TRIGGER WARNING: This story contains material regarding missing and murdered Indigenous peoples. The National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center has a toolkit for families and communities. The U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs has a list of resources.
Josephine Pakootas was just 10 years old when her mom’s tattoo artist, Big Mama, would come by to tattoo her at their kitchen table. This was when her love for tattoos began.
When she turned 16, Pakootas begged her mom to take her to get her first tattoo. Her mom agreed and took her to get her first tattoos. Colville tattoo artist Jodi Day inked Pakootas with a red handprint on her hip to cover some scars, a reminder of what she’s overcome and to spread awareness about the missing and murdered Indigenous women epidemic. She also got the seed of life on her left hand to remind her that she’s in control of her reality…