What's it Mean? Marquesan Tattoo

OK, here is a running account of the symbolism in the new tattoo. It helps if you understand French but even if you don't you can get the gist. The speaker is the tattoo artist Jean Yves. He is a French speaking Marquesan.

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Travel & Events

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• Bill
• and
• Amy
• Estrellita

[streetfighterchallen]

Am I the only one who thinnks this looks like the center of The Rock's tattoo? IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT YOU THINK!

[Paralayzeriish]

dicky boom

[asalistics]

nice marquesan design

[Banduenga]

it seems that Ipu and Ta'a are part of Hahava, the huge white ray.

[Banduenga]

Raoha E tau enata,

In this Patu tiki there is :

- Ipu

- Pohu (enata with his house)

- Ta'a (a spoon)

- Tiki

- Niho Mako / Peata

[tekakaromatagi]

When it was done the parents would prepare a koina, a feast, for the subject to show off the new tattoos.

In one story, the boy's parents went up onto a mountain to snare doves for food for the koina. They ate the first dove which was tapu, sacred. They weren't supposed to eat it. Then they weren't able to snare anymore doves. The story then evolves into a big family crisis.

Remember always that we all share a common humanity. The customs are just a little variety.

Tkkrmtg

[tekakaromatagi]

In the ancient times, up until maybe 1920 they would build an oho au (sacred house) for certain activities. Like to do tattooing, or to teach sacred songs, or to learn stories.

If it was tattooing, the parents of the young man or young woman would hire a tuhuna patutina tiki (a tattooing shaman) who would do the tattooing. While the subject would rest, his/her friends would come and get tattooed also.

[tekakaromatagi]

Husbands and wives come into a marriage as equal partners. Fathers prepare presents for the birth of their children. Uncles help nephews/nieces. Children feed their parents.

Brothers give food to their sisters.

Families.

Tekakaromatagi

[tekakaromatagi]

There is a common wood design (a tattoo or skin design is different than a wood design, the two should not be mixed). The tiki is kneeling and he has his arms. Out of his head there is a design which is a second pair of arms.

The tiki is an uncle and he is carrying his sister's son on his back to make him tapu, sacred. It was a ritual in the ancient times.

Marquesan traditions are full of stories of families. Family members should help each other in different ways.

[tekakaromatagi]

Tiki means two things. Actually three. Tiki was one of the ancient heroes. Tiki is also a statue. In a tattoo or a carving the tiki is a representation of a person. So you'll see a design with a face, nose, eyes, ears, etc. That is the tiki. In the carvings the tikis are kind of buried. So two tikis come together and it is another tiki. What he calls the voyage may actually be ears of a tiki. The nose was in between.

Tekakaromatagi