Che Kāʻeo Pilago
Tattoo artist; founder, Kaʻeo Hawaii · Kailua-Kona, Hawaiʻi
- Style
- Polynesian tattoo
- Regions served
- Global / diaspora
- Tradition
- Hawaiʻi tradition →
About Pilago’s work
Kona tattoo artist. West Hawaii Today (2019) reports he had been self-employed as a tattoo artist since 2004 and opened his Kona shop, Kaʻeo Hawaii, in 2014. Big Island Now (2026) reports his daughter Mehana took over the business in 2022 and grew it into a creative studio in Kona, with space kept for him to tattoo.
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Motifs documented in Hawaiʻi work
These symbols are recorded in the Hawaiʻi design vocabulary in our sourced motif library. They are not a claim about Pilago’s personal repertoire — each entry links to its own cited meaning.
Frequently asked about Che Kāʻeo Pilago
Where is Che Kāʻeo Pilago based?+
Che Kāʻeo Pilago is recorded as working from Kailua-Kona, Hawaiʻi (Global / diaspora).
What style of Polynesian tattooing does Che Kāʻeo Pilago practise?+
Che Kāʻeo Pilago is listed as a tattoo artist; founder, kaʻeo hawaii working in polynesian tattoo, within the Hawaiʻi tradition.
Is Che Kāʻeo Pilago a traditional or contemporary practitioner?+
Che Kāʻeo Pilago is listed as a contemporary practitioner, working with modern machine or mixed methods informed by Hawaiʻi design conventions.
What sources support this profile?+
This profile cites 2 public references: West Hawaii Today — Kona tattoo artist Che Pilago (2019); Big Island Now — Business Monday (2026).
How can I contact Che Kāʻeo Pilago?+
Publicly listed channels: Kaʻeo Hawaii Tattoo & Creative Studio. PolyTribal does not book appointments or act as an agent.
Sources & citations
Each statement on this profile is written to match the public sources below. Follow the links to check the details on Pilago for yourself.
- West Hawaii Today — Kona tattoo artist Che Pilago (2019) ↗westhawaiitoday.com
- Big Island Now — Business Monday (2026) ↗bigislandnow.com
More context on Hawaiʻi tattoo practice: Hawaiʻi culture page · motif library · placement guide · choosing an artist