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History and Polynesian Tattoos

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History and Polynesian Tattoos History is all about studying past events and how they relate to human beings. The study of historical events informs us of the things that helped shape the world as we know it today. While most continue to evolve the way our predecessors did, some continue to carry on the traditions of the old world. Polynesian tattoos are one of those traditions that have withstood the test of time and maintained their heritage. In this paper I will cover the history of Polynesian tattoos and the events going on in the world at that time. On the basis of mythology, humans learned the art of tattooing from the 2 sons of the God of Creation Ta’aroa. Tattooing was operated by high trained shamans (tahua) in the religious ceremony, who was an expert in the meanings of the tattoo and skills of the art (www.apolynesiantattoo.com, 2014). The origin of the Samoan tatau is believed to have been introduced to the Samoa islands by two Fiji women, who came ashore with the tools and knowledge of tattooing. The tale proclaimed that the two sisters sang a song, which chanted that women are only to be tattooed, but as they neared the beach shores, the song mistakenly became reversed, indicating that only the men will be tattooed (www.nps.gov, 2014). Getting tattooed is a sacred ceremony in Polynesian culture. Tattoos and their location on the body were determined by one’s genealogy, position within the society and personal achievements (www.apolynesiantattoo.com). A person was also to undergo a cleansing before getting tattooed. They were expected to fast and abstain from sexual intercourse for a period of time before the tattoo process could be done. This ceremony has survived the test of time and while there is no record of when exactly these sisters arrived and introduced tatau to the Samoans, the discovery of tatau is known. The first Polynesian Islands to be visited were the Marquesas Islands which were found the Spanish navigator, Álvaro de Mendaña de Neira, in 1595 (www.apolynesiantattoo.com). Since the Marquesas Islands did not have any sort of valuable resources to the explorers, they paid no attention to the tattoos on the natives. It was in 1769 when Captain James Cook first landed in Tahiti that tattoos would be discovered. Captain Cook happened to be charting the islands and collecting natural history specimens with Joseph Banks (adb.anu.edu.au, 2014). When Captain Cook returned to Europe he brought a Tahitian named Ma’i with him. Shortly thereafter, Polynesian tattoos became popular with European sailors (www.apolynesiantattoo.com). It’s during this period that New World is being discovered. At the time the Marquesas Islands were being discovered, England was in the midst of the Elizabethan Age. Public theater was experiencing a revival with the building of the Theatre in London. This was made possible by the genius of William Shakespeare, the most acclaimed dramatist of the English language (Bishop 240). Italy was undergoing a late Renaissance during this timeframe as well. Venetian painters began painting in a style called mannerism. Mannerism employed exaggeration, distortion, and expressiveness in an elegant and inventive play on Renaissance conventions (249). By the time Captain James Cook and Joseph Banks landed in Tahiti, the Age of Exploration was drawing to a close. The Americas had been discovered and were being colonized by those seeking religious freedoms, trade routes to India and China had been charted, and now the last of the undiscovered world was being found and charted for navigational record. Back in Europe the arts and architecture were continuing their evolution. There was the Rococoan style of art and architecture. This artistic style was considered gay, witty, and often frivolous (292). The people of Europe and the American colonies were being inspired by the spirit of enlightenment-the belief in the supremacy of reason over pleasure, and a conviction that humans could perfect society through the application of the intellect of human affairs (292). It would be these thoughts that eventually would lead to the spirit of revolution and change the course of how countries were ruled. Throughout time our world has undergone an evolution. From living in tribes to the establishment of cities and towns, the human race has expanded its foothold on the world. While over time things will gradually change, some things remain the same. Polynesian tattoos have survived this long without changing their methods. Only time will tell if the methods will evolve or continue to hold true to itself.

Works Cited http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/cook-james-1917 http://www.apolynesiantattoo.com/polynesian-tattoo-history
Bishop, Philip E. Adventures in the Human Spirit, 6th edition. Upper Saddle River: Pearson Education, Inc., 2011. Print.

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