Tattooing traditions of ancient cultures - Hawaii and beyond
The ultimate origins of Polynesian culture are still debated, and this also applies to the concept of tattooing. Southeast Asia and, in turn, Polynesia are sub-regions of Oceania consisting of a large group of over 1000 islands scattered across the central and southern Pacific Ocean in a triangle that includes New Zealand, Hawaii and Easter Island at its corners. While each culture of the Polynesian islands had its own dynamic tattooing traditions, it is possible to touch on each practice, but there are many similarities between them.
Polynesian natives, including Marquesan's, Samoans, Niuean's, Tongans, Hawaiians, Tahitians, and Maori. All these tribes are genetically developed with natives from parts of Southeast Asia.
In Tahitian legend, Taaroa was the supreme creator of the world and had two sons who are said to have created the first tattoos. These sons became the tattooing gods of Matamata and Tū Ra’i Pō.
This shows that the art form went beyond simple body decoration, it was a religious activity linked to cultural traditions. Historically, there was no writing in Polynesian culture, so Polynesians used tattoo art full of distinctive signs to express their identity and personality.
The oldest traces found date back to the Neolithic, and tattooing is believed to have originated in the South Pacific in the Lapita culture, which spread in successive migrations from Tonga and Samoa more than 3000 years ago. People all over the world now wear tattoos inspired by Polynesian culture, but the first to strike these designs on the skin were most likely done by the Lapita, who lived from about 1500 to 500 B.C. They are considered to be the ancestors of many modern Pacific people tribes.
There is no direct evidence of Lapita tattooing, but California University of Berkeley, archaeologist Patrick Kirch says the intricate drawings, which they incised on their pottery resemble tattoo motifs, are made with the same teeth similar tools that are still used today to create tattoos. "These vessels were decorated the same way the body was and could represent ancestors," says Kirch.
Around 200 AD, travelers from Samoa and Tonga settled in the Marquesas area. Over 1,000 years, one of the most complex Polynesian cultures - the Marquesas. Marquesan art and architecture were highly developed, and the other designs, often covering the entire body, were the most sophisticated in Polynesia. The Austronesian Polynesians who first settled on the island are likely to have arrived from the Marquesas Islands from the west, creating a relatively advanced and complex civilization. According to historian Samuel Kamakau, the solid black tattoo, also called a pahupahu, may have originated from one of the early inhabitants of Hawaii. They were people who came from the Marquesas Islands. This happened before the arrival of Tahiti colonists.
One of the characteristic features of Hawaiian tattoos is the asymmetry on both sides of the body, as the right side of the body was monochromatic black and provided a mental projection to the wearer. This practice was called Kakay I ka uhi. The Hawaiian tattoo shape mimics natural forms. The traditional art of tattooing, known as kakau, served not only to decorate and differentiate, but also to protect health and mental well-being. Hawaiian kakau was dominated by images of lizards, which were highly respected and feared. Intricate patterns imitating woven reeds or other natural forms adorned the men's arms, legs, torso, and face. For women, tattoos were placed on hands, fingers, wrists and sometimes on the tongue. Besides that, Hawaiian tattoos represent strong identity symbol, they can also carry a deep symbolic message, e.g. strength and courage in the face of adversity. They hold a deep place In Hawaiian culture and history. The practice of tattooing is deeply rooted in the traditions of the indigenous people of Hawaii.
Traditional tattoo colors (pigment) were made from pa'u, ink from ground soot from kukui or candlenuts mixed with sugarcane juice. Tattoo artists were almost exclusively male; all highly trained and with high status. In Tonga, “To practice the art of tattooing were allowed only those priests who had undergone long specialized training and were strict rituals that had to follow throughout the tattooing process both by the artist and islander who received the tattoo.”
This unique technique of permanently decorating the body derives its name from the Polynesian term "Ta" meaning to hit or mark. Hence the word "Ta Tau" or "Ta Kona" is common in several Polynesian islands. While the word "tattoo" comes from the Tahitian word "tatatu", which in translation means "to hit properly". This word in his travel journal Captain James Cook wrote as "tattow", today we use this word designation as Tattoo :)
Hawaii has become not only symbolically, but also historically J. Cook's resting place. Cook's third trip was to find The Northwest Passage, which is believed to connect the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean. Unable to find the fabled route, Cook took his two ships south and explored the island of Hawaii. Relations with the islanders got worse after the ship's boat was stolen. In 1779 on February 14th, Cook attempted to take a local leader in hostage. A fight broke out and Cook was stabbed and killed.
P.S.
The first stone sculpture depicting Tiki dates back to the 13th century. Tiki is a sculpture endowed with important spiritual and symbolic power, originating in the Marquesas Islands and usually depicting a transformed man. Tiki is a true emblem of French Polynesia. The history and origins of Hawaiian tattoos are similar. The tradition of tattooing introduced to the island from the indigenous cultures, of course, over the centuries, the tattooing handwriting has found its own Kakau style, which characterizes the island's art expression, but we. Let's go further in search of a Polynesian tattoo pre-source.