Totem

Design Story

This Polynesian forearm band tattoo was prepared for Marek and it represents his life.
It develops around a central animal totem featuring a turtle, a hammerhead shark and a manta, together with two palm trees.

The turtle is central, as family is, with a sun on top for joy and eternity, and a star in front of it for importance.
The flax leaves and braid on the shell symbolize family unity, the Marquesan cross is for harmony and balance and the chasing birds for support always granted to the loved ones, while the tiki and tiki hands on the flippers protect family from all sides.

It´s protected by the hammerhead shark representing tenacity and determination, with spearheads in it for the warrior, and a mere for respect, honesty, and leadership.

The manta symbolizes freedom and knowledge, with an all-seeing eye for protection.

The palm trees at the base are a symbol for serenity, like the Guanche pattern between them. Another Guanche (Canary Islands ancient inhabitants) element on the inside of the arm represents good luck.

The stepping stones at the base represent all that he learnt, which helped him along the ahuahu o Mataora, the challenging path that took him, level after level, to where he is now, helping the people around him (the enata and the net as a symbol of community and prosperity).

Ancestors are above, watching over land and sea (mountains and waves), a row of birds represent voyage, and fish are for prosperity.

Here´s a timelapse of the digitalization process: