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May 25, 2023

5 Young Polynesians Share the Significance of Their Tattoos

By Honestine Fraser As AAPI month comes to a close, we’re taking a moment to

By Honestine Fraser

As AAPI month comes to a close, we’re taking a moment to highlight the rich culture and achievements of Pacific Islanders with our Heart of the Pacific series. From celebrities to fashion designers to grass roots climate activism and tribal tattoos, these stories are worth celebrating throughout the year.

Tatau, kākau, tatatau, tā moko, tattoo. Across the globe, storytelling shows up in many different forms. For Polynesians, a prominent form of storytelling has always been through the art of the tattoo.

Throughout our history, Polynesian cultural practices were traditionally passed down verbally. As a result, tattoos were often used as forms of expression and communication. In an interview with National Geographic, tattoo artist James Samuela shared that in ancient times, tattoos "served as a form of ID or social rank, keeping track of the genealogy of the family, and representing important milestones."

In modern times, it has become a rite of passage for young people to continue to carry on these traditions from their ancestors, telling their own personal stories and the stories of their families through the intricate and complex ink on their skin. "The underlying common denominator for any kind of tattoo in Polynesia is pride. We're so proud to wear the markings on our bodies. I do think it brings to light a lot of other issues that are kind of existing. A lot of us are so far removed from our roots. We're not on the islands," Tiana Liufau, creative director of Nonosina Dance shared with Teen Vogue. "It's very much so an outward proclamation of your cultural identity. We're in such a melting pot that I think it's something that we're really proud of."

And while we proudly wear these tattoos (my own small tatau sits just below the back of my neck and honors my late grandmother), it's important to note that Polynesians are also not a monolith. Liufau continues, "As much as we are celebrated as one as Polynesians, we are also very different in our own ways, and these symbols mean different things, and they're done in different ways.

Tattoos take on different meanings, have different cultural impacts across Polynesia, and can be placed differently on the body. In Samoa, the malu is a sacred tattoo for women placed just above the knees, and not everyone can get it as it must be granted with permission from your elders. The Māori moko kauae in Aotearoa (New Zealand) is also a sacred tattoo for women typically placed on the chin that comes with its own special, spiritual journey.

There's a fine line between cultural appreciation vs. appropriation for those who are not Polynesian and want to get a traditional tatau. While many non-Pasifika people have gotten them, there is still a debate on who should have them. Many would agree that it is a sacred practice that should not be taken lightly. Before you decide to commit, your research must first be done to understand the significance of what the tattoo represents for your culture and yourself. "When you get one, you need to start your journey. You need to call upon your ancestors, their names, and where they were born. Before the ink even hits your skin, that's the real rite of passage," Liufau says.

Below, five young Polynesians share their own stories behind their tattoos and the importance, responsibilities, and traditions that come along with them.

Illustration by Shyama Kuver / Design by Liz Coulbourn / Tattoo by Si'i Liufau & A-Town Tattoo

Teen Vogue : From your perspective, can you share the significance of the malu tattoo?

Lolua Tauanu’u: It's basically an act of service to your family, to your home, and to your culture.

TV : Did you need special permission from a cultural standpoint to get it?

Tauanu’u: Yes, I did have to get permission from not just my parents, but my grandma and my grandpa. And they had to say "yes" in order for me to get it.

TV : When you got your malu, was that a hard decision for you to make being so young? It's a big deal and it takes time for people to think about. How did you make the decision?

Tauanu’u: Yeah, it was. My parents asked me many times if I was ready. And when they first asked me, I was indecisive about it. I didn't want to get it and be judged because I didn't know how to speak Samoan. I didn't want to be judged by others about it. At first I was like, "No, I don't think I should get it."

But then my mom and my sister were telling me that when I get it, this can open me up to the culture and this can be the start of understanding the language and understanding more of the culture. And that's when I made the decision to get it. And not only did I make the decision to get it for that, but I wanted to get it for my papa and my mom. I just wanted to follow in their footsteps and was ready to start my journey in understanding the culture and the language and traditions.

TV : Are there any specific meanings to some of the symbols in your malu?

Tauanu’u: Yeah, there are. The [designs] in the front of the leg represent the woman's tribe, the woman's council, the village council, and the chief council.

TV : And not anyone can get it just because they like the design, right?

Tauanu’u: Yeah. It's not something to get just because you want it, just because it looks cool. Because it's not something that you're supposed to show off. Most of the time I have to wear clothes that cover it because it's not something to expose for everybody to see. That's why it's sacred. It's something that is meaningful.

