Polynesian Flash
Artists: Aisea Toetu'u, Frederick 'Po'oino' Yrondl &
Tricia Allen |
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Hawaii
Hawaiian tattoo designs are much the same as those seen
on kapa (barkcloth) and decorated ipu (gourds).
Literally they represent things in nature -- shark's
teeth, woven pandanas, sea urchins or the bones of an
eel. All Hawaiian designs however, have kaona or
hidden meaning, which is generally much deeper and
personal.
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Aotearoa
Aotearoa, meaning long white cloud, is the Maori name
for New Zealand. Maori tattoos, in ancient times,
had specific reference to the individual or the person's
family -- they would not be worn or used by any other.
For this reason, the patterns here are loosely based on
traditional Maori design. The most common is
the curved koru, or tree fern and may symbolize growth.
The band patterns are based on the kowhaiwhai or rafter
patterns from the marae or tribal meeting house.
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Tahiti
The tattoos done in Tahiti today are quite
different than those of ancient times.
Before, in Tahiti certain tattoos were strictly
required for women, whereas men's tattoos were
largely optional. Quite a bit was recorded
of the social context of the tattoos -- that is
who wore them and why, but very few of the
actual designs were recorded. Today,
Tahitian artists have adopted the designs of the
Marquesas Islands and created a modern stule,
somewhat reminiscent of traditional Marquesan
designs.
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Fiji
In Fiji, traditionally only the women were tattooed
with simple geometric designs just above the pubic hair
and sometimes on the buttocks. The patterns here
are based on the designs that are painted on tapa or
barkcloth.
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Samoa
Samoa is the only place in Polynesia that has kept the
ancient technique of tattooing alive. The men's
tattoo, called a pe'a, began just above the waist and
extended to just below the knees. The women's malu
covered the same area but was without the heavy black
areas. In ancient times, women's hands were
tattooed as well. The designs are based on the
individual motifs found in both traditional tattoos and
on siapo, or painted barkcloth.
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Tonga
The Tongan tattoo is rarely seen today; in fact we
have only seen one illustration of the tattoo from
ancient times. The style was similar to the Samoan
tattoo, and at one time, would have been worn by nearly
all Tongan males. The designs included here are
based primarily on the designs from the painted
barkcloth.
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The above designs are samples from the
Tattoo Traditions of Polynesia
series of designs that are available from:
Unimax Supply Company
503 Broadway
New York, NY 10012
800-9-unimax
http://unimaxsupply.com
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