Kiti Vailea
Tattoo artist and co-founder, Friendly Island Tattoo · El Cajon (San Diego County), California
- Style
- Polynesian tattoo
- Regions served
- United States
- Tradition
- Tonga · Vavaʻu tradition →
About Vailea’s work
Tongan tattoo artist. ABC 10News (2026) reports he was born and raised on Vavaʻu, Tonga, moved to the United States roughly a decade ago, and works at his shop, Friendly Island Tattoo. The studio's own page says he and his wife started the studio in June 2024.
Connect
Motifs documented in Tonga · Vavaʻu work
These symbols are recorded in the Tonga · Vavaʻu design vocabulary in our sourced motif library. They are not a claim about Vailea’s personal repertoire — each entry links to its own cited meaning.
Frequently asked about Kiti Vailea
Where is Kiti Vailea based?+
Kiti Vailea is recorded as working from El Cajon (San Diego County), California (United States).
What style of Polynesian tattooing does Kiti Vailea practise?+
Kiti Vailea is listed as a tattoo artist and co-founder, friendly island tattoo working in polynesian tattoo, within the Tonga · Vavaʻu tradition.
Is Kiti Vailea a traditional or contemporary practitioner?+
Kiti Vailea is listed as a contemporary practitioner, working with modern machine or mixed methods informed by Tonga · Vavaʻu design conventions.
What sources support this profile?+
This profile cites 2 public references: ABC 10News San Diego — Beyond the Ink (2026); Friendly Island Tattoo — Meet Kiti (studio page).
How can I contact Kiti Vailea?+
Publicly listed channels: Friendly Island Tattoo. 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 Vailea for yourself.
- ABC 10News San Diego — Beyond the Ink (2026) ↗10news.com
- Friendly Island Tattoo — Meet Kiti (studio page) ↗friendlyislandtattoo.co
More context on Tonga · Vavaʻu tattoo practice: Tonga · Vavaʻu culture page · motif library · placement guide · choosing an artist