Tattoos and Piercings and other modifications

Both tattoos and piercings have a long-standing tradition in the Hikīki community. First depictions of the act of tattooing someone date roughly 12.000 years back and were hand drawn on clay plates. 
It is estimated that in the modern times over 90% of the adult population has at least two piercings and 87% have at least one tattoo.  While teenagers from age 14 and up are allowed to get piercings they have to be at least 17 to be allowed to get a tattoo and the average age of people getting their first one is roughly 23. Since tattoos and piercings are so wide-spread even the smallest settlements have at least one place where you can get one.

Originally, tattoos were only ceremonial and there was a certain set of motives with fixed meanings and placements and only if certain conditions were met someone could get one. Most commonly those were feathers signifying spirituality and unity, which were only available as a tattoo if the person completed their religious study and became a priest, monk or nun. Allowed placements were the biceps, fingers and the palm of the hand.  Soldiers got lines tattooes starting from their lower lip down to the chest. Two lines per fought battle. After retirement they would be combined into an upside-down tree, the lines now serving as the roots. (More motives will be added as i come up with them)
But as time passed, rules got more lax and more and more "contemporary" things were added. During that time tattoos also became available for the general public. Some communities still will refuse to tattoo traditional motives on to everyone who wants them and even in modern times this is still somewhat widespread. Some symbols are more common than others. But most younger Hikīki work the traditional symbols into a bigger more modern motive.
When it comes to outsiders wanting to get traditional motives the reactions and opinions are mixed. Most Hikīki expect the person to be at least somewhat aware of their meaning and why they used to be tattooed. Outsiders who come to the continent to get their tattoos there are viewed more favourable than those who get them in their home country by someone who has no knowledge about the symbolism and culture. So an outsider having a traditional "shield" pattern worked into their motive, because they are a doctor so it fits the traditional meaning is seen as more favourably than someone who gets unfitting motives or simply does not care at all. In rare cases in places like public pools, saunas, hot springs and other places where lots of skin is shown outsiders might get asked about their tattoos and if they are uninformed about the symbolisms they might be denied entrance.