Terje Koloamatangi
Tufunga tātatau, Small Axe Studio · Tāmaki Makaurau (Auckland), Aotearoa New Zealand
- Style
- Customary Tongan tātatau, hand-tapped
- Regions served
- Aotearoa (New Zealand)
- Tradition
- Tonga tradition →
About Koloamatangi’s work
Of Tongan and Norwegian Sami ancestry, born in Nukuʻalofa. Te Papa describes his work as centred on the revival of tātatau faka-Tonga for over 20 years, built on historical texts, museum collections and Tongan oral tradition. The podcast Arciatecun notes he works from Small Axe Studio and received and learned tātatau from Su'a Sulu'ape Paulo II.
Connect
Motifs documented in Tonga work
These symbols are recorded in the Tonga design vocabulary in our sourced motif library. They are not a claim about Koloamatangi’s personal repertoire — each entry links to its own cited meaning.
Frequently asked about Terje Koloamatangi
Where is Terje Koloamatangi based?+
Terje Koloamatangi is recorded as working from Tāmaki Makaurau (Auckland), Aotearoa New Zealand (Aotearoa (New Zealand)).
What style of Polynesian tattooing does Terje Koloamatangi practise?+
Terje Koloamatangi is listed as a tufunga tātatau, small axe studio working in customary tongan tātatau, hand-tapped, within the Tonga tradition.
Is Terje Koloamatangi a traditional or contemporary practitioner?+
Terje Koloamatangi is documented within a traditional lineage, meaning the practice is tied to hand-tap tools and customary transmission of the craft.
What sources support this profile?+
This profile cites 2 public references: Te Papa Blog — Tongan tattooing, by Terje Koloamatangi (2022); Wai? podcast Ep 24 — Tātatau with Terje Koloamatangi.
How can I contact Terje Koloamatangi?+
Publicly listed channels: @terje_k. 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 Koloamatangi for yourself.
- Te Papa Blog — Tongan tattooing, by Terje Koloamatangi (2022) ↗blog.tepapa.govt.nz
- Wai? podcast Ep 24 — Tātatau with Terje Koloamatangi ↗arciatecun.podbean.com
More context on Tonga tattoo practice: Tonga culture page · motif library · placement guide · choosing an artist