Hi, my name is Laila and I’m a hand poke tattoo artist in Canberra, Ngunnawal Country, Australia.I’m a self-taught poke artist and have been tattooing since 2021. Hand poke or ‘stick and poke’ tattoos are made by pushing the needle and ink into the skin manually, one dot at a time, without a machine. When I discovered this traditional tattoo method, I fell in love with it. This technique is the oldest form of tattooing with its ancient origins from around the world including: Egypt, Japan, Rome and Pacific Islands.