside tattoo?
I am mostly inspired by my surroundings. And of course, I am very much inspired by nature. Kathmandu valley is full of votive art and craft and ancient knowledge. We are bound by the culture and traditions. For art and tattoo, I am inspired by so many great artists, can’t name a few for sure.
Did you move to foreign countries? Which people did you met and work with during your trips?
I haven’t have plans to move to other countries. But I have travelled to so many conventions in different countries, I guess I have met most of the top notch artists from all over the world.
How is the sanitary situation in Nepal, due to the pandemic? How is about the practice of tattooing? Did the pandemic changed many things to the way you work?
I guess tattoo artists are the most hygienic comparing to others in Nepal. Ha ha! Most of the artists has done their work with proper measure and safety. Due to pandemic, the government has put ban on tattooing for long time. Now people taking it more easy. Pandemic has changed a lot, many artists had to leave their studios because of rent and no work during pandemic. No travel no tourists. Only things we can do is proper precautions.
There is also the problem about the inks used by tattooists in Nepal? Do the Nepal’s authorities did a campaign about these forbidden inks?
All over the world its same kind of ink brands and tattoo equipments so its not a problem. We have no such specific authorities and rules on tattooing, but mostly we, as tattooers, we talked each other about these kinds of problems.
What decide you to make the Nepal’s Tattoo Convention? What is the « story » of this tattoo convention? Is it hard to get international tattoo artists from over the World?
It was for community to grow, learn and improve. To see Nepal tattooing on a global map and to create a platform for artists as to build as a one of the biggest tattoo show in South Asia, but later after Nepalinked revisited the vision has become only for art and artists rather than the expo. After working on this project for almost 10 years, we definitely has story to tell, about circumstances, hard work, ups and downs, conflicts, political situations, authorities, it was not easy to start up a project like this and keep up with it in a country like Nepal. We are extremely lucky to have met all these incredible artists in Nepal. Its wonderful to have these great humans from all over the World to attend Nepalinked Tattoo gathering. We are so grateful for the world tattoo family.
What was the reaction of people from Nepal about the tattoo convention?
People have enjoyed. People like to see tattooed people here. It has changed the perceptions of people towards tattoo and tattoo artists. Overall it was appreciated.
What is the kind of tattoos you like the best to realize? And why?
I like all kinds or style of tattooing. Tattooing is a great form of art. I am extremely lucky to know the craft.
Tell us more about your artistic activities outside tattoo, like painting, music… What else?
Since I was a kid, I was into Do-It-Yourself kind. Our generation in Nepal is the one who used to build our own toys! Ha ha! So I am always into crafts. I do bit of woodwork, carving and furniture, I love to work on lights, this is newly I got into it. Design aesthetics for interiors. I love to do, more plans to work and learn on aquaponics. I’m always on creating something either painting, tattoo, crafts, or gardening, farmer is in my gene. Love to hangout in nature and camp. I wish I can play something, I am good listener thou. Working on some projects for betterment of kids in rural and isolated places in Nepal.
Here the end of this interview, do you have something else to add? Let’s go, it’s up to you!
Would like to say more about Metal For Nepal. It is truly an example of what happens when people come together for a cause. We are fully registered U.K. charity now and it is incredible to see how this idea is turning into a global melting point/ bridge for heavy metal and global tattoo scene. As much as MFN is doing amazing work for the needy in Nepal, we are equally breaking the barrier of stereotype and stigma around people from heavy metal and tattoo world in Nepal. We are redefining tattoo culture and heavy metal from a different narrative - a hope for social change and positive shift in the perspective of society. Let’s not forget, only few years back, you could get arrested for having long hairs and tattoos in the street of Kathmandu. MFN is a sign of defiance on its own right and our deep-rooted rebellious attitude towards injustice and prejudices that exists in our society. Come and join this force of love and compassion and change lives along the way. There are many ways you can support. If you’re an artist, you can donate your art, painting to us which we turn into cool merchandise so instead of just relying on donations, we encourage people to buy merchandise, art from our web store. This way we raise money for our cause whilst promoting work of various artists and for the supporter, they get to have some cool custom designs merchandise and incredible feeling that their money is funding a cause. For more info on our work, please visit our website and social media handles. Thank you. Youtube: Metal For Nepal www.metalfornepal.org www.jadstattoo.com.np www.nepalinked.com
