It means no worries for the rest of your days! Hakuna Matata is an awesome phrase to have inked for anyone that loves the Lion King. And let’s face it, who doesn’t love the Lion King?! When Timon and Pumba start singing their song it’s sure to get stuck in your head all day – and make you super happy and energized.
Hakuna Matata is a phrase that anyone born after 1994 knows quite well. It’s one of the most memorable songs and phrases from the smash hit movie The Lion King. The phrase is an actual Swahili phrase, it’s just not one that is commonly used by native speakers. The phrase Hakuna Matata means essentially “no worries” or “don’t worry, be happy” and an entire generation of kids have grown up with the phrase being a central facet of their lives. It’s no wonder then that the phrase has become a popular tattoo inspiration. Hakuna Matata tattoos are almost as popular as Lion King tattoos and many of the kids who grew up watching The Lion King and singing the popular song Hakuna Matata have a very deep attachment to the phrase. Here are some of the 10 best Hakuna Matata tattoos:
The Lion King
Hakuna Matata appears often in tattoos that feature characters from The Lion King. People who love the movie and get tattoos of the popular characters from the film will often get the phrase Hakuna Matata included in the tattoo as a celebration of the central theme of the movie.
Beach Life
The happy message of the Hakuna Matata phrase was adopted quickly by surfers, boaters, swimmers and other beach goers who live a laid back beach lifestyle. It’s not unusual at the beach to see tattoos of surfboards, board shorts, waves, beaches and boats with Hakuna Matata included in the tattoo. For those who live at the beach it’s not just a phrase, it’s a lifestyle that they love and they take pride in. They show that pride in their beachy Hakuna Matata tattoos.
Words to Live By
Another popular style of Hakuna Matata tattoo is the words themselves tattooed in different colors and fonts. A simple typographic tattoo usually on the arm, around the wrist, over the shoulderblade or on a foot or ankle is a constant reminder to not sweat the problems of life but to let them go and enjoy life.
Devoted to Disney
Some people who really love Disney get the phrase included in Disney theme tattoos. Disney theme tattoos may include many popular Disney characters as well as iconic symbols or phrases as a way to pay tribute to the Disney pantheon. Die hard Disney fans often get their favorite Disney icons and characters tattooed as a way to celebrate their love of Disney.
African Safari
Another style of Hakuna Matata tattoo is to adopt an African theme. Instead of adding in the characters from The Lion King the tattoo art uses silhouettes or portrayals of elephants, lions, and other native African animals with the phrase as a celebration of Africa and animals. One of the great things about the phrase is how many ways it can be used to spread joy and encourage people to relax and enjoy life.
Flower Power
Some people choose to dress up the phrase with flower tattoos. Vines, tropical flowers and tribal artwork look beautiful surrounding the Hakuna Matata phrase. Some artists even will do the lettering in vines to give the entire tattoo a tropical look.
To Infinity
A unique tattoo idea featuring the Hakuna Matata phrase is to use it inside an infinity symbol. The infinity symbol combined with the phrase represent the desire to live life without stressing over the things that you can’t change. It can be a powerful reminder to people to focus on the things they can control instead of what they can’t control.
Bird Style
Birds symbolize freedom and peace, so combining a flock of small birds in a tattoo with the Hakuna Matata phrase is a beautiful tribute to the central theme of the phrase which is to love life and let go of the problems and stresses that make life seem more difficult than it is.
Scripted
There are lots of different fonts that can be used in Hakuna Matata tattoos but one of the prettiest is a cursive script. A simple cursive style script tattoo is elegant and lovely and will look beautiful for many years to come. If you are getting a tattoo of a word or phrase a simple and gorgeous font will make the tattoo a classic piece of art instead of an eyesore.
Symbolic
Even though there is no Swahili symbol for Hakuna Matata there is a symbol that means Hakuna Matata. The symbol is a stylized piece of art created for the film. Some people think that the symbol is an actual representation of the phrase but the Swahili language isn’t pictoral, it uses the Latin alphabet. Still the symbol does mean Hakuna Matata to anyone who has seen the movie and it’s a nice alternative if you don’t want to get a tattoo of the words. The small symbol can be tattooed on the back of the neck or somewhere unobtrusive as a personal reminder of a great life philosophy.
