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(Created page with "<html><div class="mw-content-ltr" dir="ltr" id="mw-content-text" lang="en"><div class="floatright"><a class="image" href="/index.php?title=File:Ka%27ava-1.gif"><img alt="Ka'ava-1.gif" height="358" src="/images/0/01/Ka%27ava-1.gif" width="311"/></a></div> <p>The <b>Marquesas Islands</b> are an island group in French Polynesia. The islands are approximately 1,000 miles (1,600 km) northeast of <a href="/index.php?title=Tahiti" title="Tahiti">Tahiti</a>, and were first settl...")
 
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<html><div class="mw-content-ltr" dir="ltr" id="mw-content-text" lang="en"><div class="floatright"><a class="image" href="/index.php?title=File:Ka%27ava-1.gif"><img alt="Ka'ava-1.gif" height="358" src="/images/0/01/Ka%27ava-1.gif" width="311"/></a></div>
[[File:Ka%27ava-1.gif|thumb|right|311px|alt=Ka'ava-1.gif]]
<p>The <b>Marquesas Islands</b> are an island group in French Polynesia. The islands are approximately 1,000 miles (1,600 km) northeast of <a href="/index.php?title=Tahiti" title="Tahiti">Tahiti</a>, and were first settled almost 2000 years ago by the Polynesians.
</p><p>The islands deserve a mention here as the <b>Marquesan tattoo</b>ing tradition has had a great influence on today's artists.
</p>
<table class="toc" id="toc"><tr><td><div id="toctitle"><h2>Contents</h2></div>
<ul>
<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-1"><a href="#Marquesan_Tattoo_Tradition"><span class="tocnumber">1</span> <span class="toctext">Marquesan Tattoo Tradition</span></a></li>
<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-2"><a href="#Hand_Tattoos"><span class="tocnumber">2</span> <span class="toctext">Hand Tattoos</span></a></li>
<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-3"><a href="#Marquesan_Motifs"><span class="tocnumber">3</span> <span class="toctext">Marquesan Motifs</span></a></li>
<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-4"><a href="#Ear_Tattooing"><span class="tocnumber">4</span> <span class="toctext">Ear Tattooing</span></a></li>
<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-5"><a href="#Other_Tattoo_Traditions"><span class="tocnumber">5</span> <span class="toctext">Other Tattoo Traditions</span></a></li>
<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-6"><a href="#Related_Articles"><span class="tocnumber">6</span> <span class="toctext">Related Articles</span></a></li>
<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-7"><a href="#External_Links"><span class="tocnumber">7</span> <span class="toctext">External Links</span></a></li>
</ul>
</td></tr></table>
<h2> <span class="mw-headline" id="Marquesan_Tattoo_Tradition">Marquesan Tattoo Tradition</span></h2>
<p>Boys received their first tattoos in their teens in a ritual setting, and by old age often had tattoos all over their bodies. Women were also tattooed, but nowhere near as extensively as the men.
</p><p>The designs share many symbolic motifs, but were never copied entirely; every individual's tattoos were different and signified his position in the family.
</p><p>The sailors on board the ships of Captain <a href="/index.php?title=James_Cook" title="James Cook">James Cook</a> and other explorers from the West brought tattooing back with them, influenced by the designs they had seen on the inhabitants of these islands. These early tattoos, on the bodies of sailors, began the reintroduction of tattooing to the West.
</p><p>While tattooing is still performed on the Marquesas Islands, the images no longer carry their former significance, and are generally done with a <a href="/index.php?title=Tattoo_Machine" title="Tattoo Machine">tattoo machine</a> rather than by the traditional method.
