By Sarah Jayne Gasu

The Samoan word for tattoo is tatau (tu-tow-u) and as you might assume is where the English word ‘tattoo’ derives from, and translates as to hit or strike (ta) with the au (tattoo tool).

Should you ever see one of these beautiful tribal tattoo’s, know in Samoa as Pe’a (peh-ah) you will understand completely how such a mistake could be made. Much of the traditional monochrome tattoo design covers large solid ares of skin, representing the ocean making it difficult to believe at first that a person could even endure such physical trauma.

The tufuga (tuh-foong-ah), or tattoo artist uses special tools to create the traditional tatau and they are much the same today as they have always been.

The first is the Au (ow) which is quite befitting considering the sound one might make when struck by it. It is made from a short piece of bamboo or light wood and a small piece of turtle shell bound at right angles at one end. Attached to this is the comb, usually made from sharpened bone, boar’s teeth or even sharks teeth, which are dipped in ink to colour the skin. The tattoo artist will usually have quite a variety of Au to suit the different designs that make up the completed tatau.

The second tool is another stick which acts as a small mallet and is used to endlessly tap tap tap the ink soaked Au causing it to pierce the surface of the skin.

The ink that covers the sharp teeth of the Au is made from the soot of burnt candlenut shells. The candlenut is a very versatile nut and even in our modern world is often used to create charcoal briquettes. Once the nut is burned down to soot it is then mixed into a smooth paste using coconut oil. This ancient form of ink is still used today in traditionally applied tattoo.

Due to the intricate designs, a traditionally applied tatau can take many hours to complete. The pe’a however can take many days and weeks, the process often beginning at dawn and continuing till dusk, though 4 or 5 hour sessions are more common. Each evening this is followed by long bathes in saltwater to assist the healing process. Overall, the entire pe’a, which amazingly covers 65% of the male body, can take up to 3 months to finish and up to a year to completely heal.

Sarah Jayne Gasu is an Australian author who regularly visits the Pacific and loves everthing to do with its people and culture. For extensive information on Traditional Samoan Tattoo Design and the islands of Samoa you can visit her site at http://www.dreamholidaysamoa.com and discover this beautiful and somewhat hidden destination in the South Pacific.

Being married to a Samoan High Chief gives Sarah real insight on the culture from the perspectives of both locals and tourists so you are guaranteed to discover everything you need to know to plan your dream vacation.

Sign up for her newsletter while visiting her site and recieve a FREE article to teach you the basics of the Samoan language so you can be talking like a local before you even arrive!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sarah_Jayne_Gasu
http://EzineArticles.com/?Tattoo-in-Samoa—The-Tools-and-Methods-of-the-Traditional-Samoan-Tattoo&id=1692475