Hongi

Design Story

Family is the main focus of this half sleeve and pec tattoo prepared for Nestor, together with perseverance, strength, and community.

The central turtle represents his family, with him and his wife as a couple in the middle supporting their children around.
The star is a symbol of importance, the fixed point, and the two tiki bringing protection are designed with touching foreheads as in the hongi, the traditional Maori greeting.
The lokahi in the middle represents balance between the worlds of people, spirits, and nature.

The lizard symbolizes health and good luck while the hammerhead shark below protecting the turtle is a symbol of tenacity, determination, and strength.

The row of birds in the past symbolizes a voyage away from the origins (the kumu symbol), with many people met along the way, some of which became closer friends along the challenges faced (the path of Kamehameha).

Spearheads symbolize strength, like the warrior on the pec, who receives and brings prosperity (the row of fish) to the community (the net).
The coconut leaves and people on the pec symbolize community and prosperity too.

Ancestors on top guard on the family from the past to the future, all along the voyage of life (the molina) while the stepping stones at the bottom symbolize all the things achieved and learnt, which are now the foundation of the present life.

Flax leaves and braid represent family unity.

The colored image below helps identifying the main elements within the tattoo: