New Zealand Listener - October 13, 2018

OCTOBER 13 2018 LISTENER

the 20th century, to its contemporary and

global implications.

T

his is the first publication to exam-

ine 3000 years of Samoan tatau.

Through a chronology vivid with

people, encounters and events, it describes

how Samoan tattooing has been shaped

by local and external forces over many

centuries. It argues that Samoan tatau has

a long history of relevance, both within

and beyond Samoa, and a more compli-

cated history than is currently presented

in literature. One of the most fascinating

stories is how it survived in Samoa despite

the efforts of religious institutions to sup-

press it.

It’s no mean feat to appropriately and

respectfully try to capture 3000 years of

history, but Mallon and Galliot have done

an extraordinary job.

One of the two people this book is

dedicated to is Paulo. It was his idea to put

tattooing in the play, so people who had

never seen it before could be exposed to it.

He was a cultural icon who was instru-

mental in the renaissance of tatau among

Samoans in New Zealand, and when his

life was tragically taken, in 1999, the com-

munity lost much knowledge about this

important tradition.

This book restores some of that, and

Paulo himself would

love that it’s been

written. l

TATAU: A CULTUR AL

HISTORY OF SAMOAN

TATTOOING, by Sean

Mallon and Sébastien

Galliot

(Te Papa Press, $75)

A puddle of ink and

blood was wiped

away, leaving just the

beautifully designed

markings.

In Cinemas Next Week

A HEARTLAND FILM

WITH A LOT OF HEART.

“A stunning

slice of rural life

and the gutsy

women who

share a passion

for shearing.”

Hilary Barry, Seven Sharp

Artist Fatu Feu’u (left) and

master tatauist Su’a Sulu’ape

Paulo II with a completed pe’a

in an Otara garage in 1991;

stretchers, below, assist in the

process; left, tatoo artist Tyla

Vaeau Ta’ufo’ou in 2017.