Koa integration

Design Story

Michael had a Hawaiian warrior tattoo on his shoulder and he asked us to expand it into a Polynesian half sleeve.

We integrated it into a big sun made of mountains (stability), with a smaller sun in front of it surrounding a Marquesan cross (balance and harmony).
While the bigger sun represents the warrior's attitude (positiveness), the smaller one is the goal always in front of him.
The row of birds all around the sun and warrior represent his voyage.

The warrior keeps friends and family close to him (the people around him), while the lizard symbolizes connection to the world of the spirits.
The lōkahi below the warrior is also a symbol of balance between the worlds of people, spirits, and nature.
The canoe and the star are there to symbolize adventure and a direction to follow.

The hammerhead shark and spearheads represent tenacity and fighting spirit while the jellyfish represents adaptability and following the flow, with the breath of life countering death (the row of flies).
The ahuahu o Mataora represents a path full of challenges and waves are for change and for the ocean.

The manta symbolizes freedom, and the frigate in it a higher perspective.
The path to knowledge and the stepping stones at the base represent all he's learnt along the way, which forged the warrior above.

Tiki and teeth of taniwha on the sides are for protection, while fish and fish hook symbolize prosperity.

The colored image below helps identifying the individual elements: