Transformation Through Tattoo: Hawai‘i Rooted

Описание: Keone Nunes reveals the protocol and the practice of traditional Hawaiian tattooing on the island of Oʻahu.

Before he begins tattooing, Keone wakes up his tools for Kahekili, the god of tattooing. He first does a prayer and dips his tools into the water to make them aware they will be doing sacred work. Although a simple ceremony, it’s embedded in thousands of years of culture and practice.

Keone considers himself more of a practitioner than a tattooist. In the ’90s, he brought back the art of traditional tattooing to Hawai‘i. It’s an art form he learned from Samoan kākau (tattoo) master, Su'a Sulu'ape Paulo, and it doesn’t use any machinery. Traditional, handmade tools made of whale bone, wood, and fiber are used to tap the natural ink into the skin.

Keone creates designs that relate to genealogies, protection or ʻaumakua (family gods), and the kuleana (responsibility) that goes with them. When Su'a Sulu'ape Paulo presented him with traditional tools, he realized reintroducing traditional tattooing to Hawaii was a responsibility he couldn’t back away from.

When describing the connection between a tattooist and the person receiving a tattoo, Keone describes that it’s not a one-way thing. The work is done by two people that really trust one another, in order for the design to benefit them.

Discover more of Keone’s #HawaiiRooted story at https://www.gohawaii.com/hawaii-roote...

Visit https://www.gohawaii.com/ to discover more about the Hawaiian Islands, experiences, culture, and all your travel planning needs.

Follow along on the #LetHawaiiHappen journey on our social media channels:

Facebook:   / hawaii  
Instagram:   / gohawaii  
Twitter:   / gohawaii