The Sacred Tattoo Artist of Cambodia

Barefoot, cross-legged and shirtless, 28-year-old Say Teven looks like he just stepped out of an ancient Hindu carving. Although the afternoon monsoon rain beats down around us in Siem Reap, the meditative Say ignores the noise and chaos that surrounds him. Yet calm as he is, tattoo artist Say is mentally preparing to dole out some hard-core pain from his long bamboo rod and razor-sharp steel needle onto my exposed spine.