Polynesia Tattoo History

It was not until the latter part of the 19 th century that western anthropologists made an effort
to inquire into the significance of tattooing within the context of traditional Polynesian life. A
few papers on Polynesian tattooing appeared in anthropology journals around the turn of the
century, and about the same time several anthropologists wrote books that included
descriptions of Polynesian tattooing. Unfortunately, however, what we know of Polynesian tattooing is only a small fragment of the whole. The vast majority of the designs, together
with the wealth of associated traditions, myths, and religious observances have been lost
forever. And we know little of the significance of  Tattooing as it was perceived by the
Polynesians themselves: we know it only as it was seen through European eyes.


Polynesian tattooing, as it existed before the arrival of Europeans in the South Pacific, was the
most intricate and skillful tattooing in the ancient world. It had evolved over thousands of
years throughout the islands of the Pacific and, in its most highly developed forms, was
characterized by elaborate geometrical designs which were often added to, renewed. and
embellished throughout the life of the individual until they covered the entire body. In beauty
and complexity, ancient Polynesian tattooing rivals the best work of modern masters of the
art.

Where did it come from? And why was it so highly developed in Polynesia? For the answers
to these questions we must look to the geography of the Pacific islands and to the history and
culture of their inhabitants. The tropical islands of the Pacific were characterized by lofty
volcanic peaks, wide valleys, fertile soil, lush vegetation and secluded coral lagoons teeming
with brightly colored fish. The natives were isolated and protected from natural enemies,
predators and disease. To many early European explorers the Polynesians seemed to be the
prototype of the mythical noble savage living in a state of innocence. In Typeer, Herman
Melville wrote of the Marquesans:
In beauty of form they surpassed anything I had ever seen .. Nearly every individual of their
number might have been taken for a sculptor's model.. I have seen boys in the Typee Valley of
whose 'beautiful faces' and "promising animation of countenance" no one who has not beheld
them can form any adequate idea. Cook, in the account of his voyages, pronounces the
Marquesans as by far the most splendid islanders in the South Seas. Stewart. the chaplain of
the U.S. ship Vincennes, in his "Scenes in the South Seas', expresses in more than one place,
his amazement at the surpassing loveliness of the women; and says that many of the
Nukuheva damsels reminded him forcibly of the most celebrated beauties in his own land.'
Unlike the inhabitants of many other parts of the world, Polynesians did not spend their days
struggling to obtain the bare necessities of life in a hostile environment. They excelled at arts
and crafts. Everything they made was decorated' canoes, bowls, war clubs and tools. Even
their bodies were punctured with elaborate designs. Tattooing was a natural part of their life
and art; they had the time, the temperament, and the skill to pursue it and bring it to a high
degree of perfection.

European seafarers who visited the Pacific during the 18th and 19th centuries recognized the
fact that the inhabitants of the islands must have had a common origin. They spoke related
languages, were of similar appearance, and shared many cultural traits. But where did they
come from, and how did they navigate the thousands of miles of uncharted ocean between the
islands? For over two hundred years, academics and popular wriiers concocted a bewildering
variety of theories to answer these questions. Only within the last three decades has the
accumulated evidence of discoveries in archaeology, linguistics, physical anthropology and
botany made it possible to piece together an accurate picture of the migrations of the ancestors
of the Polynesians, who originated in Southeast Asia and gradually populated the islands of
Northern Melanesia, moving on to New Guinea about 50,000 years ago. A few of the larger
islands adjacent to New Guinea were settled significantly later, approximately 11,000 years
ago. By 7,000 BC, the inhabitants of these islands had developed agriculture, fishing
techniques, and sophisticated watercraft capable of long ocean voyages. Within a span of only
300-400 years, these ancient voyagers, (often called Lapita peoples after a type of pottery they
produced) successfully colonized the majority of the islands in Melanesia: the Solomons,
Hebrides, Fiji, Tonga and Samoa. By 1200 BC, a Proto-Polynesian culture was beginning to
develop in Fiji, Samoa and Tonga. Here, over a period of some thousand years. the Polynesian
language, culture and art evolved. Not long before the time of Christ these early Polynesians
embarked on an unprecedented feat of navigation, voyaging over thousands of miles to
discover islands that lay far beyond the horizon. Between zoo and boo AD they sailed east,
establishing settlements in Tahiti. the Marquesas, Easter Island, Hawaii, and most of the
approximately too smaller habitable islands of the Pacific. About 1,000 AD, they settled in
New Zealand, the largest and southernmost of the Polynesian islands.
As they made their way across the Pacific, they left a record of their travels in the form of
pottery and other artifacts. The pottery, which was characterized by fine craftsmanship and a
refined sense of proportion, was produced from about 1500 BC to the time of Christ, and has
been discovered at many archaeological sites throughout Melanesia to Tonga and Samoa. This
pottery provides evidence of the existence of the widespread Lapita culture, ancestor to the
later Polynesian cultures.

