Her pieces provoke thought, insight and soul searching. Each canvas – the bodies of her clientele – resonate with colour and beauty adorned by her skilled hands.
Some may refer to her as “Auntie Becs”, the owner of “Simru Henna”, “The Spiritual Philosopher”, and “The Body Artist”, to name a few. But who is Rebecca, the person who has attained all these merits to her name?
“I think I’m a very mysterious person because I don’t really like people knowing too much about me or know me that much, so that part of the question is kind of a hard one to answer. I don’t think I really want to disclose who Rebecca is. I’d say I’m more of an experience so you’d have to experience me as a person, whether my personality or my art.”
We mentioned earlier that you are the owner of “Simru Henna”. What inspired the name and in what year did you start the business?
“The name “Simru” is Mongolian for “Henna”, so it’s basically “Henna Henna”. I’ve been doing Henna for 7 years but I established my business in 2016.”
Henna and Jagua tattoos may be taboo to the Jamaican masses, especially for those who may not be in the creative arts. Could you explain briefly what henna and jagua tattoos are all about, and what makes these different from the traditional or common tattoos the masses are used to?
“Henna and Jagua are two different types of temporary tattoos. They’re both organic – henna is made from an herb and jagua is made from a fruit, usually found in the the South American region. They’re both made into a paste and both are applied as a design on the surface of the skin. Since they are temporary, they will last for about two weeks the most (7 days for some people) because everybody’s skin type is different. I don’t think a lot of people see it as taboo, which describes something more “forbidden”, unusual or not accepted by society. I think Henna is widely accepted by people. It isn’t common in Jamaica which is kind of a good thing, but the more people get to know about it and have the chance to experience they tend to have a liking towards it because it’s so easy to manage or take care of. You can also switch up the designs, and you don’t have the commitment of tattoos which are permanent. ”
Can anyone wear a henna or jagua tattoo, or is it that they need to have a special reason to get one?
“You don’t need a special reason to wear henna, you can just wear it if you want to wear it. Some hennas have meanings, yes, but it’s just for fashion really. Even babies can wear henna – it’s that safe.”
Tommy Lee Sparta was your latest client – what was that experience like working with him, and how has your business been impacted?
“Tommy Lee is a very laidback/ humble person and he has a lot of drive. He helped my business grow over social media and I gained a larger following”.
Where is your business located and how can persons interested in henna and jagua tattoos get in touch with you?
“My business doesn’t have a set location because it’s more convenient for me to go to my clients. Also, as a university student, I don’t have the time to be running a physical business. Getting in touch with me would be over social media on the business page. ”
Could you give a few words of advice for anyone about to begin their entrepreneurial journey or has already started?
“Don’t be afraid to take risks as an entrepreneur, the outcome may be great!”
