Blog — what do Samoan Tattoos mean

The traditional Samoan tattoo, known as tatau, malofie, and colloquially as the pe’a, holds profound cultural and historical significance in Samoan society. The traditional female tattoo is known as the malu. Malofie is the respectful term (upu fa’aaloalo) for both tatau and malu, symbolising identity, heritage, and personal achievements in the Samoan culture. This traditional form of body art has been practised for centuries and continues to be a cherished part of Samoan heritage. The art of tatau is deeply rooted in Samoan mythology, social structure, and pre-colonial spirituality. According to legend, Taema and Tilafaiga, Siamese twin demigoddesses, brought the...

I grew up in a Christian household and saw tattoos as defiling our bodies. Movies and television depicted villains and "bad people" with tattoos. Tattoos in my youth meant something negative. Then as a teenager the cool thing to do was get a taulima (tattoo around arm). Today the cool thing would equate to a sleeve. The thing is, even though it is cool, it doesn't give our people the actual connection that tatau (tattoo) has to our Samoan culture.  Each motif has a meaning. Placement in the pe'a and malu has a meaning. We lose the meaning of the...