A CULTURAL CALLING

Tahitian tattoo artist James Samuela has a special expertise: creating the art of his ancestors.

any native islanders carrytheir cultural traditions close to them, but not all carry it on their skin. James Samuela does. Tahiti-born and a descendant of some of the first tattoo artists in the Marquesas Islands, Samuela both sports and supplies traditional Tahitian tattoos. In fact, he’s one of the few who still specialize in the ancient style known as tatau. The artist now lives and works on Mo’orea, an island within easy cruising distance of Tahiti that he says is “much more beautiful.”

Samuela received his first tattoo at age 12 and began professionally tattooing in 1998, at age 19. He spent five years studying art at the École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris, but learned his specialty from his family and the masters of the craft who came before him.

Traditional Tahitian tattoos are made up of symbols that, in the ancient days (dating back to 1500 B.C.), represented one’s genealogy and social rank. Today, they represent ancestors and interests. If a yacht owner or charter guest were to visit Moorea Tattoo, Samuela’s parlor, the design might include star constellations, which Samuela’s ancestors used to navigate the seas, as well as wind, birds and the ocean. “Each tattoo is unique and representative of that person’s story,” he says.

The next time you cruise to Mo’orea, book an appointment at Moorea Tattoo at the beginning of your itinerary. Samuela says boaters who wait until the end may be too sunburned. Plus, he believes swimming in the salt water will help with healing. Salt water is, after all, the cure for everything.

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