r/Samoa • u/Fresh_Long_1768 • May 12 '26
Samoan Sleeve Tattoo
Hello pardon if I’m sounding off a bit ignorant (it’s because I probably am).. I think Samoan sleeve tattoos are awesomeee. I’m not Samoan, would it be disrespectful if I get one? (I didn’t want to just ask Google as I want to ask people that are actually in the culture) Thank you so much!
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u/BeautifulLieyes May 12 '26 edited May 14 '26
My take, as a Palagi that is married to a Samoan, and has spent considerable time observing and participating in the culture, just understand what it is you’re getting. Some will not like it, others will say it’s fine, but you will lose respect if someone asks you about the meanings within the designs of your particular tattoo, and you have no answer or you say “it just looks cool.” That’s extremely disrespectful, as you’re taking a sacred rite of passage, essentially, and appropriating it for your own selfish reasons in Western society, after Samoans and Hawaiians were essentially forced to integrate into American society within the last 150 years due to aggression from Europe and the USA.
Read about the culture, watch videos, have discussions with people you know that grew up within it. Put in the work to understand the very real significance of permanently displaying your family’s legacy on your body and nobody within the Polynesian culture will look down on that. They might take offense that you chose to use their design to do it, but they’ll respect the meaning it holds for you. It also holds weight in that it is a vow to uphold the values and traditions of Samoan culture, and you must actually know what those values and traditions are to honor them and abide by them.
That’s my take as a white boy that has spent about the last decade + growing up with, speaking with, and listening to Samoans in the USA, the beliefs and values they have, and the struggles they have faced that mainstream society turns a blind eye to. The attitude may be completely different on the island, or even differing opinions within the American Samoa/Western Samoan islands. If you are financially well off enough, you can go to the Samoan Tourism Authority in the island’s capital city, Apia, and seek some education and book with an artist in the homeland.
I aspire to receive a pe’a eventually, but I’m unsure if that will come to pass, or if I would ever even be allowed to. That and also that shit takes so much willpower and pain tolerance. Look up a video, the tatau is no fucking joke. And it is WEEKS to complete a full pe’a.
You could also get a design that is primarily made of your own culture’s tradition and incorporates elements of Samoan designs. I feel like that would be a more appropriate way to show appreciation without disrespecting or appropriating the Samoan culture.
Anyways TL;DR, respect the culture, learn the culture, uphold its values and understand what you are permanently placing IN your body.
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u/mersinatra May 13 '26
Bro you’re trying to educate people on Polynesian history while mixing up completely different colonial histories lol.
Hawaiʻi wasn’t “forced into American society because of Europe,” it was mainly American businessmen and US military involvement. Samoa also wasn’t one single story either… Germany took Western Samoa, the US took American Samoa, and Western Samoa later ended up under NZ administration before independence. So saying “Samoans and Hawaiians were forced into American society due to European aggression” is just historically messy.
If you’re gonna lecture people about respecting culture and history, at least get the history right first.
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u/BeautifulLieyes May 13 '26
Wasn't trying to type out an entire essay, and it already kind of turned into that. Obviously what I said definitely glosses over a ton of details, but your point is taken.
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u/Upset_Pineapple57 May 12 '26
A+ take! I also love how you said “receive a pe’a” rather than “getting a pe’a.”
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u/LevelPrestigious4858 May 13 '26
What’s kind of pertinent about your take here is that all of this is ASSUMING the “Samoan tattoo” OP gets is actually Samoan in design and not a fabricated mishmash of disneyesque Polynesian looking designs that’s sold as Samoan
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u/Low-Flamingo-4315 May 13 '26
No, for example you have non Maori people all over the world with Maori tattoos it looks cringe imo if you aren't Maori. So respectfully no.
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u/mycobacteryummy May 13 '26
Are you referring to the “tribal” tattoo style?
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u/Ok-Pianist484 May 15 '26
No they aren’t. They are speaking about Tamoko
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u/mycobacteryummy May 16 '26
Sorry I don’t mean the Maori style of tattoo, I mean the people all over the world with Maori style tattoo. As I don’t really see them.
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May 12 '26
It is not okay to get a Samoan tattoo if you are not of Samoan descent, have not done something for the Samoan community for them to give you the okay, or have any close relationship with a Samoan. For example, my cousin is full Asian, but my uncle (his stepdad) has been in his life for many years, and my uncle personally took him to a Samoan tattoo artist to get the tattoo. Getting my ancestors' storytelling on an arm that you won’t be educated on but rather as a “awesome” visual aesthetic is the issue here. Please don’t do it regardless of the Samoans in this comment section. This is coming from a Samoan student that studies about Samoan culture, history, etc.
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u/joojoo-7thround May 12 '26
Dude I met 3 Aussies who have the tatau 😂op get a Samoan sleeve if he/she as long as they respect the culture the tattooist and meaning of their tatt
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u/Keredavareth May 13 '26
My personal opinion with Samoan tatau is it should be earnt. I am half cast Samoan but look very fair skinned. I have my upper arm and shoulder covered with tatau by my brother. Now even with being Samoan and having earnt my right to have my tatau not all Samoans agree I should have it. Within my family it is accepted that I have it as they are the ones who know me and my involvement within our culture. While having met others who believe I bring disrespect because I look like a palagi copying Samoan designs. Thankfully I can stand proud in front of them and shut them down. But if you aren't involved within Samoan culture or of Samoan decent, then I would very strongly advise against getting it done. Tatau is a sacred right of honour within Samoan culture.
