Tatooing
The ancient art of the tatoo is through to have been invented somewhere around 1,500 years ago on Marquesas, and, just like the tikis, it was not long before this tradition spread all over the Polynesian islands. Although no one really knows the source of this ritual or why it was started, tatooing was such an art form by the time that Captian James Cook and his crew landed here that the majority of the crew couldn't resist getting a tatoo before heading back home.
If you listen to the ancient legends of the tatoo, the Ma'ohi used them to adorn each person to please Ta'aroa, the almighty God, who had all of his sons tatooed so they were better able to seduce their entourages. Tatoos are a symbol of beauty and swiftly became something that was essential for every Polynesian to have, the men as well as the women! If a person weren't tatooed, it was considered ok for the entire population to riducule them until they were.
Only the tahua tatau (priests who were specifically authorized to tatoo) were allowed to tatoo, and no one else on the islands were authorized by the Gods to tatoo another person. These priests were highly respected throughout the Polynesian culture, and when a young man was called by the tahua tatau to receive his tatoo, one dared not miss the appointment. These ritual tatooings of the young men in the tribes could be extremely grueling, lasting for days and causing the young man extreme agony until the process were complete.
In the language of Reo Ma'ohi, te tatau literally means 'tapping gently' and the tool used to tatoo was called a 'ta'. This tool was usually a type of comb that was made from bone, mother of pearl, or sea turtle shell and fastened to a long, wooden handle. The ta, along with a wooden palette, was used to hammer the comb into the skin. Through this ancient form of tatooing, these tools made a small incision in the skin to allow the dark ink or coloring into the skin to create various designs and motifs.
The design of the tatoo usually indicated the social rank of the warrior and his origins. Generally, over the years, the whole body of a warrior would become tatooed, except for the face. The only Marquesasans who had their faces tatooed were the chiefs, and usually this only consisted of around the eyes, mouth, ear lobes, and nose. There were several 'schools' that taught the fine art of tatooing, but the most elaborate tatoos were found in Marquesasa. When the missionaries arrived in the 19th century, the ancient art of tatooing was almost lost because it was censored out of the local culture.
Some of the most popular designs were 'Z' shaped broken lines, geometric shapes, birds, fish, and tikis. Women usually only had their wrists and legs tatooed, and those who had just had a child would have their right hand tatooed. Children were tatooed as young as twelve, as a rite to adulthood, and usually children were only tatooed on their shoulders, hips, and buttocks. Different islands had different ways of tatooing and different common motifs that were tatooed on their peoples.
Even today, tatooing is still a major part of the Tahitian custom and is alive on every island that you visit. A vast majority of Tahitians believe that tatooing is a way to help keep their native traditions and culture alive and well. So, while here in beautiful French Polynesia, if you would like to join in and feel like a native, there are plenty of shops all over each island that will be happy to help you pick just the right design for you and your life. You can also rest assured that you are getting top notch work in a clean, sterile environment due to the regulations that the Ministy of Health here in Tahiti place on tatoo parlors and most shop owners are more than happy to abide by.