"Anthropologist and tattooist Tricia Allen has harnessed centuries of knowledge about Hawaiian tattoos and has created this fascinating, comprehensive reference book that can be enjoyed by both tattoo enthusiasts and cultural scholars. Tattoo Traditions of Hawaii describes the evolution of Hawaiian tattooing as an art and science tracing it from its early roots in ancient Polynesia; presents motif, meaning, placement, tools and techniques along with personal observations and commentary in meticulous and graphic detail; discusses contemporary Hawaiian tattooing within the context of contact with the Western world; and includes drawings of designs and patterns for ideas and consideration"--Publisher's description.

Hawaiian tattoos (kakau) are intriguing, tribally exotic, ancient in origin, enigmatic, culturally meaningful, mysterious, evocative, and eye-catching. They are worn by persons from all walks of lifekumu hula, dancers, chanters, athletes, educators, artists, and security officers. Here is valuable information compiled by Hawaiian culture researcher and educator, P.F. Kwiatkowski, that explores many aspects of Hawaiian tattooingits origins, significance of designs, and their relation to religion, magic, social status, and personal expression. The information delivered is concise and helps dispel some misconceptions regarding the meaning of Hawaiian motifs and the differences between Hawaiian and Polynesian tattoo designs and placement. You will learn the what and why of the usage and the significance of the designs.

"This collection of amazing photos attests to the high level of artistic achievement and technical ability of the Polynesian people today, as well as nonislanders who have been heavily influenced by the art of the Pacific."---Ed Hardy --Book Jacket.

"Jean Tekura Mason's poetry reflects her life as a person living in two worlds - Polynesian and European. Some of her poems are reflective. Others are glib (and deliberately so). There is humour and there is passion - of love and hate, pagan faiths and Christian beliefs, ancestors and dancers, customs and politics, migrants and immigrants, and Pacific flora and fauna - all have stimulated Ms Mason to put pen to paper. At times incisive and descriptive, and at others deeply moging, this book is a collection of poems which is both retrospective perceptive"--Back cover

This book is intended as a general introduction to the ethnobotany of the Hawaiians and as such it presumes, on the part of the reader, little background in either botany or Hawaiian ethnology. It describes the plants themselves, whether cultivated or brought from the forests, streams, or ocean, as well as the modes of cultivation and collection. It discusses the preparation and uses of the plant materials, and the methods employed in building houses and making canoes, wearing apparel, and the many other artifacts that were part of the material culture associated with this farming and fishing people.

Tattooing is a very old and spiritually respected art form that has existed in many different cultures around the world. After many centuries of not being practiced in Europe, tattooing was re-introduced to the Western world through the inhabitants of the Pacific Ocean. Beginnning in the 16th century, European explorers came across many people who practiced tattooing as an integral part of their cultures. This is the first serious study of Filipino tattoos, and it considers early accounts from explorers and Spanish-speaking writers. The text presents Filipino cultural practices connected with ancestral and spiritual aspects of tattoo markings, and how they relate to the process and tools used to make the marks. In the Philippine Islands, tatoos were applied to men and women for many different reasons. It became a form of clothing. Certain designs recognized manhood and personal accomplishments as well as attractiveness, fertility, and continuity of the family or village. Facial tattoos occurred on the bravest warriors with names that denoted particular honor. Through the fascinating text and over 200 images, including color photographs and design drawings, the deep meanings and importance of these markings becomes apparent.