Aupupu

Design Story

This feminine tattoo that flows from the belly over the hip was prepared for Nicole and it tells her story from back to front (from past to future).

The upper stripe starts in the past with her original family, then includes meeting her husband and starting a new family (the koru for new beginning and the couple for marriage).
Braids symbolize union, which they shared on land (mountains), sea (shark teeth), and air (the birds).
The chasing birds also symbolize they'll always be there to help and support each other.

The lower stripe includes protection (the manaia and teeth of taniwha) and tenacity (the hammerhead shark motif) to face every challenge (the ahuahu o Mataora and the moray eel).

The hibiscus symbolizes carpe diem while the plumerias represent femininity.

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