The Samoan tattoo

Tu Tangata, Issue 19, 1 August 1984, Page 30

The Samoan tattoo

by Mabel Barry

The Samoan tattoo (tatau or pe’a) is a traditional art which has been kept popular down through the ages to the present day despite european influence.

The male tattoo signifies the attaining of manhood and is regarded as a prestigious custom by the Samoans as well as being an art form of beauty and cultural identity. The men are tattooed from the waist down to the knees, while the women are tattooed from the top of the thigh to the knee and sometimes on their hands. The female tattoo is called “malu”. The tattooist uses an adze-shaped tattooing comb to beat the pigment into the skin. A few helpers may assist the tattooist by wiping away excess pigment and blood. Soot is used for the pigment by burning candle-nut kernels. The design used is basically the same in every case. The motifs represent age-old symbols of the sea which feature a boat prow or stern and fishing spear points. The women’s tattoo motifs are of dainty flowers, waves or birds, the work usually done with sharp lemon thorns as tools. Up to the 1900 s the women’s tattoo was still

very popular. Young ladies were known to go in groups to be tattooed. They would never, however, show their tat-

too in public. In the olden days a young man wishing to be tattooed had to confess his sins openly to all his family before he was given permission to be tattooed. Nowadays a young man must be considered of good character and “mana” also, before he can own the tatau as a special privilege. Because it involves many hours of pain the young man must be brave and courageous for once the tattooing sessions have begun the tattoo must be completed or the young Samoan will bring shame on his family as well as himself. The missionaries in the late 1800 s tried to discourage the Samoans from the tradition of tattooing and were successful to a great degree, but a great number of Samoans have carried on the custom in defiance. As a result the tattoo has remained a living art in Samoa and New Zealand amongst young Samoan males.