Toru

Design Story

The three main elements in this Tahitian style armband tattoo with uneven edges are a hammerhead shark, a turtle, and a lizard.

The turtle has a big tiki on the shell holding a Marquesan cross (the back flippers are tiki hands), with a manta included between the shell and the head of the turtle, while the left and right front flippers have a twist and a fish hook respectively.
A sun made of mountains surrounds her head.

The hammerhead shark includes spearheads, a Kena warrior holding them in the head of the shark, and octopus tentacles and shark teeth for tenacity and adaptability.

The lizard surrounds a canoe as a symbol of protection on voyages, while the row of birds that increases in size represents more voyages in the future.

Fish and bonito tail are symbols of abundance and prosperity, the flax leaves are for family union, and the stepping stones at the base and shark teeth on top represent achievements and protection.

The image below helps identifying the individual elements within the tattoo: