Guam Tribal Tattoos

In recent years, Polynesian tattoos have taken the tattoo community by storm. With the boldness of black ink and a history that goes back thousands of years, it is a genre of the craft that has withstood the test of time. Guam is no exception to trends in tattoos. For over a decade now, you have had many of our local tattoo artists doing Polynesian-inspired tattoos.

Polynesian-inspired Guam Seal Tattoo

The question of whether or not tattooing was practiced in pre-colonial Guam has been a topic of debate for quite some time now. The lack of evidence suggests that it wasn't, though some will disagree. Throughout history, the art of tattooing was practiced in many civilizations around the world, to include most of the islands in the Pacific, so why not here? Regardless of the answer, there are cultural enthusiasts and historians who contend that tattoos were not a part of Chamorro culture.

Fortunately for those of us who love tattoos, culture is not a static thing. In modern day Guam, you can't go out in public without seeing someone with at least one tattoo. There are many aspects of tattooing that are fascinating to all kinds of people, and in a time where we are rapidly exposed to things going on all over the world, it is perfectly acceptable to embrace new things and integrate them into your culture. In contemporary Chamorro culture, the practice of tattooing is alive and well.

Contemporary Latte Stone Design

Although we are not Polynesian by any means, Polynesian tattoos have had a huge effect on tattooing on Guam. As soon as local artists started incorporating the designs into their work, the style caught on quickly. To this day, Polynesian-inspired tattoos account for a large percentage of the tattoos that are done locally. The introduction and subsequent popularity of this style has provided Guam's tattoo industry with growth opportunities that wouldn't have been possible otherwise.

You will be hard pressed to find anyone who would say that a well done Polynesian tattoo is not a work of art. The style has inspired all kinds of artists on island. You will find the designs not only in tattoos, but in other places such as clothing designs and the margins of high school kids' notebooks. On a positive note, Polynesian designs have inspired people who otherwise wouldn't have been drawn to art.

Polynesian Tattoo done at Eli's Ink

There are some who may say that we are ripping off other Pacific cultures by doing these tattoos. In the absence of a style we can truly call our own, many of us gravitate towards Polynesian tattoos by virtue of being islanders ourselves. We identify with island life, and although we have no evidence of tattooing in our history, there are many aspects of island life that are similar across the pacific.

Feminine Tribal Tattoo

Where is the line drawn between imitation and inspiration? There are several tattoo artists from Guam who have made a name for themselves in this style of tattooing. Long gone are the days of tribal arm bands, so anyone who is looking to get a tribal tattoo is probably going to get something with Pacific origins. However, they generally don't claim to be experts on the subject of tribal tattoos or claim that the style comes from Guam. Still, there are others who throw some latte stones in the mix and act like they reinvented the wheel. They are not necessarily bad artists, but they aren't being responsible in the way they portray their tattoos as being uniquely Chamorro.

On the other hand, the availability of tattoo supplies online has brought upon us a wave of tattoo artists who otherwise wouldn't be artists at all. After doodling some Polynesian designs in the margins of their notebooks, they collect enough money to buy a starter kit and get right to it. These are the same artists who claim to "specialize" in Polynesian tattooing. Very often, they have a poor understanding of tattooing, and they don't know how to draw much of anything else... Not much of a specialty if you can't do anything else and you aren't very good at what you're doing in the first place.

Either way, as long as there is a demand for the art, there will be someone willing to do the work. As long as we are true to ourselves and our clientele, there should be no hard feelings. If we are going to continue making money off of other cultures, the least we can do is respect those cultures we are borrowing from and educate ourselves on the history behind the art and educate the collectors in turn. Polynesian tattooing has filled a void where there was a need to identify as an islander, much as Roman alphabet has filled the void where many cultures needed to express their thoughts on paper and record their own history. In an age where the world becomes more and more connected and ideas are exchanged rapidly, there is no reason not to celebrate those cultures that we admire and appreciate.