What is a Samoan Tattoo?

In Samoa to have a Tatau (ro Samoan Tattoo) is like a statement to family, friends and to the village and more importantly to the culture itself, it is worn with pride, honor and respect.

Even to the world outside of Samoa when viewed by onlookers they recognize that these individuals are proud ambassadors of their homeland and culture.

To me personally the Tatau represents all of the above and more importantly because I was adopted at birth into a Samoan family and raised to think like a Samoan but did not look like one, it became my identity, a mark of a real Samoan.