Honu

Design Story

Henrik asked us to extend the tattoo of a turtle he already had behind his shoulderr.
We kept a similar style in order to have it look better integrated and not just extended.

The new part has 3 main elements:

• the tiki on the right, looking ahead to protect his future (the moray eel in front of it represents the difficulties kept at bay): it has spear heads for the warrior, strength, fish for prosperity, shark teeth for adaptability and protection, braid for family union
• a manta in the middle, just behind the tiki, for freedom and beauty: it has flax leaves and braids for family; the man and woman on the wings represent Henrik and his wife, joined together in marriage in the middle
• closing the armband a gecko brings health and luck, with a silver fern on the body to represent growth and maturity; the tail curls into a sun representing joy, eternity and success, with a koru inside to represent life

Other elements are a fish hook (prosperity), birds connected to the turtle representing freedom and support to the dear ones. The path of Kamehameha representing a hard trail is surrounded by a sun made of mountains to symbolize stability and joy always awaiting at the end of all hardships, incorporating the fish hook.