Pillar · History
History, disruption, revival.
Polynesian tattoo history includes centuries of practice, colonial and missionary suppression, near-loss in some regions, and multi-generational revival efforts. Each thread must be attributed to region and source.
Pillar
What Is Polynesian Tattooing?
An overview of the many distinct tattoo traditions across Polynesia and why they are not one interchangeable art style.
Pillar
Colonial Disruption and Tattoo Revival
Missionary suppression, cultural continuity, and 20th-century revival movements.
Foundational
Traditional Rules and Contemporary Adaptation
Where adaptation begins and where it becomes appropriation.
Foundational
Polynesian Tattoo Research Resources
A vetted list of primary sources and scholarly references.