Tatau
Subtitle: a history of Samoan tattooing
By: Sean Mallon and Sebastien Galliot ; with contributions from Tusiata Avia [and 15 others]
Contributors: Avia, Tusiata, 1966- contributor
Publisher: NewSouth Publishing
Published: 2018
Place of publication: Sydney, NSW
Language: eng
Number of pages: 327
ISBN-13: 9781742236162
Subjects: Tribal tattoos; History; Tattooing
Description: A strikingly designed and richly illustrated retelling of the unique history of Samoan tattooing, from 3000 years ago to today. The Samoan Islands are unusual in that tattooing has been continuously practised with indigenous techniques: the design of the full male tattoo, the pe'a has evolved in subtle ways since the nineteenth century, but remains as elaborate, meaningful and powerful as it ever was. This first history of Samoan tatau explores the people, encounters, events and external forces that have defined Samoan tattooing over many centuries. Stunningly illustrated with images of nineteenth and twentieth century and contemporary Samoan tattoos, along with intricate diagrams of designs and motifs, Tatau is the definitive guide to this rich and influential living art form.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (pages 308-318) and index.
Table of contents: title: Tatau : ancient traces; title: Tatau : European encounters and observations, 1722-1900; title: Tatau : persistence and change, 1900-2000; title: Tatau as a ritual institution, 2000-2010; title: Tatau and its globalisation, 2000-2017.