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Khamsaa Hougali, 68, a berber woman from the Chaouia region, who has facial tattoos, sits inside her house in Bouhmama near the eastern city of Khenchela, Algeria October 10, 2015. Among the Chaouia people of the Aures mountains, a woman’s beauty used to be judged by her tattoos. "In my case it was different. My stepmother advised me to get tattooed to bring luck after the sudden death of my first three children. My cousin and sister-in-law tattooed me. I had the feeling that God would give me the children I wanted and save my marriage. It was not acceptable to be a wife without having children. Believe it or not, but what I know is, that after being tattooed I had six children and they are still alive," Hougali said. Some believers have told these Muslim women that by allowing the tattoos they committed a sin according to Islam. To make amends, those who regret having the tattoos give away their treasured silver jewellery to the most deprived women they know. Hougali doesn't regret the tattoo, despite been told by religious people around her, that she has committed a sin. "I just followed the tradition of my ancestors and it was for a good purpose as it saved my marriage". (Photo by Zohra Bensemra/Reuters)
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