Polynesian Tattoo Meanings

I want to get a Polynesian style wrist band, but I need to do research on the meanings of the designs. Can anyone help me out? Capthowdy510

I am currently looking for same. If you get some information can u please forward. I will do the same. Any information I will forward your way. Please respond to advise. Thanks

I've been looking everywhere to find a good picture of The Rock's (Dwayne Johnson) tattoo.

Run a search for Polynesian Tattoos by Mo'o. He is an authority, I believe. I think he might be located in the Canary Islands or something, but he might have an email address where you can contact him. Anyway, I'm sure you can find pics of his work online. Good Luck!

I am also currently researching into Polynesian tattoos and I dunno if this will be much help but I did find one site: http://www.tahititatou.com/ which has alot of information on the history of Polynesian tattoos and their meanings! Hell, why not give it a shot? Hope this helps!

If your looking for the rock go toohttp://www.tahititatou.com or Duan Johnson.com and click on the celebraties it will break down the rocks Marquesan/ tahiti syle tattoo. Another person to contact is Tricia Allen at tattoo traditions.com good luck to ya

Hi guys , as all of u i loooove the polynesian style .. I already got 2 polynesian tattoos on my chest. Now in April my back is gettin done... my total left side will get inked ... if u like this style check out ...http://www.jorditattoo.pf/ He makes nice stuff and he lives were the first "tautau" was made so he s one of the good ones...

the best picture i found is on tahititatou.com/therock-engl_1.html...and has the meaning

There r heaps of different meanings. depending on the islands and tribes. try www.tahititatou.com they have a lot of good information

check this one for some very basic meanings: http://www.tattoojohnny.com/polynesian-tattoo-designs.asp For now that's all I could find

Oh and another picture from "the rock"'s tatoo: http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i25/frangipane/tatoo2/db_dwayne-meaning4.jpg

hi there... I was looking for these meanings too. finally I found this site on the net: http://www.tiki-styles.de/ there's also an english version available... I learned a lot about meanings and designs... hope this helps

i just want to say, be careful with what you choose. some designs have special meanings belonging to the tribe, were the carrier has had to accomplish something to deserve that tattoo! like kill a lion with their bare hands or something.. please respect their culture and art and don't get something you don't deserve!! if you like a particular design, just change it up a bit.. there are many designs with no meaning or a lesser meaning which you could get, please keep this in mind.. if you ever go over to their country they will respect you, instead of kill you.. ;)

I just got an indigenous tatau done in New Zealand at Moko Ink. If your going to get it done right, you can't copy another tatau. Each one is custom designed in the meaning for the person who will live with it. Find a good artist, look at his profile to find out what STYLE you like, get some possible ideas for things but you can't go in and be stuck on an idea. If your artist is good, and genuine he will tell you that it will all be done FOR you. There are websites that list artists that do the REAL work.

I'm about to get NYARTMAN - Jeremy Garrett to do my tattoo. He's located in New York City. I'm getting my back tattooed with a dragon. Check out his site at http://www.nyartman.com my tat should be up in a couple of months when it's finished. You won't be able to miss it look for a big Polynesian back piece of a dragon. I've not had much luck finding any information on the meaning of the patterns and symbols any where. It's true is all depends on which particular tribe you belong to and what region you're from. There's no set meaning for the patterns. I think like most people modern or ancient they simple liked the designs and how it made them look. I'm sure someone a 1000 years from now someone will swear up and down that there must be special, deep, spiritual and universal meaning behind all of the modern tribal tattoos everybody's getting now a days. I did find this website www.apat-na-alon-trib.com. There a lot of guys and gals with very cool looking tats but no information as to the meaning. They ask that you don't copy the designs as to all of there special, unique meaning. I don't know sounds like a bunch of young bucks blowing smoke up each others asses to me. It seems that unfortunately most of the true meaning of the symbols (if there ever was any) was lost and these modern day warriors are making themselves feel important by claiming exclusivity to the designs because they happen to be of Polynesian decent. Perhaps I'm wrong and just jaded but I don't think so otherwise it wouldn't be so damn hard to find this information. The site does have some good links to other cool looking work. The history they provide is not sourced so I would take it with a grain of salt and theres no information on the meaning of the symbols used by their modern tribe. If anybody does happen on the rosetta stone pass the info along.

