Tahiti Tattoo - The Art of Tattooing in Polynesia
History
 As
the practice of tattooing has existed in the Polynesian triangle
for hundreds of years, it was probably known by the first migrants
before they settled in French Polynesian islands. The words “tattoo”, “tatoo” and “tattow” come
from the Tahitian word tatau -that can be translated
by “hitting repeatedly”- was used to describe the practice
of writing indelible marks on human skin.
This practice had been ignored by Europeans until Cook discovered
it during his trip to the Marquesas islands. He wrote in
his diary “they print signs on people’s body and call this
tattow” (Voyages of Captain Cook by Banks). Omain,
the first Tahitian to embark to Europe, became rapidly famous
partly because of his tattoos.
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Later, many navigators stopping by the Polynesian islands got
tattooed, thus strengthening the tradition of tattooing among sailors.
Moreover,
some shipwrecked men returned from the South Pacific with their
bodies covered by tattoos : they received the nickname of “beachcombers”.
After their arrival in Polynesian islands, the Missionaries converted
the locals to Christianity and the art of tatooing was completely
forbidden.
Signification
The tattoo art, always alive in the history of humanity, reached
a particularly developed status in Polynesia where it is called
“language of the Ancients” by Tapu BONNET –the oldest tattoo
master of the region. Due to its geographical isolation and its
resistance to the occidental culture, tattoos from the Marquesas
islands constitute the most accomplished style in the whole
Polynesian triangle.
 According
to mythology, the two sons of the God
Ta’aroa -Mata Arhu and Tu Ra’i po’- found this art decorative and
decided to teach it to humans. As there is no writing in the Polynesian
culture, Polynesians used this art full of distinctive signs to
express their identity and personality. Tattooing was used
to identify your status in a hierarchical
society : sex, social status and rank as well as family clans
differentiation.
Tattoo was not only used for social purposes but it was also considered
as a good protection against evil spirits. It was also used
in rites of passage to the adult life for teenagers -around
12 years. During this feast, the young men would show their tattoos
as a proof of the accomplishment of their learning, prior to be
fully admitted in the adults clan and recognized by the community.
This step was compulsory to enter the world of men.
Practice
This art was ruled by strict laws and it reached the entire
Polynesian society over the 5 archipelagoes. It could only be
practiced by tattoo masters, a highly respected profession that
required a long period of learning and training.
 Originally,
signs were made using a sharp burin and the indelible
ink was made out of wood ashes obtained from burned coconut
almonds mixed with coconut oil or warm water. The tools were made
out of bones or animal teeth (sometimes shark teeth), seashells
or turtle shells. They were used with a small mallet to apply
little hits on the skin.
Dr. ROLLIN described the art of tattooing the following way: “the
patient was immobilized most frequently in a sort of vise composed
of two trunks of banana trees between which he was attached and
held tight. The tattooer, accompanied by his assistants, sang a
sort of chant of the occasion syncopated to the rhythm of the tapping
of his little mallet. Each drop of blood was rapidly wiped up with
a scrap of tapa, so that none be allowed to fall to the ground”
Tattoo and the Marquesas Islands
 The
art of tattooing has always been deeply linked to the Marquesian
culture and traditions. Men bodies could be entirely tattooed with
geometrical signs, including the face, and even the tongue.
On the other hand, women only got the shoulders, the inferior region
of the back, the hands and the border of their lips tattooed.
The exceptional variety of designs are usually related to nature
like animals (turtles, sharks, lizards, or tropical birds), plants
(bamboo, cane sugar, coconut palm, pandanus leaves…) or sometimes
to legends or activities like fishing. The most widely spread
figure remains the tiki whose eyes, nose or hands could be
used separately to obtain a more complicated and unique result.
 The
study of the designs on Marquesian bodies allowed us to understand
how someone was positioned in the society : a tattooed face revealed
to which tribe he belonged ; a lizard on the face was a proof of
a very high social rank.
Women over 12 years old had to get their right hand tattooed before
they could prepare a meal and consume it with the rest of the community.
Tattoo in the Society Islands
 In
the 18th century, Wallis had noticed that it was a “universal
custom among men and women to get their buttocks and the back of
their thighs painted with thin black lines representing different
figures”. In the Society Islands, the body was tattooed with
Z-shapes and the face was never touched. Banks wrote : “Men
and women usually carry a Z-mark on each articulation of their toes
and fingers and sometimes around their feet. They also have signs
representing squares, circles, human faces, birds, dogs painted
on their arms and legs. (…) they usually don’t get their face painted
and we saw only one example of the contrary.” Banks had also
noticed that the most commonly tattooed part of the body was the
buttock.
The tattoo practice disappeared more rapidly in Tahiti than in
the other Polynesian islands.
Tattoo in the other archipelagos
 Tattooing
was practiced only in the eastern part of the Tuamotu archipelago.
Women’s hands, shoulders, arms, legs and buttocks carried geometrical
signs whereas men’s bodies and faces were covered by irregular
signs ; triangles and checked designs were reserved to courageous
warriors.
In the Australs, tattooing is similar to what is found in Society
Islands, designs being mostly parallel lines similar to the
tapas they were producing. In the Gambier, tattoo was compulsory
for men but rarely practiced on women. Finally, people from Mangareva
carried a very special design : a circle printed just under the
armpits and in the back. Every year, the circle was darkened to
finally leave a blank cross in the inside.
The Art of tatooing today
After it was forbidden by missioners, the art of tattooing completely
disappeared and it only came back in the 80’s thanks to the
notes and sketches of over 400 drawings made by missionary Karl
Von Steinen. Indeed, it had been totally forgotten !
Today, you will find many places to get tattooed in French Polynesia.
The most popular and appreciated signs are the tiki, the
turtle, the lizard (gecko), the ray as well as a lot of specific
Marquesas designs. The first international festival of tattooing
was organized in April 2000 on the “sacred island” of Raiatea. It
gathered 50 tattoo masters from all over the world and encountered
a big success.
If you want to get a tattoo during your vacation in our islands,
we recommand you to arrange an appointment with Gilles at the Sofitel
Ia ora in Moorea.
Lovistatoo
Tel : +689 56 12 86
e mail : lovisatattoo@mail.pf
Website : http://www.lovisatattoo.com
Sources :
Extract of Tahiti history by Ph. Rey Lescure
Voyages du Capitaine Cook, by Banks
La découverte de Tahiti, by Christian Buchet
Les Iles Marquises, by Dr. Rollin
GIE Tahiti Manava
and special thanks to Polynesian
Tattoo - Past & Present,
by Gotz.
(Book for sale - in English - http://www.gotz.pf
)
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