Ha'a

Design Story

This Marquesan style half sleeve was prepared for Nassim to integrate an existing tattoo on his shoulder.
Since the existing tattoo was in a different style, we slightly modified it to better blend with the new part, fort the whole tattoo to look like one.

Some additional symbols were integrated into the Marquesan part to recall the birth places of Nassim's parents, while Kena and Tefio represent his grandparents, with a row of birds and an all-seeing eye nearby to represent voyage and protection.

The centipede on the back is a symbol of fighting spirit and tenacity, which will bring prosperity (the bonito tail).

The star symbolizes direction, and several elements represent voyages and the people met along the way, with a Marquesan cross to indicate union and harmony between people.

The tiki eyes and hands on top protect from any adversity (the opposing waves between them).

Centipede legs and spearheads represent the warrior who fights for freedom (the manta) and family (their initials are disguised in the tattoo), with a lizard for good luck and shark teeth for adaptability and strength.

The stepping stones at the base represent foundation, what was learnt and achieved along the way.

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