HomeThousands of tattoo designs are available on websites and in catalogues waiting to be selected. Tribal Polynesian designs are becoming more common while tattoos in general are becoming more popular these days.
You need to understand that there are two distinct styles when it comes to Polynesian tattoo designs. Etua is what the first of these is called. Etua have a strong spiritual and religious meaning to them. They are also magical symbols offering protection from the gods . While the other style Enata can be described as natural designs which describe the person, their identity and status. Among them are the social status rank, island of descent, career choice and background.
Symbols within Polynesian tattoo designs and their meaning are as follows -
Shark teeth – Sharks’ teeth tattoos are for protection.
Turtles – A turtle symbol represents long life and fertility.
Sea shells are a popular pattern especially among Polynesians and in the past have been linked with wealth.
Shark Designs – Shark imagery is considered as an object of worship. In Polynesia shark tattoos are considered to offer safety in the face of threats.
Gecko – It is believed that the gecko has powers of a supernatural nature and are feared but also held in awe by the Polynesians. One type of superstition is that a green gecko laughing will bring bad luck and poor health.
Tiki – The god Tiki is often shown with eyes closed. Tiki can smell trouble when it is not yet visible.
The Polynesian island inhabitants are wide spread. They include The Cook Islands, Samoa , Tonga, Easter Island, Tahiti, French Polynesia and even Hawaii. Over thousands of years, the people across these islands developed their own distinct cultures. It is quite interesting to recognize the similarities between cultures in the art of tattoo designs. Well Polynesian tattoos of today don’t mean much today if anything people love them only for their design rather than magical protection or a status statement.
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Come see the Pictures of Tattoos lens or visit Tattoo Me Now. Browse thousands of Polynesian tattoo designs in every style imaginable.
