Tattoo Traditions of Hawaii
Posted by Phin Upham The Hawaiian tradition of kakau, or tattooing, seems to have little rhyme or reason yet the tradition is widely recognized. We can find uhi tattoos spread out amongst the different islands, villages, and families and across the social sphere. Hawaiians are also known for marking almost every part of the body. There are instances where warriors from the Pahupu companies got solid black tattoos that covered every part of their body but their teeth and eyeballs. Kakau traditions also seem related to various points in one’s life, much like our usage of tattoos to marka fallen family member. Uhi has been used to commemorate major life events, as a show of loyalty to a chief, and as a kind of living lesson to others within the…