Style

Polynesian

Polynesian tattooing encompasses the living traditions of multiple Pacific cultures — Samoan tatau, Māori tā moko, Marquesan kakau, Hawaiian kakau, and Tongan pe'a among them. Each tradition has its own distinct visual vocabulary, compositional rules, and cultural protocols. In cultures that maintain traditional practice, specific patterns encode genealogy, rank, personal history, and spiritual identity. Receiving traditional Polynesian work from an artist who knows and respects the specific tradition is a fundamentally different experience from getting a Polynesian-inspired Western tattoo. Both exist; both communities have passionate advocates.