Samoan Tattoos: Once Just a Woman’s Privilege

The Samoan people trace their tattoo heritage back to their ancestors. In the past, only women that held a high position in the tribe were tattooed. Later, the young males of the tribe began to get tattoos to signify their manhood.

The Prestige of the Tattoo Artist and His Wife in Samoan Culture

Only those tribal members whose ancestors were a member of a guild for tattooists were allowed to have the benefit of the same privileges. So it was only through familial connections that a Samoan could become an artist.

A master tattoo artist would take a young apprentice and train him in the art and ways of tattooing until their skills were such that they were permitted to perform without any type of supervision.

The wife of a tattoo artist has her place of honor as well. She is revered for wiping the blood from the person being tattooed. Her typical title is Meana’i which translates to the artist’s helper. A Samoan tattoo can take as long as three months to complete and once it is finished, the family of the young male will pay the Meana’i very well. She in turn shares whatever gifts and money that the family has bestowed upon her with her husband.

What the Samoan Tattoo Means

A typical Samoan tattoo is rather large and elaborate. It was used to represent the male or female’s rank and social status in the tribe. The process is often a painful one and the designs are quite intricate. The conventional tattoo for a male is referred to as pe’a and can cover his body from just beneath his ribcage to as far down as his ankles. This is an impressive sight to behold.

The tattoo for a female is referred to as malu. Their tattoos can be as great as their counterparts, but large black areas are not typical for women as they are for the men. A Samoan woman will even have their hands clad in tattoos.

When the missionaries arrived on the Samoan shores, the art of tattooing was allowed to live while on many other of the Polynesian islands, they were banned. The usual design of  Samoan tattoos are rich in shapes and patterns that are interlocked and even if one doesn’t understand their significance an observer can see that it is a meaningful piece of body art. .

A Samoan tattoo is typically done using the old tried and true methods of their ancestors. The technique used is not a needle but rather a shark or pig’s tooth. The Samoan that undergoes this painful procedure also proclaims their courage and endurance. If one decides to get a traditional tattoo in the ancestral way, completion is vital as if it is not finished it is a shameful show of their character.

A traditional Samoan tattoo is not for everyone, but those people that would like the beautiful motifs that a true Samoan wears can certainly have it done by a modern tattoo artist using a needle. It will not have the deeper meaning of one done in the traditional methods, but it will still be a stunning work of art.