Topper Tats scours St. Edward’s University to bring you the stories behind the most creative, the most meaningful and the most what-was-I-thinking tattoos inked on our students.

Because they have been tried and tested since the beginning of this nation, many have come to associate Native American culture with strength and determination. Freshman Maria Minor hoped to embody that strength by receiving a permanent piece of artwork on her body.

On her left upper arm is the image of a Native American warrior holding a spear and standing off from a buffalo on the horizon.

“Buffaloes are sacred to Native Americans because they provide them food and warmth,” said Minor, who had been considering this tattoo since age 15.  “They use every part of the