</p>
<h2> <span class="mw-headline" id="Hand_Tattoos">Hand Tattoos</span></h2>
<p><b>Hand tattooing</b> is an important part of Marquesan tattooing, containing both specific iconography and individualized application. While some designs are male or female oriented, there is some interchange between the two.
</p>
<table style="text-align: center;">
<tr>
<td> <div class="thumb tright"><div class="thumbinner" style="width:202px;"><a class="image" href="/index.php?title=File:Marquesan_hand_tattoo-1.gif"><img alt="" class="thumbimage" height="112" src="/images/thumb/9/9f/Marquesan_hand_tattoo-1.gif/200px-Marquesan_hand_tattoo-1.gif" width="200"/></a> <div class="thumbcaption"><div class="magnify"><a class="internal" href="/index.php?title=File:Marquesan_hand_tattoo-1.gif" title="Enlarge"><img alt="" height="11" src="/skins/common/images/magnify-clip.png" width="15"/></a></div>Male hand tattoos</div></div></div>
</td>
<td> <div class="thumb tright"><div class="thumbinner" style="width:152px;"><a class="image" href="/index.php?title=File:Marquesan_hand_tattoo-2.gif"><img alt="" class="thumbimage" height="152" src="/images/thumb/1/11/Marquesan_hand_tattoo-2.gif/150px-Marquesan_hand_tattoo-2.gif" width="150"/></a> <div class="thumbcaption"><div class="magnify"><a class="internal" href="/index.php?title=File:Marquesan_hand_tattoo-2.gif" title="Enlarge"><img alt="" height="11" src="/skins/common/images/magnify-clip.png" width="15"/></a></div>Female hand tattoos.</div></div></div>
</td></tr></table>
<h2> <span class="mw-headline" id="Marquesan_Motifs">Marquesan Motifs</span></h2>
<p>The following are a few examples on hands of <b>Marquesan tattoo motifs</b>:
</p>
<table style="text-align: center;">
<tr>
<td> <div class="thumb tright"><div class="thumbinner" style="width:152px;"><a class="image" href="/index.php?title=File:Fanaua-1.gif"><img alt="" class="thumbimage" height="246" src="/images/thumb/f/fa/Fanaua-1.gif/150px-Fanaua-1.gif" width="150"/></a> <div class="thumbcaption"><div class="magnify"><a class="internal" href="/index.php?title=File:Fanaua-1.gif" title="Enlarge"><img alt="" height="11" src="/skins/common/images/magnify-clip.png" width="15"/></a></div><i><b>Fanaua</b></i> is a kind of evil spirit</div></div></div>
</td>
<td> <div class="thumb tright"><div class="thumbinner" style="width:149px;"><a class="image" href="/index.php?title=File:Nutu_Kaha-1.gif"><img alt="" class="thumbimage" height="277" src="/images/e/e2/Nutu_Kaha-1.gif" width="147"/></a> <div class="thumbcaption"><div class="magnify"><a class="internal" href="/index.php?title=File:Nutu_Kaha-1.gif" title="Enlarge"><img alt="" height="11" src="/skins/common/images/magnify-clip.png" width="15"/></a></div><i><b>Nutu Kaha</b></i> symbolizes a mouth or muzzle, and has a number of different versions.</div></div></div>
</td>
<td> <div class="thumb tright"><div class="thumbinner" style="width:152px;"><a class="image" href="/index.php?title=File:Piaotiu-1.gif"><img alt="" class="thumbimage" height="247" src="/images/thumb/e/eb/Piaotiu-1.gif/150px-Piaotiu-1.gif" width="150"/></a> <div class="thumbcaption"><div class="magnify"><a class="internal" href="/index.php?title=File:Piaotiu-1.gif" title="Enlarge"><img alt="" height="11" src="/skins/common/images/magnify-clip.png" width="15"/></a></div>'<i><b>Piaotiu</b></i> means "to fold or to make into bundles."</div></div></div>
</td></tr>
<tr>
