'auī

Design Story

This Polynesian forearm sleeve tattoo prepared for Threveshen is complimentary to this other sleeve for the right arm and they are designed to go together sharing some common traits.

Both tattoos share matching edges made by ancestors on top and stepping stones at the bottom, along with the ahuahu o Mataora and the two tiki on the sides since both tattoos tell stories of challenges and bring protection.

This second tattoo is about two families and their union: one made by mother and father with three children protected in the middle and one with mother and father protecting two children in the middle.
Both turtles have flax leaves for the front flippers, and braids surrounding them for family union while the sun made of mountains encircles both for joy and stability, with chasing birds to symbolize support always granted to the loved ones.

Spearheads and octopus tentacles show the strength and tenacity that the two families had, facing every challenge in order to guarantee prosperity to their children (the row of fish) while the lizard is a protector and a symbol of health, and the lokahi a symbol of balance and harmony.

There's a stylized King Protea with the pito symbol (the navel, independence) below the turtles, while the manulua symbol underlines the union of two families and how it brings prosperity to the new family, which is the subject of the other sleeve.

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