≡ Polynesian Tattoos - then and now - ancient tattoo symbols turned modern body art
So where did flesh art and the “modern” tattoo originate from? hmmm… I doubt anyone can really say for sure, many would say that what we now know as the modern art of tattoo came from Polynesia and who am I to contradict that?
But tattoos can be found in cave paintings, relics and even ummies all over the world with some going back as far as 2000 - 3000 BC. I just read something that stated that the world’s most spectacular tattooed mummy was discovered by Russian anthropologist Sergei Ivanovich Rudenko in 1948 during the excavation of a group of Pazyryk tombs about 120 miles north of the border between China and Russia.
Anyway, we have seen a huge comeback in “tribal” styled tattoos many of which are Polynesian styled. Tribal style flesh art has become rather trendy in many urban places far from the Pacific Islands that the trend originated from.
It’s hard to walk down the streets in NY or LA without running into people who have “tribal” style tattoos on visible places of their bodies. Any tattoo shop you walk into no matter where it is will have 100’s of these designs and patterns available on their walls, but few people know the meaning behind them, the history or the traditional methods used for centuries. And, yes, the designs are very cool looking which is most likely why we are seeing the trend.
Most of these “polynesian” style tatts are done in the modern method using sanitized equipment and the tattoo gun.
Though few of us who are not from the Polynesian islands would be willing to undergo the painful and lengthy procedure that real Polynesian tattoos necessitate, we might well be attracted to elements of the traditional tribal designs and wish to incorporate them into our own tattoos – using modern
methodsThere are still some artists out there that employ traditional techniques, though most people go with the moderm method now for a few reasons…
1. The pain involved in traditional tribal tattoos is far greater then the modern counterpart.
2. The price, traditional tattoos in Island shops that still offer them are many times more than the modern one. read the pricing from one of the island shops below:
- Regular Tattoo prices: The starting price for a regular tattoo is approximately $100 USD. On average, I would say people spend about $100-200 USD for a regular tattoo.
- Traditional tattoo prices: The starting price for a traditional tattoo is $600 USD. The reason for the difference in price has to do with the amount of labor involved. First, I have to make the traditional tools. I usually use wild boar tusk. Making the tools is time consuming and the tools I make for you, are only for you. You actually get to keep the tools. In addition, I need to hire an assistant to hold your skin flat while I tattoo. I would say most people spend about $1000-1200 on a traditional tattoo.
By tradition the tattoos are very painful and created using a needle. There are other methods involving an instrument that is basically a needle or an object that pierces the skin. The needle is attatched to a match head or bone chisel(very painful) are some other methods. By stretching the skin and using a bone chisel the tattoo is imprinted deep into the skin and also shows bravery due to the pain it causes. It is hit into the area by a small mallet.
In Samoa, the tradition of applying tattoo, or tatau, by hand has been unbroken for over
two thousand years. Tools and techniques have changed little. The skill is often passed from father to son, each tattoo artist, or tufuga, learning the craft over many years of serving as his father’s apprentice. A young artist-in-training often spent hours, and sometimes days, tapping designs into sand or barkcloth using a special tattooing comb, or au. Honoring their tradition, Samoan tattoo artists made this tool from sharpened boar’s teeth fastened together with a portion of the turtle shell and to a wooden handle.
Polynesia is a group of islands spread over the Pacific Ocean (over 1000; Polynesia is the Greek word for many islands).
The Beginning: Tatau in Samoa
Your necklace may break, the fau tree may burst, but my tattooing is indestructible. It is an everlasting gem that you will take into your grave.
Verse from a traditional tattoo artist’s song
The legacy of Polynesian tattoo began over 2000 years ago and is as diverse as the people who wear them. Once widespread in Polynesian societies across the Pacific Ocean, the arrival of western missionaries in the 19th century forced this unique art form into decline. Despite the encroachment of Christian religious beliefs that vilified tattooing as unholy, many Polynesian tattoo artists maintained their vital link to their culture’s history by preserving their unique craft for generations. he pain of traditional tattooing is extreme.
Check out these images below that go back many many generations
Samoan society has long been defined by rank and title, with chiefs (ali’i) and their assistants, known as talking chiefs (tulafale), descending from notable families in the proper birth order. The tattooing ceremonies for young chiefs, typically conducted at the onset of puberty, were elaborate affairs and were a key part of their ascendance to a leadership role. The permanent marks left by the tattoo artists would forever celebrate their endurance and dedication to cultural traditions. The pain was extreme and the risk of death by infection was a great concern. But to shy away from tattooing was to risk being labeled a pala’ai or coward and reviled by the clan. Those who could not endure the pain and abandoned their tattooing were left incomplete, wearing their mark of shame throughout their life.
In the earlr 1980’s, Tahiti began the resurgance which soon spread to the Marquesas and
all over. Samoa is one of the few places that never really quit tattooing. It has several dichotomies in that it is very Christian, yet still drink kava, have tattoos and so forth from their traditional ways. They are still using mostly traditional styles, but as with most places the Western world has had an influence on some. New Zealand is another country that had a continuous tattooing trend, although it was almost entirely western styles. Today it too is having a resurgance in traditional ways. The maori people have full body tattoos, although not in the way the movie Once Were Warriors potrayed them. Some women have even began to get the chin and lip tattoos that their distant relatives once wore so proudly. Easter Island or Rapa Nui has probably the largest proportion of tattoos. 1 in 5 peope have tattoos and many are of traditional patterns.
Here are images of more tribal tattoos some are done with modern tattoo techniques while others used the traditional method.