<td> <div class="thumb tright"><div class="thumbinner" style="width:152px;"><a class="image" href="/index.php?title=File:Pohu-1.gif"><img alt="" class="thumbimage" height="191" src="/images/thumb/9/98/Pohu-1.gif/150px-Pohu-1.gif" width="150"/></a> <div class="thumbcaption"><div class="magnify"><a class="internal" href="/index.php?title=File:Pohu-1.gif" title="Enlarge"><img alt="" height="11" src="/skins/common/images/magnify-clip.png" width="15"/></a></div><i><b>Pohu</b></i> is a legendary character.</div></div></div>
</td>
<td> <div class="thumb tright"><div class="thumbinner" style="width:152px;"><a class="image" href="/index.php?title=File:Poka%27a-1.gif"><img alt="" class="thumbimage" height="165" src="/images/thumb/0/0c/Poka%27a-1.gif/150px-Poka%27a-1.gif" width="150"/></a> <div class="thumbcaption"><div class="magnify"><a class="internal" href="/index.php?title=File:Poka%27a-1.gif" title="Enlarge"><img alt="" height="11" src="/skins/common/images/magnify-clip.png" width="15"/></a></div><i><b>Poka'a</b></i> symbolizes a wooden sholder rest used for carrying a pole</div></div></div>
</td>
<td> <div class="thumb tright"><div class="thumbinner" style="width:152px;"><a class="image" href="/index.php?title=File:Ka%27ava-1.gif"><img alt="" class="thumbimage" height="173" src="/images/thumb/0/01/Ka%27ava-1.gif/150px-Ka%27ava-1.gif" width="150"/></a> <div class="thumbcaption"><div class="magnify"><a class="internal" href="/index.php?title=File:Ka%27ava-1.gif" title="Enlarge"><img alt="" height="11" src="/skins/common/images/magnify-clip.png" width="15"/></a></div><i><b>Ka'ava</b></i>, meaning "ridge pole," often running centrally down the hand.</div></div></div>
</td></tr>
<tr>
<td> <div class="thumb tright"><div class="thumbinner" style="width:152px;"><a class="image" href="/index.php?title=File:Ka%27ake-1.gif"><img alt="" class="thumbimage" height="239" src="/images/thumb/e/ee/Ka%27ake-1.gif/150px-Ka%27ake-1.gif" width="150"/></a> <div class="thumbcaption"><div class="magnify"><a class="internal" href="/index.php?title=File:Ka%27ake-1.gif" title="Enlarge"><img alt="" height="11" src="/skins/common/images/magnify-clip.png" width="15"/></a></div><i><b>Ka'ake</b></i> represents the armpit, but it is not tattooed <i>on</i> the armpit per se</div></div></div>
</td>
<td> <div class="thumb tright"><div class="thumbinner" style="width:152px;"><a class="image" href="/index.php?title=File:Kea-1.gif"><img alt="" class="thumbimage" height="85" src="/images/thumb/1/15/Kea-1.gif/150px-Kea-1.gif" width="150"/></a> <div class="thumbcaption"><div class="magnify"><a class="internal" href="/index.php?title=File:Kea-1.gif" title="Enlarge"><img alt="" height="11" src="/skins/common/images/magnify-clip.png" width="15"/></a></div><i><b>Kea</b></i> can represent the woodlouse, the tortoise or a carved plaque of a tortoise shell and has a number of variations.</div></div></div>
</td>
<td> <div class="thumb tright"><div class="thumbinner" style="width:152px;"><a class="image" href="/index.php?title=File:Koua%27ehi-1.gif"><img alt="" class="thumbimage" height="221" src="/images/thumb/a/ad/Koua%27ehi-1.gif/150px-Koua%27ehi-1.gif" width="150"/></a> <div class="thumbcaption"><div class="magnify"><a class="internal" href="/index.php?title=File:Koua%27ehi-1.gif" title="Enlarge"><img alt="" height="11" src="/skins/common/images/magnify-clip.png" width="15"/></a></div><i><b>Koua'ehi</b></i> represents coconut leaves.</div></div></div>
</td></tr>
<tr>
<td> <div class="thumb tright"><div class="thumbinner" style="width:152px;"><a class="image" href="/index.php?title=File:Po%27i%27i-1.gif"><img alt="" class="thumbimage" height="123" src="/images/thumb/1/19/Po%27i%27i-1.gif/150px-Po%27i%27i-1.gif" width="150"/></a> <div class="thumbcaption"><div class="magnify"><a class="internal" href="/index.php?title=File:Po%27i%27i-1.gif" title="Enlarge"><img alt="" height="11" src="/skins/common/images/magnify-clip.png" width="15"/></a></div><i><b>Poi'i</b></i> represents a coiled shellfish and has many versions.</div></div></div>
