Manawareka

Design Story

The main elements of this tattoo requested by Marc are the turtle on the pec, a sun on the deltoid, a manta right below and the octopus making the greatest part of the armband.

The octopus is a curious, intelligent and tenacious animal. Two tentacles are shaped like paths of Kamehameha and others are like waves and tentacles to represent Marc´s tenacity in facing all difficulties until he gets past them.
The manta right above symbolizes freedom and knowledge and it incorporates a Marquesan cross for balance and harmony, surrounded by enata (people) and leading towards success (the sun above with an all-seeing eye in it for protection and to keep enemies away).
The coconut leaves shaping it are symbolic of chiefs.

On the right of the armband, in the past, there is a moray eel to symbolize an adversity, while the hammerhead shark enclosing it on one side and the enata (people) on the other side symbolize his tenacity and the friends who were on his side facing this (the spear heads represent the warrior).

A gecko on the left is a bringer of health in the future.

On the pec, the turtle has two tikis being the front flippers to protect it from all sides.
On the shell, a sun made of coconut leaves is for prosperity and it encircles the symbol for marriage.
A koru in front of it is for the new life started.
The mere closes the bottom of the shell.
The back flippers are a sea shell and a whale symbol.

There are a fish hook and a row of fish for abundance while the turtle is linked to the bigger sun above the shoulder by ani ata (ancestors, relatives), a braid motif (unity), two chasing birds (help to the dear ones) and a canoe (teamwork, generosity) to emphasize how many people were on his side all the time.