I lay on the mat of the open-air bungalow in Apia, Samoa, looking up at a gecko. As its tail quivered, I felt a sympathetic twitch in my leg. Su’a Sulu’ape Paulo III, the sixth-generation Samoan ...

Pauaraisa is one of several players in the squad who has a malu, an intricately designed tattoo of cultural significance commonly seen on Samoan women. Inked across both legs, it denotes shelter and ...

“Tatau: Marks of Polynesia” at Bishop Museum features the art, history and cultural significance of Samoan tattoos through a series of photographs by John Agcaoili. Pictured is the tattoo artwork of ...

With nearly 180 images from photographer John Agcaoili, plus artifacts and tattoo instruments, Tatau examines both the cultural history of Samoan tattoos and the designs in modern times. The ...

In Polynesian cultures, tattoos are an ancient custom used to signify rites of passage. In Polynesian cultures, tattoos are an ancient custom used to signify rites of passage and milestones in life.

APIA, Samoa (Reuters) - Oliver Fagalilo takes a laboured breath and tenses his body before a sharp steel comb, dipped in ink, drives into his skin. Six hands keep his body still and his skin taut as a ...