TV : How do you feel now that you have it? Do you feel more connected to your culture and doing more things to be involved in your culture?

Tauanu’u: Yeah. Now, I dance a lot for cultural events including funeral ceremonies and get-togethers. I do all of the traditional duties. I serve my church and the community now, too.

TV : Is there anything else that you want to share or you want people to know about Samoan tattoos?

Tauanu’u: When I got mine it was a spiritual journey. Getting a Samoan tattoo is a spiritual journey. And you have to be strong and you connect with your ancestors and your culture.

TV : When you say spiritual journey, what do you mean by that?

Tauanu’u: You have to connect with your ancestors. It helps you get through, you need to ask them for strength. When you're feeling weak and when you feel like you can't do it any more, you ask them for strength, you ask help from your ancestors. And it's like you're praying to them.

Illustration by Shyama Kuver / Design by Liz Coulbourn / Tattoo by Allek Gaoay

Teen Vogue: Can you share more about your background and family?

Brayden Deocampo: My grandparents are Kānaka Maoli (Native Hawaiian) from Hilo and Laie, Hawai'i.They came to California because they pioneered moving hula to the west, to the mainland. That's kind of how we got here.

TV : Can you describe in your own perspective, what traditional Hawaiian tattoos are? What are they called and the significance in Hawaiian culture?

Deocampo: It's called kākau. It's like tatau (Samoan word for tattoo) but with K's. Tattoos generally feature symbols and designs of cultural and personal significance in Hawaiian culture. So a lot of it will be a representation of maybe your background, your family, prosperity, or for courage and they can range. For instance, my tattoo symbolizes my family and I put tea leaves on it to signify blessings.

It could also be an animal that could symbolize something or you could put together a lot of intricate patterns and bold lines where you'll see it on sleeves. Hawaiians believe in aumakua, which are like a spirit animal and in a sense, who you came from, your strengths and weaknesses as an animal. So I think that a lot of animal tattoos in the culture stem from the word aumakua.

TV : Do you think tattoos play a big part in storytelling in Hawaiian culture?

Deocampo: Definitely. It's like a different form of storytelling. For Hawaiians, we have hula which is storytelling, and this is just a different way of symbolizing without saying words, but with tattoos, depending what your tattoo is.

TV : Can you share more about the symbols in your own tattoo that have different meanings?

Deocampo: For the most part, my tattoo symbolizes family. But there are a lot of patterns that can mean different things. For instance, triangles can mean sharks or shark teeth. Spearheads can mean power, but it could also mean provider for your family. I have a lot of trapezoids, a lot of group triangles and some spearheads within my tattoo. A lot of that is just family-based meanings, like provider for your family and just grouping together beings.

On my wrist I have these triangles. Each triangle is a shark and each shark represents a family member in my immediate family. And then along my forearm there's a tea leaf on it, which in Hawaiian culture represents blessings.

TV : Would you say it's a norm in your culture to get tattoos at a young age?

Deocampo: It is most definitely a common thing. People get tattoos at a young age I'd say. It's kind of like a rite of passage into adulthood, kind of like a bar mitzvah, but whenever you're ready for it.

Illustration by Shyama Kuver / Design by Liz Coulbourn / Tattoo by Si'i Liufau & A-Town Tattoo

Teen Vogue : Why did you decide to get a malu?

Sydney-Rae Lolesio-Pua,: I decided to get it because not only does my great-grandmother have it, but my grandmother does, too. My dad also has a pe'a (male equivalent of the malu), so I wanted to be a part of that with him. [...] My dad was pretty open about me getting it. But first he wanted me to learn about it more and the meaning behind it, instead of getting into it and not knowing what comes with it.

TV : Does your malu tell a story with the designs?

Lolesio-Pua: It's tied more to my dad's side of the family. My great-grandmother and my grandmother have [designs] that tie into my malu, but it also ties into my dad's pe'a. So the fusi, the design above my knee and below, I have that with my dad. I just wanted [mine] to be more like my dad's.

TV : What responsibilities come with it now that you have it?

Lolesio-Pua: It's an act of service to my family, my community, my people, but more to myself. I would say it's more representative of my family.

TV : What does your malu mean to you personally?

Lolesio-Pua: To me it reminds me that I'm becoming a young Polynesian woman. But there are higher expectations within my family to continue growing. It's important to me because not only does it show my culture, it shows how it extends to my family.

TV : Do you feel closer to your culture now that you have it?

