The History of Polynesian Tattoo Art
Tattoo design in Polynesia:
The history of tattoo art in Polynesia dates back over 2000 years. Polynesian culture elevated the tattoo art to the highest levels in the ancient world. They believed that a person’s life force is displayed through the tattoo on their body. The whole art form is woven into their songs, legends and rituals. The Polynesians generally used elaborate geometrical designs in their tattoos.
They were often renewed and added to over the lifetime of the individual until the entire body was covered.
When Europeans first came to the Samoan Islands, their first description of the natives included the tight woven silk pants they thought they were wearing. Little did they know, the natives were covered in tattoos. It took them a few days to realize their legs were covered in ink. The word “tattoo” is derived from the Samoan word “tatou”, which refers to the tapping of the traditional tool used to mark the skin. The tools and tattooing techniques have remained the same for centuries. The tool is made from sharpened boar’s teeth connected with a turtle shell and attached to a wooden handle. The tatou technique is usually passed on from father to son. They would start out practicing on sand and tree bark, and spend years as an apprentice to their father.
The Samoan tattoo art ritual was test dedication to the cultural traditions of the tribe. Tattooing in the traditional way was very painful and carried with it risk of death by infection. Those who could not endure the pain were left with their tattoos incomplete. This was seen as a mark of shame and it forever brought dishonor to their family. Samoan tattooing is so traumatic to the skin that it sometimes could take up to a year to fully heal and truly show the magnificence of the artwork.
Polynesian Tattoo Pictures Gallery
The Meaning of Polynesian Tattoos
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