In Polynesia, tattoos are more than skin deep. Across the Pacific, tattoos are etched into the culture. Finding meaning in your own ‘story on skin’ helps honor the tradition.

Tapu is practiced in various forms across Polynesia, from New Zealand to Hawaii, and is believed to be the origin of the English word “taboo”, with British explorer James Cook first noting the ...

What Maui’s tattoos in ‘Moana’ say about Polynesia’s tattoo culture. Tattoos in places like Samoa, Tonga, and Hawai‘i can signify a sacred oath to protect and honor one’s community.

Tapu is practiced in various forms across Polynesia, from New Zealand to Hawaii, and is believed to be the origin of the English word “taboo”, with British explorer James Cook first noting the ...