Koa wahine band

Design Story

Two versions of this Polynesian tattoo were created for Tyler, a forearm sleeve and this band, and it's a good example of how the same story can be represented in different ways.

The band being smaller can't include as many details and elements as the sleeve, but all the important ones are there and the underlying meanings remain the same.

It represents two balancing aspects of her life: being a woman and a soldier.

The tiki on top represents god, with a te ha symbol (the breath of life) to show him as the giver of life.
Birds are symbolic of voyage and communication with the gods, and the row descending from the god symbolizes here his teachings (the star represents the fixed point, importance).

On the sides, there are her two souls: being a woman, a wife, and possibly a mother on the left, and being a warrior and a leader on the right.
Between them, the Marquesan cross symbolizes balance between the two aspects, and we included it in a net as it's a symbol of community and service, another aspect that contributes to her happiness and balance.

On the left, the hibiscus is for femininity and living life fully, and the frangipani with koru for new life.

On the other side, the hammerhead shark represents tenacity, strength, and determination, while the mere is a symbol of the chief, of honor and respect).

Shark teeth shape the lokahi on top above braids, symbolizing balance and unity, while the path to knowledge closes the lower edge of the band, symbolizing knowledge as the necessary base to achieve anything.

You can see here the forearm sleeve version