More on Ricky Martin’s Aramaic Tattoo

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Well, I came across the following news story on Ricky Martin’s website dated August 10th (right around one of the many times I’ve tried to contact him):

“Our Lord’s Prayer in Hebrew – Even though the meaning of this tattoo has been questioned on the Internet, in 2006 the Puerto Rican star exhibited a series of symbols wrapped around his right arm that, in his own words, represent Our Lord’s Prayer in Hebrew.”

Not only was it questioned on the internet here at The Aramaic Blog, but Mr. Martin’s official website has made a crucial mistake. The text is certainly not in Hebrew: It is in Syriac Aramaic, written in the Estrangela alphabet, identically (albeit out of order) as the Lord’s Prayer is found in the Syriac Peshitta.

Estrangela is only used to write in the Syriac dialect of Aramaic (and in some rare historical cases Arabic, this extension known as Garshuni). The website Omniglot (one of my favorites) has a great set of articles about Syriac and Hebrew writing systems:

As does Wikipedia:

Please take a close look and decide from yourself which language and writing systems are employed. 🙂

Peace,
–Steve

6 thoughts on “More on Ricky Martin’s Aramaic Tattoo”

  1. Have you seriously tried to contact hi regarding this matter? I am sure he knows about his tattoo. Anyways I am very fascinated by the language. Please check out my website as well, thanks

  2. I have tried to contact him numerous times over the past few years.

    When I was finally successful, I feel that the response was not as kind as it should have been. Since his lawyer requested me not to disclose the content of his response publicly, I have chosen to respect that request.

    I’ll be sure to give your site a look in the near future.

    -Steve

  4. hi there…. i was just googling about Ricky Martin’s Tattoo, since he’s on Oprah. I was just telling my mom it looks arabic/ aramaic. Anyways looked familiar. Your blog popped up when googling. sorry to read that they weren’t very nice. Since it’s the truth.
    I’m Iraqi; Mandaean actually. I see that you posted blogs about that. Very interesting, and thank you.
    I don’t read Arabic or Aramaic since my parents left Iraq when i was 6 months old and never looked back.
    It’s hard to find more detailed information than what’s already posted out there.
    Shukren, Sincerely Noor

  5. This text is tattooed in Aramaic, I’m an altar boy in the Syrian Orthodox Church (Aramaic church). In the church every day I read this text, it is the text of our father in heaven (Aboën dbesmayo). This is not an Arab or Assyrian text.

    greets daniel

  6. This text is tattooed in Aramaic, I’m an altar boy in the Syrian Orthodox Church (Aramaic church). In the church every day I read this text, it is the text of our father in heaven (Aboën dbesmayo). This is not an Arab or Assyrian text.

    greets daniel

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