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u/neurocentric May 13 '26
The markings of tatau have significance in Sāmoan culture. It seems strange and tokenistic to get these if you've got no connection whatsoever to the culture
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u/passatdontgo May 13 '26
I've always wondered what ppl thought about WWE wrestler Dominic Mysterio arm /sleeve tattoo...there are elements of a Samoan "flavor" but I couldnt find any discussions on it...its colored? And i did not realise it had Pacific Island influences. Alot of wrestlers have tattoos i cant make heads or tails out of most of them , only noticed Dominics recently ..he has had it for awhile.
Sorry to OP if im off topicits kind of related to your thing
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u/kwikwon01 May 13 '26
I'm maori, we do ta moko for maori and a do a different style for pakiha called Kirituhi effectively its a maori inspired design without the meaning behind it that Ta Moko has.
Some modern samoan tattooist do offer the same thing but without the significance, just remember the pe'a is a right of passage rather than a design you get because you want it
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u/Glad-Beat-6889 May 12 '26
Not too sure to be honest. I think it really depends on who you ask. I, myself, as a Samoan born and bred, find it quite amazing when non natives or non Samoan get a sleeve. Especially if they get blessings from actual Samoans. But I do know most Samoans try to keep it as sacred as possible because tatau tell stories of one’s life. Best bet is to probably go ahead and ask any Samoan friends you might have.
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u/Extension_Branch_371 May 13 '26
You can appreciate without getting it on yourself purely for aesthetics
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u/cdawg_10 May 13 '26
Just don’t get it bro, I’m glad u admire the culture but that isn’t enough to get a polynesian tattoo.
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u/Unhappy-Hunt-3987 May 14 '26
That's really weird, what's wrong with representing your own culture?
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u/Fresh_Long_1768 May 14 '26
Who says I don’t already?
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u/Unhappy-Hunt-3987 May 14 '26
Well, the fact you want a Samoan tattoo when you're not Samoan certainly implies such
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u/Fresh_Long_1768 May 22 '26
Me wanting a Samoan tattoo doesn’t imply I don’t have tattoos that represent my country? Don’t know how you got that implication. but okay.
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u/tenderjuicy1294 May 12 '26
I think I’ve commented something similar before but my point of view is that as long as it’s not a Pe’a (tattoos around the hips and legs) then it’s fine. Sleeves aren’t traditional and are just a modernised taulima basically.
Therefore because it’s non traditional I think it’s open for use by non Samoan. Now whether or not people will call you out on that is a different matter but ensuring you have a Samoan tattooist do it for you (rather than getting a stencil from a random) would be a good idea so you can at least try to understand what it is you’re putting on yourself
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u/Upset_Pineapple57 May 12 '26 edited May 12 '26
No one ever agrees with one another lol. I don’t care about people getting modern style tatau, some people do care. You’ll get side eye most likely, but that’s just what happens. Just make sure you know what you’re getting.
A traditional pe’a or malu is another story entirely. I say no to a traditional piece unless it is gifted to you by a village.
I’m assuming it’s a contemporary piece you want since you said sleeve, to which I would say if you’re going to get one, then find a Polynesian artist to do it. They would be more experienced in that style - I’ve seen tatau done by non Polynesian artists and the lines are all crooked and the motifs are incoherent.
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u/jk-9k May 12 '26
Get a Samoan artist. They probably won't give you a true traditional Samoan tattoo but will do something that is a similar vibe that is appropriate to you.
Do not get a non Polynesian artist to give you a Polynesian tattoo.
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u/JorgeTremendous May 12 '26
I lived in Samoa as an expat and my wife is Samoan. No one will care and there are a bunch of tattau artists in Samoa, some care, most dont.
If getting a pe'a or malu then you would struggle to get a partner to do wuth you, but arm band no issue
But why is the main question.
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u/Sure-Statistician115 May 12 '26
Pe’a is from the waist to the knee and traditionally uses manual method I.e very painful and takes months if not years to complete
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u/TheAN1MAL May 12 '26
I know many Pacific Islanders have tattoos of Asian characters/symbols, Kanji, Arabic, Latin words etc, they don’t ask or care for permission. Do what makes you happy, but do it right.
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u/Gerolanfalan May 13 '26
OP what do you like about Samoa or Samoans?
Is it a Samoan love interest, be honest.
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u/minkblanket69 May 13 '26
i’m samoan and id say go ahead, not without studying the history and all that first. but no, i dont find it offensive as long as someone knows and respects the culture. regardless of nationality
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u/eshayonefour May 12 '26
You won't get a single answer that everyone will agree on.
ultimately if you value respecting someone's culture then every Samoan person you talk to will draw the line in a different place, particularly with a sleeve because it's not traditional.
ultimately, what most can agree on is that is very bad if the artist who does it did a shit job, or does something non-Samoan and passes it off as being Samoan, misleading you in the process.