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In traditional Polynesian society, the art of tatau (tattoos) had a high degree of sophistication in design as well as within its profound symbology. Condemned as pagan and forbidden for over 160 years, this extraordinary art could have well disappeared if it weren't for a spectacular renaissance that began in the 1980s. Now, at the beginning of the 21st century, tatau has once again found its place in Polynesian society. Read on for the history behind this exceptional come back.

In pre-European Polynesian society, traditional tattooing had a complexity and a richness that was unequaled anywhere else in the world. Much more than a simple body adornment, tattoos were above all a social map etched on each individual's skin. Information such as which island the person came from, which tribe, family and social rank would be drawn out for the world to see. Other information included the individual's accomplishments and markings of important social rites such as the passage from childhood to puberty, marriage etc.

Any extraordinary acts in a person's life would be catalogued such as acts of bravery during war, hunting or fishing prowess and more. Deep in the vast array of symbols and stories were also special protective markings called taura that were unique to each family. Lastly, some of the body art was purely and simply for decoration. Even though almost every Polynesian was tattooed, this ritual practice was quite expensive mostly because of the festivities that went along with the rites. The richer the family was, the more tattooed its members would be.Anthropologist Anne Lavondes explains, "Tattoos in the Society Islands weren't obligatory but it also wasn't suitable for a Tahitian to not have any tattoos at all."

The death of traditional tattoos

The rebirth at the end of the 70s

A means of identity

Ambassador of Polynesian culture

The death of traditional tattoos

But all of this was to change. Within a period of several years, the first missionaries who arrived at the end of the 18th century, turned tattooing from a standard practice into an embarrassing and punishable act of Paganism. King Pomare II was converted to Christianity in 1812 and right away he put force behind a severe, regulated code that had been laid out by the missionaries. The death certificate of tattoos was essentially signed in 1823 with the passage in the code that stated: "No one shall be tattooed and this practice should be completely abolished. This is an old and bad habit. Men or women who get tattooed will be judged and punished . . . The punishment for men will be work on ten measures of road for the first tattoo and 20 measures for the second tattoo . . . The punishment for women will be to make two big coats; one for the king and the other for the governor."
It wasn't the tattoos that the missionaries were so worried about, but more the festivities that went with the rites that gave way, to most notably, to sexual activity. There were some high ranking Polynesians who went against this code. Since tattoos were considered an act of rebellion, these non-conformists were judged and severely condemned. And so, eventually, the practice of tatau completely disappeared throughout the region that would later become French Polynesia.

In 1897 the German anthropologist Karl Von den Steinen, author of the book Marquesans and Their Art: The Primitive Ornamentation of the South Pacific, journeyed to the Marquesas to study what remained of tattooing. He found around 30 tattooed individuals, all quite old, but not one single tattoo artist. Luckily, Von den Stein meticulously catalogued the remaining tattoos and thanks to his work, which was updated in the 1930s by Willodean Handy, not all of the knowledge and designs linked with this traditional art has disappeared.
In the 1970s, over one century after tattoos had been banned, the only tattoos found in French Polynesia were those worn by foreign military and former prisoners. The images of these tattoos had nothing to do of course with the traditional tatau and in general were a proclamation of a person's marginality or their separation from the established order.

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©Left : Tim-mckenna.com - Right : Lucien Pesquié

The rebirth at the end of the 70s

At the end of the 1970s, a festival of Oceanic arts was held on Tahiti. For the majority of the Polynesian population, this was an enormous shock: men dressed in traditional garb and covered in tattoos walked around the streets of Papeete. Their skin wasn't decorated in hearts pierced by arrows, but rather in strange designs in black against the skin. These were the Samoans and in their islands the tradition of tattooing had never been stopped. This confrontation with other insular cultures of the South Pacific began the resurgence of a Polynesian identity movement in the islands. Tattoos would be the symbol of this awakening.
Right away Polynesians such as Teve, Ronui, Tavana Salmon and others understood the importance of what they had seen and began to get tattooed with Polynesian designs, but even more importantly, they immersed themselves in the art of tattooing. During the 1980s and even more during the 1990s, tattooing experienced a major resurgence. More and more young adults and adolescents began getting tattoos. Even more remarkable was that Polynesians felt associated with this movement. While there is traditional inspiration in modern tattooing, it has been very difficult, after nearly two centuries of hiatus, to get back to the true source of the tradition.

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©Left : D.R. - Right : Tim-mckenna.com

A means of identity

The reasons behind this dazzling tatau fad are multiple and complex. Of course the aesthetic aspect is important but even more important is the strong group identity associated with tattoos in Polynesia and all around the world. By wearing tattoos young Polynesians feel more a part of their culture. Also, each archipelago at one time had their own particular designs. Nowadays even popa'a (those of European descent) and Chinese tattoo themselves to feel more a part of Polynesia. Tattooing has also been used to show off political ideas, for example those who are militant about Polynesian independence have been at the forefront of this renaissance movement.

Yet little by little tattooing is breaking out of the circle that was once restricted to pioneers and militants. Today it's rare for any Polynesian, man or woman, not to have at least one tattoo. It's not just a fashion statement, it's an affirmation of Polynesian identity.
Anne Lavondes explains that today's tattoos "are not at all in contradiction with the behaviors and style of modern life … Moreover, it is not thought of as a conscious rebellion against an established order, a particular independence, or a road back to the past."

Ambassador of Polynesian culture

Of course the religious and social aspects of traditional society one linked to tattooing have disappeared but some things have made it through the centuries. For example, tattooing is still a means by which many people mark important events of their lives and just the pain of the process is a real and respected challenge. Even the most profane, decorative modern tattoos still incorporate the esthetic and design of traditional symbols. Among the many tattoo artists practicing in this country today, some regularly leave the territory to practice their talents elsewhere or to participate in international conventions. Others have even permanently moved abroad. Even though the Marquesas get most of the attention on an international scale, in reality tattoo artists hail from all of the five archipelagos. The world over, Polynesian tattoos today have become one of the most fashionable forms. What makes this country's tattoos so special are the usage of only black ink against skin and the fact that by design, a Polynesian tattoo is never finished and can always be added on to; another tattoo artist can always continue the tattoo without any sign of transition between the old and new tattoo. Today many visitors arrive in Polynesia with the single goal of getting themselves tattooed.

Considered by specialists and the amateurs as the one of the most advanced forms of the art, the Polynesian tattoo has become, scarcely thirty years after its renaissance, one of the principal ambassadors of the Polynesian culture through the world. This is an unusual destiny for a religious art that, against all hope, has managed to make a come back as an affirmation of Polynesian culture. Even more striking is that it has made a name for itself, throughout the world now in the 21st century.