Because of a lot of inaccurate information floating around, I grew up thinking that only matai (chiefs) receive the malofie, and that it carries great spiritual (almost occult even) significance – as if you’re suddenly a superhero when you get it, or you’d be cursed if you got the wrong kind of tattoo or something. [14] This was not the case, however, in the other Polynesian islands, and the master tattooists of the Su'a Sulu'ape family have been instrumental in the revival of traditional tattooing in French Polynesia, Tonga, New Zealand, the Cook Islands, and Hawaii, where a new generation of Pacific tattooists have learned the Samoan techniques and protocols. Wonderful article! For so long I have hated him and anything to do with him. As a civilization, Polynesians most likely only originated around 2 to 3 thousand years ago (if we go by carbon dating of Lapita pottery), whereas Christianity, as a religion, has records from thousands of years BC. God would’ve made us with Tattoos if they weren’t so uncleanly ! This word is often misused, especially amongst younger Samoans today. As they were swimming, the spar of a canoe struck them and severed the join between them. I think that as our community has dispersed across oceans, we develop a stronger need to identify with all things Samoan, and we find it more important that these things remain exclusive to us. Not a tattoo as some people try to refer to it. She outlived 4 husband’s. ..Fiji and Samoa had a very close relationships…Fijian chiefs couldn’t stay away from Samoan Princess as did the Tongan King and Samoan Princess…So close it almost looked like Samoa was going to become part of the Tongan kingdom. It peaked my curiosity and I came across your article in a google search. I see nothing wrong with anyone who wants to get one. Hurt me so that some of these tufuga’s are doing it for the money!…not all but some!..People ask me why I not getting a tatau!…”My mouth is not ready yet”….My father was a talking chief and I ask him why he didn’t get one….He said why?…I speak perfectly well!…then I laughed….Grandpa already had spoken to him too!! Let the conversations continue! It’s sad really. After several adventures on other islands, the twins reached Fiji where they meet two tatau (tattoo) artists, Tufou and Filelei, who taught them the art of tattooing. Lots of Samoans here, but there are still more mixed people. The original familys to receive the ato au is the Su’a family from upolu lefaga and Tulou’ena from savai’i. 1. Thanks for stopping by …, good read!!! I grew up in Hawaii and ages ago in the early 70s (before i was born, honest lol), my mom had a good friend there – a Palagi man – who went back to Samoa with her to get a malofie done. But as they neared the village of Falealupo on the island of Savai'i, they saw a clam underwater and dived down to get it. if we do then we will get a hiding from our mums…but still we are samoan. Charles Wilkes, writing around 1840, stated: The women believe that to be tattooed is a passport to the other world, where it prevents them from being persecuted by their own sex, numbers of whom, by command of the gods, would meet them, if not tattooed, and, armed with sharp shells, would chase them continually through the lower regions. Each extended family will have at least one (official) taupou, but in a village, a family’s ranking determines how much authority each taupou has over village affairs. He made that possible with His Sacrifice. So to say that you have a Samoan tribal tattoo is not accurate. When you look deeply to each design meanings of the tatau, it tells your story and my story. One Samoana's Le Api is written (mostly) by a Hamo Geek Girl. She was born in the late 1870’sish. I tried to call back and his sister told me he had a family and never to call back again. Hi Princesswarior… As fascinated as I am by Samoan tatau, I personally wouldn’t get any kind of tattoo because of my Christian beliefs. Well, I am not entirely sure what you mean about your “credentials,” but I think you’re asking if you’d be considered “worthy” of receiving the malofie according to the tufuga ta tatau. Get One Samoana updates sent to your inbox: Samoan Independence Day – Memories and Contemplation, The Truth about the Samoan Tattoo (Tatau) – Part 2. . Be proud of your island origins and culture. I know that it is very important for an officially titled taupou to learn the traditions and politics of her family / village, especially if she is serious about playing a visible role amongst them, but back in the day… if she wasn’t of extremely high rank in Samoa, or if she wasn’t called on to dance the taualuga very often, it was not likely (or necessary) that she would receive a malu. Even with little minded people such as yourself who are so negative about one countries growth. Then his story goes…He had his pe’a done when he was 16 years old, at 18 he was given the title of a high chief..couple years later he left for war as the first wave of fitafita’s of Am.Samoa…but long story short..He told me that the tattoo he has on is sacred and worn with respect! … Our children and their children’s children will lost the most important thing that defines them !! But it is a piece of art so highly valued in our culture that to be allowed to receive one is a gift. The most prominent tufuga of the tatau today can trace their genealogy back to one of these two original families was from Falealupo Tai(coast) family name ‘Faamausili’ . Kerosene soot or Indian ink was substituted for the traditional burned candlenut-soot pigment, turtle shell was replaced by Perspex and other plastics, and sennit by nylon fishing line. by having it as long as you wear it with respect, pride and care as a Samoan; which means you can showcase all the Samoan values along with your tattoo. My grandmother does not have a drop of Samoan (or island) blood in her, but was raised in the fa'aSamoa ways. Thank you so much John. So please think before you speak yet again if you can’t think then obviously this is how you speak. Soga’imiti is not the tattoo. Looking forward to part 2. malo faafetai tele mo le ripoti, you are very right in saying that alot of his teachings was unrivaled and i will be forever grateful for his willingness to share his knowledge through the many books he wrote which were extremely useful especially for those of us who werent brought up in the ways of old nor understood the intricacies of the Samoan Culture and the oratory language. So sad to hear the story about your father. This ancient dame blessed the liquid and prayed to the spirits of the dead to soften the skin of the girl so that the operation should not pain her too much. He cried to her.. Once a tauleale’a receives a malofie, he is now known as a ‘sogaimiti‘. Ask your librarian to subscribe to this service next year. In Samoan society, the Pe'a and the Malu are viewed with cultural pride and identity as well as a hallmark of manho… Amongst our own people, the practice has changed and for whatever reason, we’ve attached more cultural significance to the malu (and to the malofie, even, which is still essentially decoration). At the same time don’t make a fool of yourself claiming you represent a entire culture. I sure do miss her. Thank you again, it is truly appreciated. It is known that Samoan tufuga also performed tattooing for Tongan and Fijian paramount chiefly families. Interestingly, when Vitian navigators were sailing home from trading expeditions to the east, they always desired a westward gale as they were uncommon. Learn how your comment data is processed. People can judge me but it don’t bother me what so ever . It is worth noting that he taulima was originally “invented” as a “souvenir” to American Peace Corps volunteers for them to have as a memento of their time in Samoa, and their eternal connection and reminder of their time spent there. Port Moresby evicts 400 squatters to make way for new capital... ‘Suspicious’ fishing vessels spotted in Solomon Islands waters, Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License, Click here for the PMC's terms of use and disclaimer. Umaga- on the navel and abdomen 3. Then she had to lie on her back before the old woman who concocted in a coco-nut shell the liquid used for the staining. Required fields are marked *. Visiting the Australian Museum safely during COVID-19, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Collection, Australian Museum Research Institute (AMRI), Natural Sciences research and collections, Australian Museum Lizard Island Research Station, 2020 Australian Museum Eureka Prizes finalists, Become a volunteer at the Australian Museum. My partner is australian and some of my cousin are married to Chinese tongans kwis and African women i dont see anything wrong with it. My question is if my credentials would be sufficient enough to receive that kind of work according to a true Samoan culture tattoo artist?

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