Hawaiian tattoo designs applied with sharpened bone chisel and stick. It tapped into your skin until it bled. Once the incision is made with the chisel, ink is rubbed into the wound to form a line of ink.
Tattoo becomes a part of tradition in the Hawaii Island. It uses as a status symbol. They make a tattoo using beaks and different types of bones. Now, this skin art has much function more than just status symbol. It is become a part of skin art, pride and beauties.
Tattoos also serve to distinguish between social classes in society. The more your high status in your village, the more you are going to wear a tattoo. A long time ago, Hawaii had a king. If you are a member of Hawaiian royalty, you will show that pride through the tattoos you wear.
Hawaiian tattoo designs types and patterns
The designs have simple lines and curvilinear shapes. They often have maps of voyages in their life. It will tap into the tattoo on their skin to mark a courageous crossing or trip. We can call the designs as tribal in nature. This is like represent the life with turtles, sun, fish and birds as the designs. That’s no wonder because their daily is so close with nature.
Orchids and the yellow hibiscus flower are two types which are popular Hawaiian tattoo designs. These two of it commonly use on arm as arm band tattoo. Men and women can get these designs. This pattern is quiet suit for unisex designs.
Modern Hawaiian tattoo designs
Modern Hawaiian tattoo designs are based on tribal skin art. Flowers, birds, turtles formed in tribal style. This designs commonly used by men. While women prefer use the original form of flowers to get the ink.
Due the sharpened bone chisel and stick as the tool of tattoo, what kind of ink that they use for coloring their skin artwork? The ink comprised of the ash of candlenut. It’s mixed with coconut they can use sugarcane juice. A kind of mallet is use to pierce the skin to puncture. After that the ink got deposited below the skin surface. They just use one color to the tattoos. That was black.
After that the ink got deposited below the skin surface. They just use one color to the tattoos. That was black. We know that the Hawaiians has brown skin tone. It is due to sun exposure and the effect of the ink looked striking. Now the modern Hawaiian tattoo designs use variety color inks due to it’s vary kind of pattern.
