'atau

Design Story

We prepared two forearm band sleeve Polynesian tattoos for Threveshen to tell his story: this tattoo for the right arm about family, represented by the central turtle, protected by the hammerhead shark representing him (tenacity, determination, with a warrior and spearheads inside to symbolize courage and strength), and this other tattoo for the left arm about the union of two families.
The front flippers of the turtle are made by two people symbolizing the couple protecting their daughter in the middle (the frangipani flower).
Braid and flax leaves symbolize family union, and the two chasing birds symbolize support always granted.

The hammerhead shark guides the turtle toward freedom and balance, prosperity (the manta with a Marquesan cross) through the steps toward success (ahuahu o Mataora ending in the sun).

The path to knowledge and the stepping stones at the bottom going up in the middle toward the sun symbolize all the things learnt and achieved, which lead to success.
Shark teeth symbolize adaptability and strength to follow this path, while the row of birds and the flight of the albatross represent voyages, and fish prosperity.

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