Tattoos have many meanings in these cultures. In Samoa it is an initiation into manhood. No matter what accomplishments one might have, the males are still considered boys until their tattooing is complete. Women here also have more tattooes than in other areas. Although not as elaborate as the males, it is still of great importance. There are also tattoos
for criminals, which might be a good idea to implement here in are western society. The most extensive and exquisite tattooing takes place in the Marquesas. Tahiti and many other places have adopted their styles. Some have tattoos with very intricate detail, while others tell a story, and yet others might be very extensive and cover the entire body.
New Zealand: Aotearoa (Maori for NZ) is where the Maori people live. Tattoo art or Ta Moko as they call it, is a very important aspect of their culture. Discover all about Maori Tattoos here
Hawaii: Hawaiian tattoo designs are distinct from other Polynesian tattoos in that sense that they have a more personal meaning. Popular today are Hawaiian flowers, turtles and abstract tribals. Learn more about Hawaiian Tattoos
Easter Island (Rapa Nui): the tattoo designs of the inhabitants of the Easter Island have a huge variety: stylized boats, vaginas, spears, birds, geometrical patterns, …. Women and men had a combination of bold lines and dots on their forehead, from one ear to the other. The tattoos made their skin sacred and enabled them to communicate with the gods.
Samoa: Samoan tattoos are generally very large and denote the social status and rank of the man or woman who wears it. See further.
Tonga: the Tongan tattoo is similar to the Samoan tattoo.
The Cook Islands: the tattoo designs of the Cook Islands were spread over the entire body. Each tribe had its own tattoo sign.
French Polynesia (Tahiti): traditionally, only people of a high social ranking had tattoos. Tahitian tattoos covered the whole body, except the face. Women as well as men were tattooed. The women were tattooed at a very young age. Later they are tattooed again when they reach sexual maturity. When they desired a man, they would show their
tattoos by lifting their skirts.
The Marquesa Islands: a group of islands in French Polynesia with a deeply rooted tattoo tradition. The people of the Marquesa islands were the most heavily tattooed of all the Polynesian tribes.
Several other islands which now house distinct ethnic groups.
Though they are distinct, a lot of cultural similarities remain. For example, practically all of these people practice the art of tattooing, and they do so in startlingly similar ways. Tattoo art was very important in the Polynesian culture. Because they had no written language, tattoos were used to depict social status, family history and spirituality.
The Motives For Polynesian Tattoos
Reasons the Polynesian people had tattoos:
- The tattoos were a symbol of courage. The tattoo process was very painful and a lot of perseverance was needed to endure the long tattoo sessions.
- Getting the first tattoo marks the transition between childhood and adulthood. It is a rite of passage.
- Tattoos added to the sexual attractiveness of a man.
- Tattoos offered protection, they were a talisman.
- Polynesian tattoos read like a book. By looking at a tattoo, insiders get to know the social status and rank of the tattooed person.
- Samoan Tattoos
Typical Samoan Tattoo Design
Samoan tattoos received a lot of attention since the time of first contact with people in that region.
There is no doubt that the Samoan tattoo is particularly impressive for several reasons – including the intricacy of the design and the painful process that those being tattooed had to undergo.
The tattoos for men are called pe’a. Samoan tattoo designs would be impressive regardless of their size, but when they cover almost half of a man’s body, starting from just under the ribcage, and continuing down to the ankles, they are particularly striking.
The tattoos for women are called malu. They can be as big as the male tattoos, but they don’t have the large black areas. The Samoan women also had tattoos on their hands.
On Samoa the art of tattooing stayed alive throughout history, where in other parts of Polynesia tattoos disappeared after missionaries banned them.
Samoan Tattoo Patterns
Samoan tattoo patterns are highly meaningful to those of that culture, and that is something we can grasp just be looking at a Samoan tattoo, even without knowing what its precise meaning is. The tattoo patterns and symbols are complex and abstract, consisting of a lot of interlocked, interwoven shapes and patterns.
As mentioned before, they are also remarkable because of the sheer expanse of skin that they occupy – and especially when the tattooing is done using the traditional methods, this is a real endurance test for the person being tattooed. Instead of needles, the skin is punctured using a pig’s tooth or shark’s tooth.
Not finishing a tattoo once it is started is a source of shame.
Though few of us would be willing to undergo the discomfort necessary to get real Polynesian tattoos, incorporating some of the symbols and patterns into a modern tattoo is a different matter. Polynesian tattoos certainly have a striking, timeless appeal.
A traditional polynesian tattoo artist - Lesa Moli Li’o
Lesa Moli is a Samoan farmer and tattoo artist. He learned to make the tools of the trade from his father, who was also a tattoo artist. These tools are made from sharpened boar’s teeth fastened together with a piece of turtle shell, tied together with Mautofu wood. The dye he uses is created from gasoline because it is readily available and burns easily. 
Lesa Moli Li’o
From his father, Moli received instruction on mentally designing tattoos and envisioning on what parts of the body they would look best. He would then go around his village, Siumu, to look for men to practice on.
In Samoan tradition, a person needs to complete his cultural body tattoo in order to fulfill his traditional duties. According to Moli, in order to do this one must visit the Matai’s gathering abode to be taught the traditional ways of conduct and service that is synonymous with completing his new tattoo attire. He is then ordained to enter the realm of the Alii’s for his final approval. If he is unable to complete his tattoo, he is branded a coward and shames his family and his children.
Samoans keep their traditional values sacred, and Moli feels only Samoans should receive Samoan tattoos. In his opinion, people should not receive tattoos from cultures that are not their own.
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