Free museum entry for New Zealanders and people living in New Zealand

Sāmoan tatau (tattoo) meanings, stories, tools, and history

Pacific curator Sean Mallon and Sāmoan tatau artists Sulu’ape Steve Looney and Tuigamala Andy Tauafiafi talk about the meanings and history of Sāmoan tattooing.

Watch: Sāmoan tatau (tattoo) history and tools

You might also like

  • Full size model of a tattooed Marquesan warrior

    Tattooing in the Pacific

    Since the 1980s there has been a revival in tattooing across east Polynesia, and interest in Pacific tattoo designs has spread across the world.