Kj Siufanua
Professor Perez Gonzalez
English 68
Tatau
Tatau [tah-tou] is the formal word for tattoo in samoan. The Samoan tatau is very unique. Its legacy began over two-thousand years ago. In Samoa, the tradition of applying tatau by hand has been unbroken even to this day. The pe’a [beh-ah] is the tatau for males only it covers the body from the torso to the knees. In doing this signifies that the boy is to become a man ready to take on the responsibilities and tasks of his village. Every young man is expected and encouraged to receive a pe’a as part of his natural progression from boy to village laborer to matai (chief).
An arduous and time-consuming procedure, a traditional tatau is achieved by using finely crafted tools. The tool called
Professor Perez Gonzalez
English 68
Tatau
Tatau [tah-tou] is the formal word for tattoo in samoan. The Samoan tatau is very unique. Its legacy began over two-thousand years ago. In Samoa, the tradition of applying tatau by hand has been unbroken even to this day. The pe’a [beh-ah] is the tatau for males only it covers the body from the torso to the knees. In doing this signifies that the boy is to become a man ready to take on the responsibilities and tasks of his village. Every young man is expected and encouraged to receive a pe’a as part of his natural progression from boy to village laborer to matai (chief).
An arduous and time-consuming procedure, a traditional tatau is achieved by using finely crafted tools. The tool called