A'a

Design Story

This Polynesian armband tattoo was prepared for JW and it represents his voyage going from his family of origin to creating his own family.

The turtle is central on the front of the arm to symbolize the centrality of family, with him and his wife surrounding and protecting their son together with the two tiki, giving him prosperity (the fish hook) and knowledge (the path to knowledge).
Flax leaves and the braid are for family unity and the Marquesan cross represents harmony.

The sun around the turtle is a symbol of eternity and joy, and the spearheads and centipede on the right symbolize JW as the warrior ready to fight to protect his son and give him prosperity (the row of fish).

On the left, which goes on the back of the arm, ancestors are placed next to a Scottish thistle and a stylized Lebanese cedar tree to represent his roots.
The cedar is made of stepping stones, symbolizing achievements, while the thistle has waves and octopus tentacle to represent tenacity through changes.

The colored image below highlights the main elements within the tattoo: