Activity: Freshman Hibaaq Shire has taken her love of art and applied it to henna tattooing. It also allows her to connect to her faith.
What is henna?
Henna is a tattoo that can be done just for fun or for special occasions like a holiday. It’s done in a different style than other tattoos. It only lasts for a week or a month, so it’s not permanent.
How much experience have you had with henna?
I’ve done maybe 10 different tattoos. I did it for my mom, some strangers, my aunt, cousins and other people.
When did you get started?
I started doing henna when I was 13- years old. I started working on it by doing drawings on paper and creating designs for henna.
Do you know other people who make henna?
My aunt does henna. She’s opening a store this summer in her house. I plan on getting a summer job there.
Do you ever create your own henna designs?
Sometimes I create my own designs. Some people do the same thing every time but I like to change it up. When I was little I used to like drawing different shapes, so now I take the shapes from when I was little, put them in my designs and use them for henna. It makes the designs more creative.
What do you enjoy about making henna?
It’s fun and I enjoy doing it. You can show other people your designs and feel good about it. It’s also fun to learn new designs.
What are your future plans for henna?
I know I’m not going to do it forever, so I’m just having fun with it. I just do it for fun for people.