Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Tattoo me

05/29/09

Just do it! Well, I did.

I couldn’t leave Samoa without a tattoo. The cigarette-smoking artist, working out of his Savaii house, and being fanned by his wife put a traditional Samoan design around my calf. The outer line of squares represents the legs of a Samoan (k)ava bowl (tanona), The next inner lines are fish, one of single fish and the other of kissing fish with a sideways “W” representing a sacred and nearly extinct Samoan bird (manuma). You have to use your imagination on the centerline for it represents the old wooden Samoan pillows (ali).

The most often question, "is it painful?" Well, da.


Savaii tattoo parlor

Start of design

It's a male bonding thing

3 comments:

Barb Carusillo said...

So now you are officially part of the "tag and release" program, eventually being sent back into the wilds of Minnesota.
Cool tat.

Teri said...

Wow, so you really did it!! Good for you! A little bit of fa'a Samoa will be with you always, just in case you ever need a reminder. Looks great. Can't wait to see it in the flesh!

Love,
Teri

Anonymous said...

"HomeBoy" can't wait til ya get back to the crib