The word TATTOO is from the Samoan word TATAU

Our history speaks of 2 sisters who swam to Samoa from *Fiti with tools/knowledge of tatau. They chanted only women were to be marked, not men but on arrival to Samoa, the chant was reversed that men were marked & not women

*depending on whose retelling of this story: Fiti is either Fiji or Fitiuta, a village on Manu'a.

Personally the Fijian version makes sense to me as it fits with Fijian & other Melanesian tattoo history where it was said to be practiced only by women

Our men are marked with the Pe'a (left) & women are marked with the Malu (right).

These practices survived colonisation and religion and are our most sacred and traditional forms of tatau.

Today tatau has evolved in many beautiful ways. My favourite Samoan tatau artist at the moment are Tyla Vaeau, Alipate Fetuli & Michael Fatutoa

My fav tatau from Alipate Fetuli (Laei, Hawai'i)
https://www.instagram.com/alipate_fetuli/ 

Specifically love the geometrical shapes in his work evident in these pieces

My fav tatau by Michael Fatutoa (Tampa, Florida)
https://www.instagram.com/samoan_mike/ 

Always loved his line work, always so clean. His animal tatau are just on another level!