Fresh Polynesian tattoo inspiration

Uhi hand-tap kākau

Native Hawaiian master tattooist from Waiʻanae. First Peoples Fund describes him as at the forefront of the movement to bring uhi (traditional tattooing) back to the islands, using traditional Hawaiian/Polynesian tools exclusively since 1999, and named him a 2015 Community Spirit Award honoree. He leads apprentice students; First Peoples Fund also refers to him as Su'a Sulu'ape Keone Nunes.

Tā moko (uhi chisel)

Of Ngāti Ira, Te Aitanga a Hauiti and Ngāti Porou, raised in Mangatuna. Toi Iho describes him as a master carver who has led the creation of several wharenui, and as a highly respected moko artist and mentor who has trained several practitioners and served for many years on the board of Toi Māori. Kōmako records that he was born in Gisborne.

Freehand Polynesian

Founder of Frost City Tattoo in Midvale, Utah (PBS Utah). Fox 13 reported in 2017 that he specialises in motifs drawn from Polynesian tatau, has a waiting list of about seven months, and counts NFL players among his clients.

Freehand Polynesian compositions

The Coconet TV credits Chamorro tattoo artist Joshawa Elsas with recording artist Jidenna's Polynesian sleeve. He is the founder of IslandTAT and author of The Polynesian Tattoo: Code (both per his own studio and publisher listings).

Tā moko, Toi Māori design

Tā moko artist from Uawa and founder of Mau Studio Ink. He focused on Toi Māori from age 12, studied teaching at the University of Waikato, and trained in whakairo (carving) at the New Zealand Māori Arts and Crafts Institute (NZMACI) in Rotorua before teaching art and whakairo at a kura in Tūrangi.

Customary Tongan tātatau, hand-tapped

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.