</td>
<td> <div class="center"><div class="thumb tnone"><div class="thumbinner" style="width:62px;"><a class="image" href="/index.php?title=File:Hei_ta%27vahna-1.gif"><img alt="" class="thumbimage" height="85" src="/images/c/c8/Hei_ta%27vahna-1.gif" width="60"/></a> <div class="thumbcaption"><i><b>Hei ta'vahna</b></i> representing a crown of cock's feathers, sometimes tattooed across the palm.</div></div></div></div>
</td>
<td> <div class="thumb tright"><div class="thumbinner" style="width:152px;"><a class="image" href="/index.php?title=File:Mata-1.gif"><img alt="" class="thumbimage" height="115" src="/images/thumb/0/03/Mata-1.gif/150px-Mata-1.gif" width="150"/></a> <div class="thumbcaption"><div class="magnify"><a class="internal" href="/index.php?title=File:Mata-1.gif" title="Enlarge"><img alt="" height="11" src="/skins/common/images/magnify-clip.png" width="15"/></a></div><i><b>Mata</b></i> represents eyes and has many variations.</div></div></div>
</td></tr></table>
<p><br/>
</p>
<h2> <span class="mw-headline" id="Ear_Tattooing">Ear Tattooing</span></h2>
<p>Tattooing of the ear (puaina) was usually, but certainly not always, limited to women.
</p>
<table style="text-align: center;">
<tr>
<td><div class="thumb tright"><div class="thumbinner" style="width:666px;"><a class="image" href="/index.php?title=File:Marquesan_ear_tattoo-1.gif"><img alt="" class="thumbimage" height="143" src="/images/0/05/Marquesan_ear_tattoo-1.gif" width="664"/></a> <div class="thumbcaption">Common ear tattoo motifs</div></div></div>
</td>
<td><div class="center"><div class="thumb tnone"><div class="thumbinner" style="width:128px;"><a class="image" href="/index.php?title=File:Omuo_puaina-1.gif"><img alt="" class="thumbimage" height="138" src="/images/3/34/Omuo_puaina-1.gif" width="126"/></a> <div class="thumbcaption"><i><b>Omuo Piana</b></i> is similar to a carved bone earring.</div></div></div></div>
</td></tr></table>
<h2> <span class="mw-headline" id="Other_Tattoo_Traditions">Other Tattoo Traditions</span></h2>
<ul><li>Shoulders were commonly tattooed in Marquesan culture. This particular one is a band across the arm, just below the fall of the shoulder, on a woman of Tai-Pi Vai, Nuku Hiva.
</li></ul>
<div class="center"><div class="thumb tnone"><div class="thumbinner" style="width:190px;"><a class="image" href="/index.php?title=File:Marquesan_shoulder_tattoo-1.gif"><img alt="" class="thumbimage" height="147" src="/images/0/0a/Marquesan_shoulder_tattoo-1.gif" width="188"/></a> <div class="thumbcaption">(based on a sketch by <a class="new" href="/index.php?title=E._S._Handy&amp;action=edit&amp;redlink=1" title="E. S. Handy (page does not exist)">E. S. Handy</a>)</div></div></div></div>
<ul><li>Traditionally some Marquesan women tatttoed their lips, also called <i><b>koniho</b></i>.
</li></ul>
<div class="center"><div class="thumb tnone"><div class="thumbinner" style="width:433px;"><a class="image" href="/index.php?title=File:Koniho.jpg"><img alt="Koniho.jpg" class="thumbimage" height="257" src="/images/0/05/Koniho.jpg" width="431"/></a> <div class="thumbcaption"></div></div></div></div>
<h2> <span class="mw-headline" id="Related_Articles">Related Articles</span></h2>
<ul><li><a href="/index.php?title=Tribal" title="Tribal">Tribal</a>
</li><li><a href="/index.php?title=Polynesia" title="Polynesia">Polynesia</a>
</li></ul>
<h2> <span class="mw-headline" id="External_Links">External Links</span></h2>
<ul><li> <a class="external text" href="http://www.airtahitimagazine.com/us_version/tahiti_mag.asp?num=24&amp;art=2" rel="nofollow">Marquesan Tattooing - Air Tahiti magazine article</a>
</li></ul>


