89 Samoan tattoos: Samoan patterns for men and women

Samoa is a group of islands in the Polynesian archipelago located in the South Pacific Ocean. These islands are very famous for the amazing tattoo art of Samoa. Moreover, the word tattoo itself comes from this culture: "tatau".

Samoan tattoo art is the oldest. It is considered the sexiest tattoo for men and represents a rite of passage, a man's journey through the various stages and successes of his life. In Samoan culture, it even denoted a person with significant social status, power and honor.

According to local legend, the body art practiced in Samoa was brought by two women from Fiji, who taught it to the locals. Then this knowledge would be spread to other groups of the population. This practice was passed down from father to son because only descendants, not anyone else, had the right to study it. It has since become a tradition in Samoan culture.

The person getting the Samoan tattoo went through a long and painful process to test his courage. Because the Samoan tattoo process, its technique, is very different from those used in modern body art studios. Ancient tools were used, such as sharp animal bones, which were dipped in ink. Then the skin was scraped off so that the ink could penetrate inside. Going through this process was a real show of courage, because you had to endure pain that is much more severe than the pain of the current needle. It was a rather slow process, as it was necessary to give the skin a rest and recover from injuries. Therefore, it can take several months to create a body drawing.

Samoan tattoos were great. Many covered the entire back, leg, or arm; others stretched from one end of the body to the other. Thus, this type of tattoo was much more difficult and took much longer. Therefore, the pain that the tattooed person was subjected to was much longer.

Among the various types of Samoan tattoos, we find the "pea" - a masculine pattern that runs from the waist to the knee and is composed of curved lines and geometric shapes. There are also "malu" - simpler female tattoos, usually placed on the hips or knees.

Currently, there are new original designs inspired by Samoan art that are a mixture of traditional and modern styles. In addition to the classic motifs, they represent flowers, birds and turtles, which makes them characteristic of our time.