Only the Atayal and the Saisiyat tatoo primarily on the face, using similar designs. The Saisiyat, however, only tattoo as a result of their being enemies of the stronger Atayal. They see tattooing as a form of self protection, something they feel compelled to do. But they have no deep cultural tradition of facial tattoos, and Atayals were often employed to do the tattooing for them.
這其中，賽夏族的「文面」習俗，實是在與泰雅族長期敵強我弱的情勢下，藉以認同以求自保、不得不為的結果，其實他們本身並沒有深厚的文面文化和基礎。