'''The Marquesas Islands''' are an island group in French Polynesia. The islands are approximately 1,000 miles (1,600 km) northeast of [[Tahiti]], and were first settled almost 2000 years ago by the Polynesians.


</div></html>
The islands deserve a mention here as the '''Marquesan tattoo'''ing tradition has had a great influence on today's artists.
 
== Contents ==
# [[#Marquesan_Tattoo_Tradition|Marquesan Tattoo Tradition]]
# [[#Hand_Tattoos|Hand Tattoos]]
# [[#Marquesan_Motifs|Marquesan Motifs]]
# [[#Ear_Tattooing|Ear Tattooing]]
# [[#Other_Tattoo_Traditions|Other Tattoo Traditions]]
# [[#Related_Articles|Related Articles]]
# [[#External_Links|External Links]]
 
== Marquesan Tattoo Tradition ==
Boys received their first tattoos in their teens in a ritual setting, and by old age often had tattoos all over their bodies. Women were also tattooed, but nowhere near as extensively as the men.
 
The designs share many symbolic motifs, but were never copied entirely; every individual's tattoos were different and signified his position in the family.
 
The sailors on board the ships of Captain [[James Cook]] and other explorers from the West brought tattooing back with them, influenced by the designs they had seen on the inhabitants of these islands. These early tattoos, on the bodies of sailors, began the reintroduction of tattooing to the West.
 
While tattooing is still performed on the Marquesas Islands, the images no longer carry their former significance, and are generally done with a [[Tattoo Machine]] rather than by the traditional method.
 
== Hand Tattoos ==
'''Hand tattooing''' is an important part of Marquesan tattooing, containing both specific iconography and individualized application. While some designs are male or female oriented, there is some interchange between the two.
 
[[File:Marquesan_hand_tattoo-1.gif|thumb|right|200px|alt=Male hand tattoos|Male hand tattoos]]
[[File:Marquesan_hand_tattoo-2.gif|thumb|right|150px|alt=Female hand tattoos.|Female hand tattoos.]]
 
== Marquesan Motifs ==
The following are a few examples on hands of '''Marquesan tattoo motifs''':
 
[[File:Fanaua-1.gif|thumb|right|150px|alt=Fanaua is a kind of evil spirit|'''Fanaua''' is a kind of evil spirit]]
[[File:Nutu_Kaha-1.gif|thumb|right|147px|alt=Nutu Kaha symbolizes a mouth or muzzle, and has a number of different versions.|'''Nutu Kaha''' symbolizes a mouth or muzzle, and has a number of different versions.]]
[[File:Piaotiu-1.gif|thumb|right|150px|alt='Piaotiu means "to fold or to make into bundles."|'Piaotiu' means "to fold or to make into bundles."]]
[[File:Pohu-1.gif|thumb|right|150px|alt=Pohu is a legendary character.|'''Pohu''' is a legendary character.]]
[[File:Poka%27a-1.gif|thumb|right|150px|alt=Poka'a symbolizes a wooden sholder rest used for carrying a pole|'''Poka'a''' symbolizes a wooden shoulder rest used for carrying a pole]]
[[File:Ka%27ava-1.gif|thumb|right|150px|alt=Ka'ava, meaning "ridge pole," often running centrally down the hand.|'''Ka'ava''', meaning "ridge pole," often running centrally down the hand.]]
[[File:Ka%27ake-1.gif|thumb|right|150px|alt=Ka'ake represents the armpit, but it is not tattooed on the armpit per se|'''Ka'ake''' represents the armpit, but it is not tattooed on the armpit per se]]
[[File:Kea-1.gif|thumb|right|150px|alt=Kea can represent the woodlouse, the tortoise or a carved plaque of a tortoise shell and has a number of variations.|'''Kea''' can represent the woodlouse, the tortoise or a carved plaque of a tortoise shell and has a number of variations.]]
[[File:Koua%27ehi-1.gif|thumb|right|150px|alt=Koua'ehi represents coconut leaves.|'''Koua'ehi''' represents coconut leaves.]]
[[File:Po%27i%27i-1.gif|thumb|right|150px|alt=Poi'i represents a coiled shellfish and has many versions.|'''Poi'i''' represents a coiled shellfish and has many versions.]]
[[File:Hei_ta%27vahna-1.gif|thumb|center|60px|alt=Hei ta'vahna representing a crown of cock's feathers, sometimes tattooed across the palm.|'''Hei ta'vahna''' representing a crown of cock's feathers, sometimes tattooed across the palm.]]
[[File:Mata-1.gif|thumb|right|150px|alt=Mata represents eyes and has many variations.|'''Mata''' represents eyes and has many variations.]]
 
== Ear Tattooing ==
Tattooing of the ear (puaina) was usually, but certainly not always, limited to women.
 
[[File:Marquesan_ear_tattoo-1.gif|thumb|centre|664px|alt=Common ear tattoo motifs|Common ear tattoo motifs]]
[[File:Omuo_puaina-1.gif|thumb|centre|126px|alt=Omuo Piana is similar to a carved bone earring.|'''Omuo Piana''' is similar to a carved bone earring.]]
 
== Other Tattoo Traditions ==
* Shoulders were commonly tattooed in Marquesan culture. This particular one is a band across the arm, just below the fall of the shoulder, on a woman of Tai-Pi Vai, Nuku Hiva.
 