Lolesio-Pua: Yeah, I wasn't really into my culture that much, but after getting the malu and learning about it more, it got me closer to my culture and feeling connected.

TV : Let's talk about Polynesian tattoos in general. Is it the norm for people to get these tattoos so young?

Lolesio-Pua: Yeah, and every tattoo has a meaning behind it. There's always a meaning or story behind the tattoo.

TV : What do you think about people that aren't Polynesian or Pacific Islanders that get these kinds of tattoos?

Lolesio-Pua: I think they should learn more about it and the meaning behind it before they get it. So they know what they're getting into.

Illustration by Shyama Kuver / Design by Liz Coulbourn / Tattoos by Hene Tattoo & AJ Tafisi

Teen Vogue: How do you say "tattoo" in Tongan?

Sione Hala: It's called tatatau in Tongan.

TV : How old were you when you got your tattoo and why did you decide to get one?

Hala: I was 16. It was the first half of the top part of my tattoo because I got each one in halves. I got it because I played football, and I wanted something that would show my culture in football. As I'm [on the field], I wanted people to know basically what I am about. I'm Polynesian, and I'm simply Tongan. So I got the tattoo to show that more and bring out my culture in me.

TV : Can you share what some of the designs in your tattoo mean?

Hala: Some of the designs represent armor, armor against everything. I have heilala flowers, the flower of Tonga, to represent where I come from. It also means new blossoming and good luck in life. I have four different fala (traditional mats) patterns on my sleeves because my grandma weaves those. I have a row of spears that come up to my shoulder, representing coming from a long line of warriors.

TV : Would you say it's the norm in Tongan culture to get tattoos so young?

Hala: Yeah. I mean, my dad did it, and I know a couple of my cousins that did it too. But I guess it just depends on your family, really. But I'd say, yeah. The majority of us get it when we're pretty young.

TV : How do you feel about people that aren't Polynesian or Pacific Islander that get these tattoo designs?

Hala: I try not to mind it, but honestly, I don't necessarily agree with it. There are some non-Polynesian people that I grew up with that [say] they always wanted one. They would ask me what I thought, and then I'd obviously tell them no. I don't like it just because that's not your culture to be doing that.

Illustration by Shyama Kuver / Design by Liz Coulbourn / Tattoo by Mata Lino

TV : Can you share more about your background and where your family is from?

Raelynn Hymas: My dad, his siblings, his mom, his grandparents, they were all born and raised in Pago Pago, American Samoa so I am first generation here [in the US]. He and his siblings were brought out here closer to his senior year of high school. My mom is Filipino, born and raised in the Philippines as well.

TV : From your own perspective, what is the significance of traditional Samoan tattoos or the meaning behind them? Why do people get them?

Hymas: I think a lot of tattoos have to do with respect for your family, and I think that that's what a lot of the meaning behind them are. My dad has a sleeve that shows his journey on how he was brought here essentially. Aside from that, more traditional ones are like the malu.

I think that it's just in respect of your family and culture and shows your path in your life. So I think that, respectfully, it's a lot of symbolism. Like on my back, [I have] a manu bird and mine shows protection from my grandma. So I think a lot of it is symbolism in respect to your ancestors.

TV : Why did you decide to get your tattoo, and how old were you?

Hymas: I got mine at 20 years old. I always wanted a tattoo, a Samoan tattoo specifically, because I wanted to show respect for my grandma and my dad. I have the manu bird to represent my grandma because the bird in the culture shows prosperity and protection. So that's why I got her at the top of my neck. And then the whole symbol itself is my dad's sleeve just in a different form because I believe that I am my dad just in a different form.

So all of his tattoo designs from his journey, I just put on my back to show respect for who he is and how he got here. And then, I got a tattoo on my foot when I was in Samoa with my family. And that one I got matching with my sister and my cousin. That one is also in respect of my grandma and my great-grandma. There's a fish on each side and in the middle it's connected, and that just shows that we are all connected.

TV : How do you feel about people who aren't Pacific Islander or Polynesian that get these sorts of tattoos?

Hymas: I would never just get a Samoan tattoo without knowing what the symbols meant, what it meant to myself, what it meant to my family. So I think that if someone else is going to do it, I would just hope that they would have respect for the culture. And I mean deep respect for the culture and knowing what they're putting on their body or have a tie to the Polynesian community.

TV : Do you think tattoos play a big part in storytelling in Samoan culture?

Hymas: Yes. And I think that you would just have to look beyond surface level to understand the story. Same for a hula or siva (dance). You have to look beyond just the movements and beyond the patterns.

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