What is a Tribal Tattoo? Is it the same as a Polynesian Tattoo?
The Polynesian Tattoo stems way back from the earliest days of the Polynesian, Maori and Samoan cultures in the South Pacific. The word "Tattoo" in fact stems from "Tatau", "Ta Moko", "Pe'a", "Tatatau", words in the languages of the Polynesian tribal cultures; Hawaiian, Tahitian, and Marquesan to name a few.
Tattoos have deeply significant meanings; from community rankings to area belongings and descriptions. From the shapes of the Tattoo, to the positioning placed on the body, to the combination of certain shapes, all of these factors combine to complete a story. The Polynesian people were and still are tremendous story tellers. They were great visionaries, ocean navigators, fearsome warriors, The Polynesian Tattoo identifies who you are, which area you were bought up in and what village you came from. From your status in your local area to your accomplishments to who your ancestors were, your tattoo indicates in part your rank in society or your village.
How do you rank as an up and coming warrior? There’s a tattoo for that!
In today’s world, how can you tell if a person is a black belt or a red belt in Karate? You just look at their cloth belt. But this was deeper. This was tattoo and there was no going down the store to purchase a black belt. When you met with a Maori warrior – one look at his ‘tatts’ and you would know his village, his family, and his friends just by quickly interpreting his ink.
Tonga and Samoa
It was in Tonga and Samoa that the Polynesian tattoo developed into a highly refined art. Tongan warriors were tattooed form the waist to the knees with a series of geometrical patterns, mostly consisting of repeated triangle motifs, bands and also areas of solid black.
Priests who had undergone a long period of training who followed strictly prescribed rituals and taboos that took place during the tattooing process. For the Tongan people, the tattoo carried profound social and cultural significance.
In ancient Samoa, tattooing also played a hugely important role in both religious rituals and warfare. The tattoo artist held a hereditary and by the same vein, a very highly privileged position. He usually tattooed groups of six to eight (usually men) during a ceremony attended by friends and relatives. The Samoan warrior tattoo began at the waist and extended to just below the knee.
However, it was not unusual for Samoan women to be tattoo too. But the images were limited to things such as a series of delicate flower-like patterns (usually geometrical), on the hands and lower parts of the body.
There Are Different Polynesian Tattoo Styles
Polynesia isn’t a single island, like some people think. It is made up of several islands, and each of those islands has its own unique culture. In addition, every island has its own style of tattoos.
Tattoos evolved in different ways on different islands. Islands had different tattoo masters, and those tattoo masters were the ones that passed their knowledge down to their apprentices. With that said, there are common styles and designs that you can find in most Polynesian tattoos.
As an example, the Lapita design is something that you can find on almost every Polynesian island. It is also common to see geometrical designs shared throughout the different islands. If you have a passion for tattoos, or if you are simply interested in Polynesia, you should try to learn more about the history of Polynesian tattoos.
In places like Polynesia, tattoos have a very deep significance. If you take the time to study these tattoos, you will be able to learn a great deal!
Tools of the trade
Although many years have passed, the tools and techniques of Polynesian tattooing have changed very little. For a very traditional design the skill of tattoo art was usually handed down through generations. Each tattoo artist, was said to have learned the craft over many years of serving as an apprentice.
The advent of Christianity in Tonga witnessed the loss of several indigenous practices such as the practice of tattooing. Although the art of tattooing was retained in the nation of Samoa, it was completely erased in Tonga.
In Samoa, the tradition of applying the tattoo by hand has been unbroken for over 2000 years. Tools and techniques have hardly differed whatsoever. The skill is often passed from father to son, each artist learning the art after many years of serving as an apprentice.
A young artist in training often spent hours at a time, or even days, tapping designs into sand or bark-cloth using a special tattooing comb or au. Honoring their highly revered tradition, Samoan tattoo artists made this tool from sharpened boars teeth fastened together with a portion of the turtle shell and to a wooden handle.
Pain
The permanent marks left on someone after they have been tattooed would forever remember and commemorate their endurance and dedication to cultural traditions. The pain was extreme and the risk of death by infection was a huge concern for many people. However, to shy away from tattooing was to risk being labeled a coward or a "pala’ai" and to then be hated and insulted by the rest of the tribe or clan. The men who could not endure the pain and abandoned their tattooing were left incomplete, wearing their mark of shame throughout their life.
There were few men who refused the traditional "pe’a", the intricate tattoo that covered their body from mid-torso to the knees. The artist would use a mallet to tap the teeth of the ink-laden comb into the man’s flesh, following only simple marks as guidelines.
A tattooing session typically lasted until dusk or until the men could no longer stand the pain and would resume the following day, unless the inflamed skin needed a few days to heal. The entire process could last up to three or even four months. Afterwards, the man’s family would help him to celebrate, despite the pain, by throwing a party and the tufuga smashed a water vessel at his feet, marking the end of the painful ordeal.
The healing process
This process usually took months. The tattooed skin would have to be washed in salt water, to keep infection at bay and then the body area had to be massaged to keep out impurities. Family and friends would assist in the healing process because even extremely simple tasks e.g. walking and sitting, could irritate the inflamed skin and cause great pain. Within six months, the distinctive designs would begin to appear on their skin but it would take almost a year to completely heal.
