An Introduction to Hawaiian Tattoos

There are literally millions of tattoos to choose from, and many people are choosing to go with Hawaiian designs and themes these days.  Indeed, Hawaiian tattoo designs are something you should consider if you want to stand out.  Hawaiian, or Polynesian, culture goes back thousands of years, and the art is currently being renewed in the 21^st century in the form of bright, colorful, tattoo designs.

There is a lot more to Hawaiian art than flowers and leis.  There is plenty of tribal art that comes from the Maori and the Samoan tribes.  The Polynesian islands as a whole have been the home of many creative and artistic cultures.  Much of what we know to be tribal tattoo art today is based on the designs of the Polynesian islands and cultures.

Perhaps it is not very surprising that Hawaiian tattoos are popular.  After all, other aspects of the Hawaiian culture, such as leis and shirts have made their imprint on pop culture over the last few decades.  Today, it seems as if the “Tiki” culture that was popular in the 1950s is experiencing a renewal, right alongside Hawaiian tattoo designs!

Some of the most popular Hawaiian tattoo designs include animals, flowers, armbands and representations of the tattoo gods. (Yes, some Hawaiian cultures had tattoo gods!)  The flower tattoos are the perfect choice for those seeking something pretty and colorful.  Men can even get Hawaiian tattoo designs featuring flowers as they are drawn in a way that is not overly feminine.

The hibiscus is the most common flower found in Hawaiian tattoo art.  This flower can be a number of different colors including yellow, pink, red, white and purple.  The yellow hibiscus is in fact the Hawaiian state flower.  It can be drawn as a single tattoo element or combined with other flowers and symbols.  The orchid tattoo is another popular design.  Because orchids are an endangered plant, their symbolic meaning is something along the lines of “rare beauty.”

Other popular symbols found in Hawaiian tattoo designs include arrows, lizards, dolphins and sea turtles.  In fact, some ancient Polynesian cultures had a great respect for lizards!  They are frequently featured in Hawaiian art, usually accompanied by flowers.  It should also be noted that Hawaiian tattoos were bigger than those of most other Polynesian cultures, which means that there is more room for creativity.

If you want to go with a Hawaiian tattoo design, keep in mind that men and women traditionally got tattoos on different parts of the body.  This might not matter to you, but if you want to go with this kind of art because you feel a deep connection with the culture, then placement is something you may want to take into consideration.   Traditionally, men got tattoos on the torso, legs, face, and arms.  For women, the most popular tattooed spots include the tongue, wrist and hands.

Where to go from here:

• The Hawaiian Turtle Tattoo – Sea Turtle Tattoos
• Inspiration For Polynesian Tattoos – Polynesian Tattoo Design
• Flowers For Your Floral Tattoos – Tropical Flower Tattoos
• Tribal Tattoos For Everyone – Tribal Tattoo Art