Why do polynesians get tattoos

Even thought this is an aged tradition, the tools and techniques have hardly changed. The skill gets handed down from master to disciple, father to son, for strictly traditional designs. Polynesians passed this knowledge vertically to protect it because of its sacred nature. A tattoo served a purpose as it delivered information about its owner. It also was considered a method of harnessing spiritual power, strength and protection. It also defined a person and would show their character as well as positions and levels in a hierarchy.

A tattoo would display their spiritual power or life force, which they referred to as mana. Sea creatures are very common Polynesian symbols and each one has a different meaning, such as mantas, sharks and sea urchins.

These tattoo masters can express a number of meanings by combining different symbols and motifs together. The styles of Polynesian designs varied from island to island depending on the degree of the tribes evolution. It is a mark of dedication to your culture and its traditions. Not only did these tattoos take a long time to complete, but they were also extremely painful. Depending on the part of the body, the process could be excruciating.

It also took courage because getting the tattoo was risky. Throughout history, people had died from blood loss or infection. Because of this, sitting through the pain and the healing process was a very big deal. The act of completing a tattoo said a lot about who you were as a person, both inside and out.

No wonder that simply having a completed tattoo was a symbol of your courage, strength and endurance! Of course, anyone who did not complete their tattoo was viewed as a coward. Instead of a mark of their valor, their unfinished tatau was a mark of shame. Caring for the inflamed skin was a long and difficult process. There was no such thing as sanitizing the area and tattoo tools were not sterile.

The aftermath of the tattoo sessions could include painful, and even deadly, infections. There are many different styles of Polynesian tattoo designs. Each island in the Polynesian Triangle had its own unique set of symbols, each with their own meanings.

For example, traditional Hawaiian, Samoan and Tongan tattoos can be recognized easily by their repetitive geometric shapes. Maori tattooing has distinctive spiral motifs which were not found in the designs of other Polynesians cultures.

One of the easiest ways to tell if a tattoo artist really knowns about Polynesian tattoos is to listen to the descriptions the artist uses. Saying "Maori tattoos" while showing you tattoos with spear head motifs, for example, is a clear sign that the artist has never really learned about Polynesian tattoo traditions. It's very unusual today to see a tattoo that is truly in the "historic" style of one of the islands.

That's because the revival and popularity of Polynesian tattoos caused a strong fusion of the indigenous styles. The resulting tattoo designs are hybrids: they include motifs from various Polynesian tattoo traditions.

Not to mention, they are all considered tribal tattoos in style and use tribal shapes to create imagery that is simple yet effective. The triangle is very versatile: the triangles can be lined up in a horizontal or vertical row, or even diagonally following thick black lines in a large piece. The meaning of the triangle to Polynesians can vary depending on its placement within a larger shape.

As we mentioned when describing the meaning of triangles in Polynesian tattoos, shark teeth are usually shown as empty or filled in triangles, sometimes many of them with many rows and columns in a symmetrical form. There are usually many shark teeth-shaped triangles altogether meant to represent this tribal tattoo artistically. The meaning of the shark tooth tattoo for Polynesians is often protection from evil spirits or from dangers coming your way.

A spearhead or arrow in Polynesian tattoos is typically a triangle that is shaded in to appear to be a sharpened arrow. The spearhead symbolizes strength and power to the Polynesians and most often is received by warriors who want their opponents to fear them. The lizard tattoo is formed by Polynesian tattoo artists with many tribal symbols that when put together form the shape of the lizard.

This lizard tattoo style may look simple, but it is difficult to put so many tribal designs together to create one image. The Polynesians believed lizards have access to the Gods and are communicators between humans and the spirits above. Therefore, they are considered a highly prized tattoo to receive and have the power to help the tattoo wearer in many ways. For Polynesians, especially for Samoans and Hawaiians, the sea turtle and its shell have a special significance as a tattoo.

The turtle is usually shown as a basic body with its limbs sticking out using dark lines and a basic, tribal shape. Though many Polynesians share this tattoo, the meaning of it differs depending on the specific culture. However, the Hawaiians believe the turtle tattoo brings people peace in life and a long, happy life too. If you are thinking about getting a tribal tattoo, you may want to seriously consider getting a Polynesian tattoo. Polynesian tattoos have many similarities and differences which allow you to decide which one is right for you.

The designs that are similar among the Polynesian cultures hold ties to many ancient cultures and will live on by modern people getting these Polynesian tattoo designs. Polynesian tattoos are perfect tribal tattoos for your first tribal tattoo, a sleeve, or even a small wrist tattoo. Alyssa Renee Hardy is a writer, curator, and photographer who publishes articles on the topics of the arts, culture, and social justice. This part of the body relates to creativity, creation and making things.

The same word is used to refer both to leg and foot. Legs and feet represent moving forward, transformation and progress. They are also related to separation and choice.

The feet, being our contact with Papa, Mother Nature, are also related to concreteness and material matters. Joints often represent union, contact. If we look at the body as a reflection of society, we can understand why joints, being the points where different bones meet, represent different degrees of relation between individuals: the farther from the head the chief of the family the greater the distance in kinship, or the lower the status.

Ankles and wrists represent a tie and bracelets placed there often symbolise commitment. Knees are often related to chiefs to kneel before them. Traditional positioning should not keep you from placing your tattoos on any part of the body you may feel appropriate for you: we believe a design should be meaningful to his owner before anyone else.

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. Polynesian languages and a row of enata in a semi-circular form often represent the sky as well as the ancestors guarding their descendants. Shark teeth or niho mano deserve a space of their own.

Sharks are one of the favourite forms that aumakua choose to appear to man. They represent protection, guidance and strength as well as fierocity however, they are also symbols of adaptability in many cultures. This is an example of simplified shark teeth. Below are stylisations of shark teeth, in their more complex form as they may be seen in a tattoo.

Another classic symbol that is used to represent the warrior nature is the spear. Spear-heads are very symbolic in relation to sharp items too and they can be used to represent the sting of some animals. The ocean is a second home to Polynesian people and the place of rest when they leave for their last voyage. Coincidentally, turtles are said to join the departed guiding them to their destinations. So sometimes, the ocean can be used to represent death and the beyond.

Since the ocean is the primary source of food, it is no wonder it impacts so much tradition and myth. All the creatures living in the ocean are associated with several meanings, usually mutated from their characteristic traits and habits. The ocean and the sea can be represented by waves. Here is the simplified version. The stylisations of the ocean can often represent ideas such as life, change and continuity through change.