It goes without saying that these days, tattoos are everywhere. And while societal acceptance of ink has ebbed and flowed, many people who spend hours in tattoo parlors adding to their growing ...

You must not stand behind the artist, he said, going through a litany of restrictions that govern the traditional art of tattoo in Samoa. You may view respectfully from a distance, he said, but to ...

Receiving a tattoo in the traditional Samoan way was an excruciating experience. As a rite of passage, men were expected to undergo up to three or four months of inking. During a session, which lasted ...

I lay on the mat of the open-air bungalow in Apia, Samoa, looking up at a gecko. As its tail quivered, I felt a sympathetic twitch in my leg. Su’a Sulu’ape Paulo III, the sixth-generation Samoan ...

Hi! I'm Morgan, and I'm a 30-year-old Samoan woman. Morgan Sloss / BuzzFeed Even if you don't know much about Samoan culture, you've likely seen or heard about our tattoos. Fun fact: the English word ...

“Tatau: Marks of Polynesia” at Bishop Museum features the art, history and cultural significance of Samoan tattoos through a series of photographs by John Agcaoili. Pictured is the tattoo artwork of ...

As AAPI month comes to a close, we’re taking a moment to highlight the rich culture and achievements of Pacific Islanders with our Heart of the Pacific series. From celebrities to fashion designers to ...