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Hawaiian Tribal Tattoos are considered a blend of today’s popular tribal designs blended with traditional Hawaiian symbolism. The two styles complemented each other and created this new style. In ancient times, you could identify the wearer’s social status through his tattoos. Some designs were reserved for the gods, others for priests and others for the ari’i. The tufuga ta tatau will start by stretching the skin, using his hands to pull it taut.
Ocean (simplified)
Hawaiian tattooing, also known as kakau, holds a rich history that dates back thousands of years. It is deeply intertwined with the Polynesian culture, specifically in Hawaii. The art of tattooing played a significant role in ancient Hawaiian society, serving as a means of cultural expression, personal identification, and spiritual protection.
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Stingray Polynesian Tattoo Designs
Polynesian tattoos, rooted in rich cultural traditions, are a form of body art that hold deep significance in Polynesian culture. These intricate designs are characterised by bold geometric patterns, symbols, and motifs that vary across different Polynesian islands. Tattoos served as a rite of passage, representing a person's status, lineage, and life journey.
The Meanings Behind Hawaiian Tattoo Symbols
An arrow facing in the same direction is quite a positive symbol and means success over the foe. The spearhead is the classic symbol of all times to represent the warrior inside you. They can be used to represent protection and endurance and in fact, an animal’s sting.
This pattern almost looks like an Arabic Henna design and covers the whole leg and the thigh of the wearer. This tattoo pattern covers half the chest and looks quite attractive. Polynesian patterns are so creative that it can easily be passed as a wrist band. The side of the stomach, on the ribs, is quite a sensuous place to get tattooed.

The Polynesian symbols are collaborating together to form a feather that looks quite alluring. Feathers as a design pattern are already quite in vogue and symbolize a connection to the other world. Although we have described the importance of the traditional placement for you, it should not be a limitation or a reason for you to not get inked wherever you want. The patterns should be significant to the wearer before anyone else and it is your body you are going to get marked for the rest of your life. This is below the higher trunk and covers the area from thighs to the navel.
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Spearhead symbols are used in combination with other symbols to express different meanings. Turtle shells symbolize fertility, peace, wealth, and longevity of life. A few intricate turtle shells designs might carry more meaning depending on the elements embedded in them.
Unusually, Samoa was able to continue its tattooing traditions during the reign of Christianity on the island. However, other islands like Tonga lost the tradition until the tattooing resurgence of the 1960s. To simplify, the Polynesian tattoo is just a general term used for tattooing traditions throughout the Pacific islands.
In Hawaiian mythology, Kū or Kūkaʻilimoku is one of the four great gods. If you are looking for some symbolism in your Hawaiian tribal tattoo, Ku presents some fabulous opportunities. As the husband of the goddess Hina, together, they formed dualism. The word kū in the Hawaiian language means “to stand” while one meaning of Hina is “to fall.” These gods are highly respected in the Hawaiian culture. Every Polynesian culture has its own tattoos, with different designs, tools and techniques.

This tattoo of Lono is an amazing representation of the Hawaiian culture of worshipping and tribal life. As it has been done in the picture, you can add colors to your traditional black and white Polynesian tattoo too to enhance its beauty. This tattoo design has incorporated not only the Koi fish, which represents good fortune, but also vibrant colors which gives it a distinctive look.
He narrated the behaviours of the Polynesian people in his voyage, which he called tattaw. He also brought a Tahitian named Ma’i to Europe and since then tattoo started to become rapidly famous, predominently because of the tattoos of Ma’i. These words are rather similar and this reflects how closely related Polynesian cultures are with the ocean, as they believe that the ocean guarantees life. However, the downside to this new fascination was that tattoos were being worn with little understanding of their cultural connotations. In addition, European colonialism banned tattooing in the 18th century due to religious views about marking one’s body. When she's not writing or managing Tattoo HQ, Bella connects with fellow artists and aficionados at conventions.
Almost all the creatures are linked with several metaphorical meanings that links our traits with theirs. Another way of representing the ocean is through the symbol of waves. We have created this list exactly for this purpose, to help you guide through this. Since these are mosaics and geometrical pattern which includes various small symbols to make a whole, there are many micro symbols incorporated too.
The Polynesian form of tattoo designed grew further into a popular kind of artform since it was produced in nations like Samoa and Tonga. In Tonga, especially, the warriors embellished themselves with these kinds of tattoo patterns from their knees to the waist. Unlike the modern-day tattoo artists, at that time, it was the priests who got trained for years and obeyed rituals who were responsible for this tattooing process. Regarding the rich symbolism, in the Togan culture, it held a significant implication for the people. These tattoos often feature intricate designs with cultural significance, reflecting elements of Polynesian heritage and symbolism. They can symbolize strength, resilience, and personal identity.
Maori tattoo culture is unique because, traditionally, Maori tattoos are most often done on the head. Polynesian tattoos are part of a wide genre of tattoo styles that span over many islands in the Pacific. Accurate depictions of animals weren’t typically used in traditional Polynesian tattooing, but they’ve become more prevalent in recent years.