Santa Muerte Tattoo: Meaning

Who is Santa Muerte?

Santa Muerte, also known as the ‘Bony Lady,’ ‘The Skelton Saint,’ or ‘Holy Death,’ is a folk saint in Mexico.

She is, in fact, the folk saint of death and is worshipped by many in Mexico, some parts of the USA, and in other parts of the world, too.

Santa Muerte is commonly associated with Mexico’s ‘Day of the Dead’, and the religion itself is one of the fastest growing in South America.

There are currently believed to be around 12 – 15 million followers of the Bony Lady. These are primarily located in Mexico, the USA, Central and South America.

She is often represented wearing a skull or as a skeleton, holding a scythe, and dressed in dark robes.

She is commonly associated with death and the afterlife and is believed to help protect people who are at risk or in danger. This could be through illness, a career choice, or life choices, i.e., gang violence or crime.

Perhaps similar to the ‘Grim Reaper’ in other cultures, Santa Muerte is a prominent figure in death and the afterlife, and when people die, she is believed to fulfill God’s orders and collect their souls.

She is also said to grant wishes and watch over people in exchange for gifts and people pledging their devotion to her.

People often offer gifts to effigies of the Skelton Saint, such as cigarettes, prayer cards, candles, and flowers.

Despite many believing that she is a bad omen, Santa Muerte is very misunderstood and is actually believed to bring good luck and good fortune to those who worship her.

Because she is so misunderstood, there are a number of different Santa Muerte tattoo meanings for us to get through.

Santa Muerte Tattoo – Meaning:

Many tattoo artists have recently noticed a sharp increase in the amount of people who are having Santa Muerte tattoos.

If done correctly, these tattoos look amazing.

What’s also great is the fact that different people get them for different reasons.

Some may have a tattoo of the skeleton saint because they want to bring good luck to their lives.

Others may have one to keep them or their loved ones safe, and others may have one because they just look so darn cool.

If you’re thinking of a ‘Bony Lady’ tattoo but first want to learn more about her, here are several Santa Muerte tattoo meaning explanations.

Acknowledging Rejection

Despite many Santa Muerte tattoo meanings being open to a wide range of different interpretations, you tend to find that a lot of people who choose to get these tattoos do so because they have been rejected, or they feel rejected, or like an outcast.

You tend to find that this particular tattoo design is especially popular amongst societies in more marginalized sectors and communities.

Those who have grown up in poverty and migrants, for example, often have tattoos featuring her image.

Santa Muerte tattoos are also very common in the LGBTQ community, as these individuals are often marginalized and rejected by society, especially in more poverty-stricken neighborhoods.

Santa Muerte herself is often rejected by religious individuals, with the Vatican itself denouncing Santa Muerte on a regular basis.

The fact that she is often rejected by religious individuals tends to resonate with society’s more marginalized people, and they highlight this with a Santa Muerte tattoo

For Being Different

Another of the many possible Santa Muerte tattoo meaning explanations that we have for you today is down to how those who feel different often choose this particular design.

Those who feel different, or as if they’re an outcast almost, celebrate this with a Santa Muerte tattoo.

It doesn’t matter whether it’s due to how they dress, how they look, how they talk, how they walk, their sexuality, their job, their lifestyle, or anything else; if these individuals feel almost like social outcasts, they may reference this with a Santa Muerte tattoo.

The reason for why is down to how the Skeleton Lady herself is perceived by most people.

A lot of people perceive her as a bad omen, an evil figure, a Satanic figure, or a bringer of death when, in fact, quite the opposite is true.

Santa Muerte is believed by many to bring good luck and prosperity and to watch over people in this life and the next.

She is not evil at all; she is misunderstood, just like the people who decorate their bodies with her image.

A Sign of Rebellion

As mentioned, the great thing about tattoos and their meanings is the fact that they’re so subjective and open to interpretation.

Each person’s tattoo has a different meaning that is unique to them, and we think that’s great.

For example, another possible meaning of Santa Muerte’s tattoo meaning is that it is there as a sign of rebellion.

A metaphorical middle finger to society and “the man,” if you will.

Santa Muerte is a controversial figure, especially in the world of religion.

She is commonly associated with death, which for most people, is a topic flooded with negative connotations.

Because of this, people feeling rebellious, often choose her image as their primary tattoo design.

By having a Santa Muerte tattoo, people are representing the fact that they have rejected traditional religions and beliefs and have perhaps adopted a more spiritual belief system instead.

They’re not following the herd; they’re going against the norm and are being true to their authentic selves, which in turn can be interpreted as a sign of rebellion.

A Symbol of Danger

While we’ve established the fact that the Bony Lady herself is not actually associated with evil, or negative energy, a lot of people who lead dangerous and controversial lifestyles do tend to get tattoos of her upon their persons.

A fairly large number of criminals and gang members tend to worship Santa Muerte, and pledge their allegiance to her in the form of a tattoo.

Because of this, those who lead dangerous lifestyles may choose to have a Santa Muerte tattoo created.

READ MORE: What Does Dying Rose Tattoo Mean?

In Honor of The Day of the Dead

In Mexico, The Day of the Dead is a national holiday in Mexico usually celebrated in late October, through to the first week in November.

The holiday itself is there to honor and celebrate deceased family members, and to reunite with them, despite them being gone.

The main guests of honor at the celebration are people’s dead ancestors.

Despite its negative name, the holiday is a happy, and joyful affair.

It helps people to remember their loved ones and to celebrate their lives and their memory.

As she is the holy saint of death and the afterlife, Santa Muerte is widely associated with this particular Mexican holiday.

For those who really want to honor their loved ones and embrace this national holiday with open arms, a Santa Muerte tattoo is the perfect way to do so.