For Samoan designs, the patterns typically represent different animals or earth-related structures, which can be assigned different meaning, but ultimately, it's up to the one getting the tattoo ...

Army Capt. Isis Sake is the first soldier to receive a religious accommodation for traditional Samoan hand tattoos. (Jon Simkins/Staff) Small arrows, birds and stars adorn the tops of the soldier ...

The Samoan tattoo hut was just one of many activities at the Sagan Kotturan Chamoru, or Chamorro Cultural Center, in Tumon, which is one of the satellite sites for FestPac.

How the Samoan Tattoo Survived Colonialism. Several factors, from geography to group identity, helped this traditional body art endure—even as similar practices were lost in other cultures.

Looney, who also owns the Pacific Soul Tattoo shop on Ward Avenue, helped to create the exhibit in his spare time. He said his shop is one of two on Oahu that does traditional Samoan tattooing.

DTLA - Tattoos may be omnipresent today, but the taboo around them hasn’t quite faded away. They were long considered uncouth in the western world and some Asian cultures still ...

A Samoan Army Captain is the first soldier to receive approval to have traditional “tatau” or tattoos on her hands. This move not only honors Captain Isis Sake’s cultural heritage ...

Something that always bothers me is when I come across non-Polynesians with Polynesian tattoos, especially the traditional Samoan ones. Since most people probably won't understand why this is such a ...

From Hawaii To Samoa: Tattoos That Go Beyond Skin Deep. Sabrina Talbert. Sun, June 1, 2025 at 7:00 AM UTC. 10 min read.

Soldier is first to get approval for traditional Samoan hand tattoos. Jonathan Lehrfeld, Jon Simkins. Mon, June 3, 2024 at 7:36 PM UTC. 5 min read.