The Tribal Tattoo - Is Fashion More Important than Cultural Respect?

Like many of the Pacific Islands, Samoa has a deep and rich tradition of tattooing young men and women when they come of age.  In fact it is believed that the English word tattoo is derived from the Polynesia word tatau.  The boys are given the Pe'a, which covers from the waist to the knees, and the girls receive the Malu, somewhat more delicate than the male Pe'a.  The tattooing is done by highly respected tattoo masters, who use handmade tools made out of wood, bone and turtle shells.  Although these masters are highly skilled at their art, there is a great amount of pain for the young men and women who receive the treatment and the process usually lasts a number of weeks but on rare occasions can take much longer, up to a year.  Nevertheless, it is a proud and exciting moment for the recipient as many rituals accompany the tattoo process and family members are often present, providing encouraging words and song from a distance.In recent years, however, there has been a trend for people without Samoan heritage to get these traditional patterns permanently inked.  In this way, the Pe’a and the Malu have become contested.  What is traditionally a coming-of-age process is now becoming a mere fashion statement to many who are blissfully unaware of the meaning behind it.  It must be said, however, that it is generally not the traditional full Pe’a or Malu which has become fashionable but rather simply aspects of it, such as particular patterns or images.

On the surface it seems ignorant of someone who is not from Samoa to effectively steal what is an important aspect of the Polynesian Island’s culture.  Perhaps though, in taking only a few patterns from the designs, people are paying respect to a proud country and culture.