[[File:Marquesan_shoulder_tattoo-1.gif|thumb|centre|188px|(based on a sketch by E. S. Handy)]]
 
* Traditionally some Marquesan women tatttoed their lips, also called '''koniho'''.
 
[[File:Koniho.jpg|thumb|centre|431px]]
 
== Related Articles ==
* [[Tribal]]
* [[Polynesia]]
 
== External Links ==
* [http://www.airtahitimagazine.com/us_version/tahiti_mag.asp?num=24&art=2 Marquesan Tattooing - Air Tahiti magazine article]

Latest revision as of 07:49, 17 September 2023

Ka'ava-1.gif

The Marquesas Islands are an island group in French Polynesia. The islands are approximately 1,000 miles (1,600 km) northeast of Tahiti, and were first settled almost 2000 years ago by the Polynesians.

The islands deserve a mention here as the Marquesan tattooing tradition has had a great influence on today's artists.

Contents

  1. Marquesan Tattoo Tradition
  2. Hand Tattoos
  3. Marquesan Motifs
  4. Ear Tattooing
  5. Other Tattoo Traditions
  6. Related Articles
  7. External Links

Marquesan Tattoo Tradition

Boys received their first tattoos in their teens in a ritual setting, and by old age often had tattoos all over their bodies. Women were also tattooed, but nowhere near as extensively as the men.

The designs share many symbolic motifs, but were never copied entirely; every individual's tattoos were different and signified his position in the family.

The sailors on board the ships of Captain James Cook and other explorers from the West brought tattooing back with them, influenced by the designs they had seen on the inhabitants of these islands. These early tattoos, on the bodies of sailors, began the reintroduction of tattooing to the West.

While tattooing is still performed on the Marquesas Islands, the images no longer carry their former significance, and are generally done with a Tattoo Machine rather than by the traditional method.

Hand Tattoos

Hand tattooing is an important part of Marquesan tattooing, containing both specific iconography and individualized application. While some designs are male or female oriented, there is some interchange between the two.

Male hand tattoos
Male hand tattoos
Female hand tattoos.
Female hand tattoos.

Marquesan Motifs

The following are a few examples on hands of Marquesan tattoo motifs:

Fanaua is a kind of evil spirit
Fanaua is a kind of evil spirit
Nutu Kaha symbolizes a mouth or muzzle, and has a number of different versions.
Nutu Kaha symbolizes a mouth or muzzle, and has a number of different versions.
'Piaotiu means "to fold or to make into bundles."
'Piaotiu' means "to fold or to make into bundles."
Pohu is a legendary character.
Pohu is a legendary character.
Poka'a symbolizes a wooden sholder rest used for carrying a pole
Poka'a symbolizes a wooden shoulder rest used for carrying a pole
Ka'ava, meaning "ridge pole," often running centrally down the hand.
Ka'ava, meaning "ridge pole," often running centrally down the hand.
Ka'ake represents the armpit, but it is not tattooed on the armpit per se
Ka'ake represents the armpit, but it is not tattooed on the armpit per se
Kea can represent the woodlouse, the tortoise or a carved plaque of a tortoise shell and has a number of variations.
Kea can represent the woodlouse, the tortoise or a carved plaque of a tortoise shell and has a number of variations.
Koua'ehi represents coconut leaves.
Koua'ehi represents coconut leaves.
Poi'i represents a coiled shellfish and has many versions.
Poi'i represents a coiled shellfish and has many versions.
Hei ta'vahna representing a crown of cock's feathers, sometimes tattooed across the palm.
Hei ta'vahna representing a crown of cock's feathers, sometimes tattooed across the palm.
Mata represents eyes and has many variations.
Mata represents eyes and has many variations.

Ear Tattooing

Tattooing of the ear (puaina) was usually, but certainly not always, limited to women.

Common ear tattoo motifs
Common ear tattoo motifs
Omuo Piana is similar to a carved bone earring.
Omuo Piana is similar to a carved bone earring.

Other Tattoo Traditions

  • Shoulders were commonly tattooed in Marquesan culture. This particular one is a band across the arm, just below the fall of the shoulder, on a woman of Tai-Pi Vai, Nuku Hiva.
(based on a sketch by E. S. Handy)
  • Traditionally some Marquesan women tatttoed their lips, also called koniho.
Koniho.jpg

Related Articles

External Links