the reason the patterns are not discussed on the website is because traditionally, it was taboo to talk about. by doing so, it is said that the tattoos would lose these spiritual powers. each design has its basic superficial meaning, "mom", "dad", "dialect" etc. which is told to you when you first get the tattoo. after about a year, you go through a special ceremony where you have a reading session with the tribal elders of Apat na Alon, who tell you the deeper meanings of each pattern. after that, you aren't allowed to speak of it. the tribes elders have been doing research on filipino tattoos since the mid 1990's and have been in constant communication with elders from various mountain tribes in the Philippines. because the filipino tattoo culture was almost wiped out by the spainish, that is why there isnt a lot of information readily available online.

I am trying to find a Polynesian Tattooists in Texas. Is that far fetched? Someone point me in the right direction please.

Aloha here in hawaii everyone has a polynesian tattoo. there are tahitians, samoans, hawaiians, and all other polynesian people living here. If you have ever looked at a polynesian tribal tatoo you will see that within the lines and patterns it all creates a story. its not good to copy someone elses tribal because everyone is not the same and has a different life story. you can tell the artist about yourself and let them figure out how to make your polynesian tattoo. (And please do make sure that you do get an artist that knows about the history and meanings of these tattoos.) For example how religion and family might be important to you, and that you would like the tattoo to represent and obstacle that you might have overcome in life or want strength to overcome. different plants and animals also have meaning in the tattoos. for example a turtle could be the amakua (gaurdian) of a family so they get that animal tattoo on them. other natural plants found in polynesia are also encorporated. I know you will love your tattoo. Each person has their own tattoo.

I agree i was in oahu, HI for the past month and half and my last days of being there i got a traditional piece done to go around another peice on my arm. I simple went to the artist and spoke with him and let him freestyle it. A good artist will talk with u and go from there. i told him what i was looking for and that i wanted him to free style it and thats exactly what he did drew out the main frame of it and then went from there i trusted him and it turned out great. please dont copy other peoples tattoos it represents them and there life. you can take an idea and use it as a basis but thats as far as id go.

Kia ora koutou, Hello all...I am a Ta Moko artist,Maori tattoo artist here in the south island of New Zealand,and i am Maori and still still a learner..Firrstly the Tatau is designd specificy for the wearer, his/her(Uakapapa) Genealogy,(Korero) Tribal history,Stories,and in our Culture it is Tapu(Sacred) as it is our link to the past,present and future,although many Ta Moko may look similar,they still hold the personal Uakapapa Genealogy of that person,to copy that Ta Moko/Tatau is to Rip away the Mana(Pride) from that person and it is verry offensive as you most probably wouldnt have any links to there Tupuna,(Anestors)..i have the "Puhoro" which is a Moko from the bottom of my rib cage to just above my knees, and i am able to trace back my Genealogy right back to the first Migrations to Aotearoa over 1000 years ago...so all i am saying is be carefull o what you dedice to put on your body as you may meet someone someday that can read it and ask you about it and you will have no idea about it and most probably feel quite embarrassed.. find someone who knows what there talking about and can design somthing specificly for you...Ka mihi ki a koutou......

Hi Timu, Thanks for your message. It is interesting to read about the meaning of tattoos considering what you meantioned about the past - present - future.

im looking to get a tribal tattoo im looking to get something in the representation of my name.. im looking for zach or zachary.. is there anywhere i can find that kind of tattoo?

im looking to get a tribal tattoo im looking to get something in the representation of my name.. im looking for zach or zachary.. is there anywhere i can find that kind of tattoo?

hey i wanted to get a Polynesian tattoo which means strength ? any suggestions or possibly one that means family? thanks :)

hey i wanted to get a Polynesian tattoo which means strength ? any suggestions or possibly one that means family? thanks :)