Putahi

Design Story

This half sleeve tattoo is about the union of two persons.

They are both fighters (the two rows of spear heads represent their paths): hammerhead shark (tenacity, strength) and dolphin (playfulness, friendship) go the same way but on different paths.
They´re initially separated but start anew together (the koru shape on top) where the paths meet to end into the turtle (family).

The turtle is surrounded by a sun (joy and eternity) and it incorporates a twist for two souls that will always be together, and two coupled enata, man and woman, for marriage.

The hammerhead shark reaches the path of Kamehameha and passes through it (overcoming difficulties to reach success).

The manta with a Marquesan cross inside symbolizes freedom and harmony, the belief that the future will be bright (the fish hook nearby also represents prosperity and hope).

Other elements are waves for changes, fish for prosperity and enata for friends; the row of birds symbolizes getting to see the world from a higher perspective.