Placement on the body
Placement on the body plays a very important role in Polynesian tattooing. There are a few elements that are related to specific meanings based on where they are placed. So in short, their placement has an influence on the meaning of a Polynesian tattoo.
Humans are said to be descendants or children of Rangi (Heaven) and Papa (Earth), which were said to once be united. Man’s quest in Polynesian legend is to find that union again, so the body is seen as a link between Rangi and Papa. The upper part of the body is related to the spiritual world and heaven, whilst the lower part of the body is related to the world and to earth.
The placements of some elements on the body, such as genealogy tracks on the back of the arms, suggest that the back may be related to the past and the front to the future.
Gender-wise, left is usually associated with women and the right to men.
1.Head
The head is said to be the contact point to Rangi, and so is related to themes such as spirituality, knowledge, wisdom and intuition.
2. Higher trunk
This area is from just above the navel to the chest and is related to themes such as generosity, sincerity, honour and reconciliation. Some may have noticed that this area is placed directly between Rangi and Papa, in order to have harmony between them balance must exist in this area.
3. Lower trunk
This area goes from the thighs to the navel. This part of the body directly relates to life’s energy, courage, procreation, independence and sexuality. In particular, thighs relate to strength and marriage. The stomach or mid area, is where mana originates form and the navel represents independence due to the symbolic meaning associated to the cutting of the umbilical cord.
Independence is a trait that is valued highly in Polynesian society (as in most others), however individualism is not. All people depending on the sea for sustenance know the important of sociality and socializing. Polynesian people built their culture around this. Family thus becomes a larger group of people that includes all relatives, friends and neighbors, all of which play an important role.
A famous word to define this larger family, comes from Hawaii, the word is ‘Ohana which indicates the familiar group of people who cooperate in the growing, teaching and feeding of children.
4. Upper arms and shoulders
The shoulders and upper arms above the elbow are associated with strength and bravery and they relate to people such as warriors and chiefs. The Maori word kikopuku used to designate this part of the union of the words kiko (flesh, body) and puku (swollen). Puku as a prefix or suffix is also used as an intensifier of the word it qualifies, enforcing the idea of strong arms.
5. Lower arms and hands
From below the elbow, the same word is used to refer both to arm and hand. This part of the body relates to creativity, creation and making things.
Some Polynesian images and motifs
1. Enata (singular)
Human figures, otherwise known as enata in Marquesan language, represent men, women and sometimes gods. They can be placed within a tattoo to represent people and their relations. If they are placed upside down then they can be used to represent defeated enemies. This is one example of the Enata in its singular form.
2. Enata (pattern)
Over-stylized enata joined together in a row of people holding hands form the motif called ani ata, which translates to “cloudy sky”. Polynesian languages and a row of enata in a semi-circular form often represent the sky as well as the ancestors guarding their descendants.
3. Shark teeth (simplified)
Shark teeth or niho mano deserve a space of their own. Sharks are one of the favorite forms that aumakua choose to appear to man. They represent protection, guidance and strength as well as ferocity however, they are also symbols of adaptability in many cultures. This is an example of simplified shark teeth.
4. Shark teeth (complex)
Below are stylizations of shark teeth, in their more complex form as they may be seen in a tattoo.
5. Spearhead (pattern)
Often, this is stylized as a row of spear-heads, below is one variant.
6. Tiki
One meaning of the word tiki is figure, so tiki is the name given to human-like figures that usually represent semi-gods as opposed to atua, who usually appear to men under the shape of animals such as lizards.
The tiki can also represent deified ancestors, priests and chiefs who became semi-gods after their passing. They symbolize protection, fertility and they serve as guardians.
By stylizing the figure over and over there has been a simplified version that has been reached, called the “brilliant eye” where the eyes, nostrils and ears appear to be the prominent elements.
7. Turtle
The turtle or honu is another important creature throughout all Polynesian cultures and has been associated with several meanings. The first being the fact that turtles symbolize health, fertility, longevity in life, foundation, peace and rest.
The word honu, meaning turtle in Marquesan language, has other meanings which encompass things such as joining and stitching together families and representing the idea of unity.
Contrary to what is sometimes believed, turtles drawn upwards do not imply that they are taking the soul of a dead person into the other world. To represent this, a human figured must be placed on or near the shell of the turtle.
8. Lizard
Lizards and geckos are often called mo’o or moko and they play an important role in Polynesian myth. Gods (atua) and minor spirits often appeared to men in the form of lizards and this may explain why the stylized element used to represent the lizard is very similar to the stylized symbol used to represent man.
Lizards are very powerful creatures who bring good luck, communicate between the humans and the gods and who can access the invisible world. On the other hand, they can also bring death and bad omens to people who are disrespectful.
9. Stingray
Stingray tattoos come in several variations and styles, the image can hold symbolic meanings. The stingray has the ability to hide in the underwater sands, mainly from sharks and is able to cover up with sand and lay still. Most sharks can sense prey in the sand based on movement but for the most part the stingray is able to hide and for this reason, its image is classed as a symbol of protection. Other themes that go hand in hand with the sting-ray image are adaptation, gracefulness, peacefulness, danger, agility, speed and stealth.
There will always be more room for information about the Polynesian art of tattooing all over the internet to know what you're tattooing, so always read about it more before you decide to tell your story the best way you can.
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