Early forms of moko evolved during the period of mourning for deceased relatives, where women would haehae (lacerate) themselves using obsidian or shells and place soot in the wounds. Haehae was a common expression of grief, and adding pigment to the wounds served as a reminder of the death of a loved one.
Accordingly, is it offensive to get a Polynesian tattoo?
DO POLYNESIAN PEOPLE CONSIDER DISRESPECTFUL IF OTHERS GET A POLYNESIAN TATTOO? No, and yes. It depends on how you approach Polynesian art and, ultimately, culture. Plain copying someone else’s tattoo is always disrespectful, because you are stealing their own story.
Furthermore, what is the meaning of chin tattoo?
Chin stripes served multiple purposes in social contexts. Most notably, they were tattooed on the chin as part of the ritual of social maturity, a signal to men that a woman had reached puberty. Chin patterns also served to protect women during enemy raids.
Is it disrespectful to get a Japanese tattoo?
If Japanese tattoo artists are okay with sharing, then it’s just a mattter of being respectful. So, as stated, avoiding religious imagery, as well as anything that might be strictly reserved for, say, Japanese warriors, or anything specifically about being Japanese, would be advisable.
What do triangles mean in Polynesian tattoos?
These triangles are a symbol of teeth, usually of a shark. We are a poke shop and we eat like the shark eats. This pattern represents the ‘kalo’ fields. Kalo is used to make ‘poi,’ a standard among Hawaiians.
Do all Samoans get tattoos?
Samoans use the same tribal symbols in tattooing as they do in some of their local art work. These symbols are everywhere in American culture.
