'Aumakua
A Hawaiian ancestral guardian spirit that can take the form of an animal — shark, owl, gecko — and is often represented in kākau motifs.
Related motifsShark Teeth, Lizard / Gecko
The vocabulary of the ink
Design Glossary
Every Polynesian tattoo tradition has its own words for its tools, its motifs and its makers. This glossary connects those terms to the cultures and motifs they belong to.
For citation-backed definitions drawn from museum, academic and community sources, see the sourced reference guide.
Au
The Samoan tattooing comb — a wide-toothed bone or tusk blade lashed to a wooden handle and struck with a mallet (sausau).
Enata
Marquesan human figures representing ancestors and relationships. Rows of enata can encode a family story.
Related motifsEnata
Honu
The sea turtle — a symbol of longevity, family, fertility and navigation across Polynesia.
Related motifsTurtle
Kākau
/KAH-kow/The Hawaiian word for traditional tattooing. Motifs are largely geometric and identify family, rank and protective aumakua.
Related motifsShark Teeth, Lizard / Gecko
Malu
/MAH-loo/The traditional Samoan female tatau, worn from the upper thigh to just below the knee. 'Malu' means shelter or protection.
Mana
Spiritual power, prestige and life-force. Tattoos both display and protect the wearer's mana.
Pan-Polynesian
Moko kauae
The chin moko worn by Māori women, marking identity, lineage and mana.
See alsoTā moko
Niho mano
Shark-teeth motif; rows of triangles representing protection, ferocity and adaptability. A guardian pattern.
Related motifsShark Teeth
Patu tiki
The Marquesan tattoo tradition — 'to strike the image'. Historically the most densely patterned Polynesian tradition, covering the body in interlocking motifs.
Related motifsEnata, Marquesan Cross, Tiki
Pe'a
/PEH-ah/The traditional Samoan male tatau covering the body from the waist to the knees. Applied by hand with au (comb tools) over many painful sessions.
See alsoTatau, Malu, Au, Tufuga tā tatau
Tā moko
/tah MOH-koh/The Māori tradition of chiseled facial and body tattoos, unique to each person and encoding whakapapa (genealogy), tribe and status.
See alsoMoko kauae, Uhi
Tapu / Kapu
Sacred prohibition. Tattooing sessions and tools were tapu; certain motifs are still reserved for specific lineages.
Pan-Polynesian
Tatatau
The Tongan word for tattooing. The tradition was suppressed by missionaries in the 19th century and is being revived today.
See alsoTatau
Tatau
/tah-TOW/The Samoan and wider Polynesian word for tattoo. The English word 'tattoo' descends from this term via Captain Cook's 18th-century voyages.
Tufuga tā tatau
A master Samoan tattooist. The title is inherited through initiated lineages such as the Sulu'ape family.
Uhi
The bone chisel used for traditional Māori tā moko, which cuts grooves into the skin rather than puncturing it.
Veiqia
The Fijian tradition of female tattooing, applied at puberty to the thighs, buttocks and lower abdomen.
Frequently asked
What is the difference between tatau, tā moko, and kākau?
Tatau is the Samoan word for tattoo and the root of the English word. Tā moko is the Māori practice of chiseled facial and body markings that read as identity. Kākau is the Hawaiian tradition of hand-tapped skin marking. All three are Polynesian but each carries distinct tools, motifs, and rules.
Are Polynesian tattoo terms interchangeable?
No. Each culture has its own vocabulary. Using a Samoan term for a Māori design (or vice versa) is inaccurate and can be disrespectful. The glossary above cross-links each term to its culture of origin.
What does mana mean in Polynesian tattoos?
Mana is spiritual power or authority that flows through people, objects, and places. A well-earned tattoo is often described as carrying mana — it marks status, lineage, or achievement rather than decoration.
Related
See these terms in context
Motif library →
See each term rendered as a motif with sources.
Culture pages →
How each tradition uses these terms.
Placement guide →
Where the practices live on the body.
Meanings & symbols →
Long-form guide to the vocabulary.
Samoan vs Māori →
How tatau and tā moko differ in practice.
All editorial guides →
Costs, aftercare, choosing an artist and more.
Bring the vocabulary to a consultation
Knowing the right terms helps you speak with an artist about what you actually want.