Military tattoo

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A military tattoo is a performance of music or display of armed forces in general. The term comes from the early 17th-century Dutch phrase doe den tap toe ('turn off the tap'), a signal sounded by drummers or trumpeters to instruct innkeepers near military garrisons to stop serving beer and for soldiers to return to their barracks. The term is not related to the word "tattoo" that denotes the body markings, a term borrowed from the Tahitian language. A tattoo was originally a form of military music but it has evolved into more elaborate shows involving theatrics and musical performances. The term is also used to designate military exhibitions, such as the Royal International Air Tattoo.

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