Capita pottery is of special interest for the history of tattooing because it provides us with the
oldest evidence as to the nature of the ancient Polynesian tattoo designs. Much Capita pottery
bore incised decorations consisting of V-shaped elements, interlocking geometrical patterns,
and stylized motifs resembling masks and sea creatures. Similar motifs are found in tattoo
designs throughout Polynesia, and even the technique of incising the designs as a series of
closely spaced punctures or stipples suggests that the technique used in the decoration of
pottery was similar to that used in tattooing).
Figurines decorated with similar designs have been found together with tattooing instruments
at many Capita archaeological sites. The instruments, some of which are over 3,000 years old,
consist of flat, chisel-shaped pieces of bone measuring two to four centimeters in length and
filed sharp at one end to form a comb-like series of pointed teeth. Such an instrument was
attached to the end of a long wooden handle. The artist dipped the instrument in a black
pigment made of soot and water and executed the tattoo by striking the instrument with a
small mallet. This technique, which is not found in any other part of the world, was common
throughout the Pacific and is still used today by traditional tattoo artists in Samoa).
Although the production of Capita pottery had ceased by the time of Christ, the art of
tattooing became more and more sophisticated. According to ancient legends, versions of
which have been recorded in Fiji, Tonga and Samoa, two female tattooists brought the art of
tattooing from Fiji to Tonga and Samoa. They embarked from Fiji chanting "women alone are
tattooed, but not the men," but in the course of their voyage they encountered a variety of
misadventures ranging from stubbed toes to encounters with hurricanes and giant man-eating
clams. By the time they arrived in Tonga, they had become confused and were chanting, "only
men are tattooed, but not the wornen.


