The History of the Samoan Tattoo

The Samoan Tattoo (or Samoan Tatau was probably the Samoans' first form of cultural art not only expressed in their fine mats but also on themselves.

As the missionaries arrived, so did the displeasure they had for the heathen practices, which they felt, were ungodly. One of these practices was the Tatau. To them it would have looked like the local witch doctors were trying to cast evil spirits from the locals in order to be accepted back into the village mainstream, with the end result an etched signature for their troubles.