Polynesian Tribal Tattoos - Comparison of Maori and Samoan Tattoos

Polynesian tribal tattoos are made up of extremely intricate and detailed designs following an ancient art. Some of the most common Polynesian tat art are the Hawaiian, Samoan, Maori and Aztecs. They each have their own tribal styles that are identifiable to them. In this article, we will be discussing the two most prominent ones - the Maori and Samoan.

Maori tattoos have been around for over thousand years and were originally practiced by the native Maoris of New Zealand. They are very distinctive and have their own unique identity compared to its Polynesian counterparts. They are characterized by individual lines and repetition of certain motifs and designs. They can be described as essentially curve linear and mostly based on spirals. The original practice was called moko which is extremely painful as it is done by carving the skin with chisels instead of being punctured. It symbolizes status and rank in the society and are usually done of the face, thighs and buttocks. Nowadays, this of course is not the usual practice anymore as modern tattoo artists used this early patterns as inspirations. If one wants an authentic Maori tat theme, he has to find an artist who specializes in it.

Samoan tattoos are called tatatau with ta which means to strike with tatau referring to the line and motifs that are inked onto the body. They are characterized by the dense shading and fine parallel-lines combined with several motifs and geometric patterns like squares, dots and rectangles. This is very significant to the Samoans as they are symbols to identify their status in the society. They usually covered the large part of the body like the back, legs and arms. They are definitely an ethnic marker, a true symbol that one is of Samoan heritage and identity to those who are true to this statement.