EC Pakistan '10 A Moore: Mehndi

I wanted to give some quick background information about mendi, or henna tattoos, since we will be doing them in class this week. Derived from the henna plant, or the lawsonia inermis, the leaves are dried, crushed, and then sifted for the best quality. The powder forms a paste when mixed with water or lemon juice. For thousands of years henna has been used as a dye for the skin and hair, but also for its medicinal qualities as well. When applied to the skin in beautifully intricate designs, it is called mehndi. Henna derived from the plant does not form a true black color, but can range from cherry red to brown to orange. When the paste is applied to the skin, usually through the tip of a cone for more precise application, the longer it take for the paste to dry the longer the 'tattoo' will last. To call it a 'tattoo' is misleading because unlike real tattoos, mehndi will only last from a few weeks to a few months at the most. It is also applied on top of the skin as opposed to underneath it. Often used for festivals and wedding ceremonies, mehndi can range from the very simple to extremely intricate.
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