It was in Tonga and Samoa that the Polynesian tattoo developed into a highly refined art
Tongan warriors were tattooed from the waist to the knees with a series of geometrical
patterns, consisting of repeated triangular motifs, bands, and areas of solid black. Priests who
had undergone a long period of training and who followed strictly prescribed rituals and
taboos during the process executed the tattooing. For the Tongan, the tattoo carried profound
social and cultura significance.
In ancient Samoa, tattooing played an important role in both religious ritual and warfare. The
tattoo artist held a hereditary and highly privileged position. He customarily tattooed young
men in groups of six to eight, during a ceremony attended by friends and relatives who
participated in special prayers and celebrations associated with the tattooing ritual. The
Samoan warrior's tattoo began at the waist and extended to just below the knee. Samoan
women were tattooed as well, but female tattooing was limited to a series of delicate flowerlike
geometrical patterns on the hands and the lower part of the body.
About zoo AD, voyagers from Samoa and Tonga settled in the Marquesas. Here, over a period
of more than a thousand years, one of the most complex Polynesian cultures evolved.
Marquesan art and architecture were highly developed, and Marquesan tattoo designs, which
in many cases covered the entire body, were among the most elaborate in all of Polynesia.
By 1,000 AD the Polynesian peoples had successfully colonized most of the habitable islands
east of Samoa. Distinctive cultural traits evolved in each of the Polynesian island groups, and
by the time of European contact the peoples of the various islands had their own unique
languages, myths, arts and unique tattoo styles.
Polynesian tattooing is briefly mentioned in European ship's logs dating from the 17th and
early 18th centuries, but it was not until the first voyage of Captain Cook, in i769, that it was
described in detail by Cook's naturalist, Joseph Banks, who was one of the more enlightened
of the early European visitors. Tattooing was also described and illustrated by a few of the
naturalists who accompanied later 18th and early 17th century explorers, but most Europeans
took little interest in Polynesian art and culture. In many Pacific islands, the first European
settlers were missionaries who opposed tattooing because of its association with native
religious practices that they saw as superstition and sorcery. Hard on the heels of the
missionaries came colonists who squabbled over possession of the islands, plundered the
natural resources, and forced the natives to wear European clothing and work at menial jobs.
Because tattooing was associated with the traditional Polynesian way of life, it became a
symbol of resistance to European influence and was outlawed by many colonial regimes.
Ironically, as tattooing was dying out in the Pacific, it was becoming popular among
westerners. Before Cook's voyages, tattooing was virtually unknown in Europe. Members of
Cook's crew were the first Europeans to acquire Polynesian tattoos, and the fad spread quickly
in the British Navy as sailors returned home with tattoos as souvenirs of their travels to distant
lands. Sailors learned the technique from Polynesian artists, practiced Its on board ship, and
later retired to establish tattoo parlors in European port cities. Tattooing is the only form of
Polynesian art that has been widely adopted and imitated by westerners.
LANGSDORFF IN THE MAROUESAS, CIRCA 1800
The following selection is taken from Voyages and Travels in Various Parts el the World by
Georg H. von Langsdorff. London, 1513.
The most remarkable and interesting manner which the South-sea islanders have of
ornamenting their naked bodies consists in punctuation, or, as they call it, tattooing. This kind
of decoration, so common among many nations of the earth, merits greater attention from
travelers than it has hitherto received. It is undoubtedly very striking, that nations perfectly
remote from each other, who have no means of intercourse whatever, and according to what
appears to us never could have had any, should yet be all agreed in this practice.
Among all the known nations of the earth, none has carried the art of tattooing to so high a
degree of perfection as the inhabitants of Washington's Islands [the Marquesas]. The regular
designs with which the bodies of the men of Nukubiva are punctured from head to toot
supplies in some sort the absence of clothing; for, under so warm a heaven, clothing would be
insupportable to them. Many people here seek as much to obtain distinction by the symmetry
and regularity with which they are tattooed, as among us by the elegant manner in which they
are dressed; and although no real elevation is designated by the greater superiority of these
decorations, yet as only persons of rank can afford to be at the expense attendant upon any
refinement in the ornament, it does become in tact a badge of distinction.
The operation of tattooing is performed by certain persons, who gain their livelihood from it
entirely, and I presume that those who perform it with the greatest dexterity, and evince the
greatest degree of taste in the disposition of the ornaments, are as much sought after as among
us a particularly good tailor. This much, however, must be said, that the choice made is not a
matter of equal indifference with them as it is with us; for if the punctured garment be spoiled
in the making, the mischief is irreparable, and it must be worn with all its faults the whole life
through.
While we were at the Island, a son of the chief Katanuah was to be tattooed. For this purpose,
as belonging to the principal person in the island, he was put into a separate house for several
weeks which was tabooed; that is to say, it was forbidden to everybody except those who were
exempted from the taboo by his father, to approach the house; here he was to remain during
the whole time that the operation continued. All women, even the mother, are prohibited from
seeing the youth while the taboo remains in force. Both the operator and the operatee are fed
with the very best food during the continuance of the operation: to the former these are days
of great festivity. In the first year only the ground-work of the principal figures upon the
breast, arms, back and thighs is laid; and in doing this, the first punctures must be entirely
healed, and the crust must have come off before new ones are made. Every single mark takes
three or four days to heal; and the first sitting, as it may be called, commonly takes three or
four weeks. When once the decorations are begun, some addition is constantly made to them
at intervals of from three to six months, and this is not infrequently continued for thirty or
forty years before the whole tattooing is complete.
The tattooing of persons in a middling station is performed in houses erected for the purpose
by the tattooers, and tabooed by authority. A tattooer, who visited us several times on hoard
the ship, had three of these houses, which could each receive eight or ten persons at a time:
they paid for their decorations according to the greater or less quantity of them, and to the
trouble the figures required. The poor islanders, who have not a superabundance of hogs to
dispose of in luxuries, but live chiefly themselves upon breadfruit, are operated upon by
novices in the art, who take them at a very low price as subjects for practice, but their works
are easily distinguishable, even by a stranger, from those of an experienced artist. The lowest
class of all the fishermen principally, but few of whom we saw, are often not able to afford
even the pay by a novice, and are therefore not tattooed at all.
The women of Nukuhiva are very little tattooed, differing in this respect from the females of
South-Sea islands. The hands are punctured from the ends of the fingers to the wrist, which
gives them the appearance of wearing gloves, and our glovers might well borrow from them
the patterns, and introduce a new fashion among the ladies, of gloves worked a la
Wsahington. The feet, which among many are tattooed, look like highly ornamented halfboots;
long stripes are besides sometimes to be seen down in the arms of the women, and
circles round them, which have much the same effect as the bracelets worn by many European
ladies. Some have also their ears and lips tattooed. The women are not, like the men, shut up
in a tabooed house while they are going through this operation: it is performed without any
ceremony in their new houses or in those of their relations.
The figures with which the body is tattooed are chosen with great care, and appropriate
ornaments are selected for the different parts. They consist partly of animals, partly of other
that have some reference to the manners and customs of the islands; and every figure has here,
as in the Friendly Islands [Tonga], its particular name. Upon an accurate examination, lines,
diamonds, and other designs, are often distinguishable between rows of punctures which
resemble very much the ornaments called A la Grecque. The most perfect symmetry
is observed over the whole body; the head of a man is tattooed in every part; the breast is
commonly ornamented with a figure resembling a shield; on the arms and thighs are stripes,
sometimes broader, sometimes narrower, in such directions that these people might very well
be presumed to have studied anatomy, and to be acquainted with the course and dimensions of
the muscles. Upon the back is a large cross, which begins at the neck, and ends with the last
vertebra. In the front of the thigh are often figures, which seem intended to represent the
human face. On each side of the calf of the leg is an oval figure, which produces good effect.
The whole, in short, displays much taste and discrimination. Some of the parts of the body,
the eyelids, for example, are the only parts not tattooed....