Thursday, May 22, 2008

SYMBOLS USED IN A SAMOAN TATTOO

This is another additional part of my Blog.

Every motif of a Samoan tattoo has a name and a meaning. Samoans have got the names of their tattooes from birds, objects, creatures, animals, fish and plants, as these were all useful to them in the past.

Some definitions of these are as follows:

* Faavaetuli - (the tuli's footprint) - the tuli was the bird of the supreme Atua, Tagaloalagi.
* Faaatualoa - (centipede) - believed to be one of a god of the past.
* Faalaupaogo - (panadus leaf) - one of the important plant to the Samoans.
* Faapepe - (butterfly) - one of a useful insect to the Samoans.
* Faagogo - (tern) - another important bird to the Samoans
* Faaupega - (net) - very useful for fishing - for Samoans everyday need.
* Faaanufe - (caterpillar) - a symbol of a new life to a Samoan man.
* Faasigano (male pandanus flower) worn by the Samoan young men for their pride to be real Samoans
* Faamulialiao (shellfish) - one of the most important shellfish to the Samoans

As mentioned before, many of the motifs also have symbolic meanings.

(1) The va'a (canoe) - a black strip about 20-30 cm wide across the back with faaulutao (known as arrow point) at both ends, going towards the front under the armpits, represents the aiga (family) which the wearer of the tatau must protect (with spears).

(2) Pula laiti - also known as tama'i pe'a, the young of the flying fox which she carries under her wings. The wearer of the tatau must protect and nourish his immediate family.

(3) Pula tele - the same principal of caring but for the whole extended family.

(4) Aso laiti - small lines on your sides which are secretly kept for decoration. A symbol of a sister of a young man to be respected and given first preference.

(5) Aso tali itu - other lines propping your sides to symbolise your relationships and accomplishments as a child.

(6) Aso faaifo - known as curved lines, signifying rank and your commitment to your father and mother's family.

(7) Faaila tatau - symbolic of your readiness to serve your family for the rest of your life.

Every Samoan tattoo has all those symbols even though there are different tattoo artists.

To view some of those motifs, visit this website please.
http://www.samoa.co.uk/tattoos.html

See you later.

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Samoan Tattoo Instruments

Hi everyone!!

This is another addition of my Blog.

There are special impliments/instruments used for tattooing in Samoa. These were believed to be invented by their ancesstors, and Samoans are still proud of this invention of their tools, as they have never used any machines which are used by other tattoo artists of today.

The implements' names are as follows:

1. Au - the fine crafted tools or tattooing combs. (these are designed in different widths as they all do different jobs).

The names of different "aus" are:

Au tapulu - This is a wide one used for tattooing large dark areas of the tattoo.
Au sogi aso - Smaller than the "au tapulu" and is used for making thick and thin lines.
Au Mogo - This small one is used to make very tiny marks.
Sausau - This is known as a mallet for tapping the combs (aus)
Tunuma - It is a pot used for keeping the tattoo combs.
Ipu lama - A cup used for holding the dye (ink)
'Au tu'i - It is known as a pestle to grind up the soot (dye)
Lago taafi - is a pillow used to make the part of the tattooed body comfortable (not in the list).

Tattoo instruments mentioned can be viewed in the following websites:

http://collections.tepapa.govt.nz/objectdetails.aspx?oid=232988&coltype=pacific%20c...

http://www.samoa.co.uk/tattoos.html

http://www.pbs.org/skinstories/artists/index.html

http://www.vanishingtattoo.com/samoa_tattoo_kit.htm


N.B.
A au consists of a small comb with finely sharpened teeth, fixed to a shell plate and a wooden handle. The teeth of this small comb is always made of bones or a boar's teeth and sharpened properly to do the job.

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

My Samoan Traditional Tatau


POE ELAMA
Hullo Hisako!

As you have asked a question whether I have a tatau or not, the answer is " YES "and I also like to provide you with the proof of it. I had my Samoan traditional tattoo (tatau) when I was 18 years old, and that photo was taken when I was 28 years of age.

Monday, May 19, 2008

What is a Samoan Tattoo?

Hi everyone!

This is an addition of my blog for this week. A very simple question is:

WHAT IS A SAMOAN TATTOO?

A Samoan tattoo is one with the Samoan traditional motifs or designs, which are tattooed to the man's body, usually from the bottom half of the back, down towards the knees. The Samoan tattoo, also known as a pe'a, covers the entire buttocks, as well as the sides of the torso, and travels directly over the groin area.

For a Samoan tatoo, only black colour was used, from the pigment which was produced from candle nut, then scrape the soot off and mix it with water.
However, tattoo artists of today have done some changes in how to produce the ink, depending on their knowledge of the job.

Tuesday, May 6, 2008

Hi everyone!

In my blog, I will start by explaining you, how the tattoo (tatau)was brought over to Samoa.

This is an interesting legend.

Taema and Tilafaiga were female siamese twins, who were joined at the spine. However, something strange happened caused the spine to break and set them apart. From the legend, which is passed over from generation to generation, the twin went to Fiji to visit one of their Samoan friend, who lived in the royal family of King Tuifiti. While there, they were taught of tattoing and how to use the tattoing instruments by the Fijian tattoo artists.

When returned to Samoa, they were presented with a gift from the king of Fiji which was a basket or a bag of tattooing instruments.While swimming back home, the twins carefully held onto their precious gift while happily singing a chant. If translated into english, the chant would say, women are tattooed and men are not.

Nevertheless, when they reached Samoa at the coastal waters of Falealupo village, they discovered a huge clam (shellfish) at the bottom of the sea. They both dived to get it, but when they came up, the words of their chant were forgotten and they changed the phrase, women are tattooed and men are not,
into
men are tattooed and women are not.
That is the reason why men have the main tattoo (tatau or pe'a)while women have the minor one(malu).

Important Hints:-: Art of tattoing was brought to Samoa from Fiji.-

: Samoa has this art of tattoing for more than 2000 years.

Anyway, this is the translation of the twins' chant (song) in Samoan and in English, to support this part of my research.

Samoan-

1). Le mafuaaga lenei na iloa
O le taaga o le tatau i Samoa
O le malaga a teine e toalua
Na fe'ausi mai Fiti i le vasaloloa
Na la aumai ai o le ato au
Ma si a la pese e tutumau
Fai mai e tata o fafine
Ae le tata o tane

2). A o le ala na tata ai tane
Ina ua sese si a la pese
Taunuu i gatai o Falealupo
Ua vaaia loa o le faisua ua tele
Totofu ai lea o fafine
Ma ua sui ai si a la pese
Fai mai e tata o tane
Ae le tata o fafine.

English-

1) This is the known origin
Of the permitted tatau in Samoa
The journey of two sisters
Who swam in the ocean from Fiji
They brought with them a basket of the tatau tools
And the song they repeated
It said only the women received the tatau
And the men do not

2). The reason why the men received the tatau
Is the sisters sang their song incorrectly
When they arrived at the coastal waters of Falealupo
They saw a huge clam
They dived for it
And when they came up they sang
It said only the men receive the tatau
And the women do not.

Hope that you are clearly understood with the first part of this research.

Comment if you have something to say.-----Bye for now.