A strikingly designed and richly illustrated retelling of the
unique history of Samoan tattooing, from 3000 years ago to today.
The Samoan Islands are unusual in that tattooing has been
continuously practised with indigenous techniques: the design of the full male
tattoo, the pe’a has evolved in
subtle ways since the nineteenth century, but remains as elaborate, meaningful
and powerful as it ever was.
This first history of Samoan tatau explores the people,
encounters, events and external forces that have defined Samoan tattooing over
many centuries.
Stunningly illustrated with images of nineteenth and twentieth
century and contemporary Samoan tattoos, along with intricate diagrams of designs
and motifs, Tatau is the definitive
guide to this rich and influential living art form.
