Rihanna's New Tattoo Explained!

By Jessica Gold Haralson

11/20/2008 at 08:35 AM EST

Got ink?

Rihanna certainly does. The singer showed off a new tattoo on her right wrist Wednesday, as she chatted with reporters at a UNICEF event.

"It's tribal," she said at the charity's annual Snowflake Lighting Ceremony in New York's Grand Army Plaza. "It represents strength and love."

Rihanna also revealed that she got the exotic-looking tat while in New Zealand for a recent tour date.

"It's their traditional way of tattooing," she said of the Maori-inspired geometric design. "I always wanted [one]."

But even for a tattoo enthusiast like Rihanna, this particular method had one big drawback: "It hurt like hell!"

The "Disturbia" singer has a number of other tats – including a cluster of stars on her neck. (Boyfriend Chris Brown has a matching set.)

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