Tatau -

Tatau

A History of Samoan Tattooing

By Sean Mallon, Sebastien Galliot

Be the first to review this product

Hardback

Other Formats

$75.00

Or 4 payments of $18.75 with

delivery message Free delivery for orders over $60.00

Add to Favourites
Where in stock
Delivered in 3 - 7 days
Available for Click and Collect

Tatau: A History of Samoan Tattooing is the first publication to examine 3000 years of Samoan tatau. Through a chronology rich with people, encounters and events it describes how Samoan tattooing has been shaped by local and external forces of change over many centuries.

Product code: 9780994136244

More from this author
ISBN 9780994136244
Publisher Te Papa Press
No. Of Pages 320
Dimensions (HxWxD in mm) 255X200
On Sale Date 01/01/2000

The Samoan Islands are virtually unique in that tattooing has been continuously practised with indigenous techniques: the full male tattoo, the pe'a has evolved in subtle ways in its design since the nineteenth century, but remains as elaborate, meaningful, and powerful as it ever was. This cultural history is the first publication to examine 3000 years of Samoan tatau. Through a chronology rich with people, encounters and events it describes how Samoan tattooing has been shaped by local and external forces of change over many centuries. It argues that Samoan tatau has a long history of relevance both within and beyond Samoa, and a more complicated history than is currently presented in the literature. It is richly illustrated with historical images of nineteenth and twentieth century Samoan tattooing, contemporary tattooing, diagrams of tattoo designs and motifs, and with supplementary photographs such as posters, ephemera, film stills and artefacts.