Tatau: Tatau SāmoaTatau: Sāmoan tattoo

Explore the history of Sāmoan tatau, watch interviews with people talking about what their tatau means to them, and discover objects and photographs within our collections.

Two Sāmoan men in lavalava's standing in a living room looking at the camera

Samoan tatau: a tufuga begins his work…

An excerpt from an interview with the late tufuga tatatau (master tattooist) Su‘a Sulu‘ape Paulo II in March 1999.

Tatau: A History of Sāmoan Tattooing

A beautifully designed and richly illustrated retelling of the unique and powerful history of Sāmoan tattooing, from 3,000 years ago to modern practices.

Explore Sāmoan tatau on Collections Online

Photographs of Sāmoan tatau in New Zealand and tools used in the art of tatau.

Read: Interview with the authors of Tatau

Co-authors Sean Mallon and Sébastien Galliot talk about working on publishing the book Tatau and what they've learned and what keeps them interested in the art of Tatau.

A sepia photo of two Sāmoan men tattooing another man who is lying down on a flax mat

The changing art of tatau: Samoan tattooing

Senior Curator Pacific Cultures Sean Mallon answers some questions about Sāmoan tatau.

Tatau: Sāmoan Tattoo, New Zealand Art, Global Culture

The story of Sāmoan tattoo art and the work of Su‘a Sulu‘ape Paulo II.

Two men standing in front of a photograph, both wearing white gloves

Watch: Photographing Sāmoan tatau (tattoo)

Mark Adams discuss his 40-year project photographing Sāmoan tatau with Senior Curator Pacific Cultures Sean Mallon.

Black and white photo of five tattooed hands together

Watch: Talking Tatau – Mana Wahine Panel

Who said tattooing is ‘men’s’ work anyway? Watch a panel discussion from Te Papa inspired by the stories of women mark makers who are revitalising female tattooing in Aotearoa, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, and Sāmoa.

A man with Sāmoan tattoos stands with his arms crossed

Watch: Sāmoan New Zealanders talk about their tatau (Sāmoan tattoo)

Five Sāmoan New Zealanders share what their tatau means to them.

A man receiving a Samoan tatoo in Te Papa

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.