When Captain Edwards arrived in Bora Bora in 1791 aboard the Pandora, he noticed something unexpected about the local men. Certain private areas were tattooed — a practice he didn’t see elsewhere in the islands. What he didn’t realise was that the number of men bearing those marks reflected a simple economic reality: tattooing was expensive, and therefore reserved for the families of chiefs and community leaders.
Tattoos were used to transmit knowledge, teach, guarantee certain powers, and recognise privileges — they represented a person’s very identity.
Traditional Polynesian tattoos in Bora Bora weren’t decorative. They communicated genealogy, social standing, and personal achievements. The word tattoo itself comes from the Tahitian tatau, and legend traces the first designs to the skin of the god T’a’aroa. This article covers the historical meanings behind those designs, the sacred process of receiving them, and what travellers should understand before considering one today.
Traditional Bora Bora tattoos are a serious cultural marker, not a souvenir. Designs communicated your family line, your rank, and your accomplishments. The process was painful and carried real risk of infection. If you’re thinking about getting tattooed on the island, understand the symbolism first — and expect a good artist to talk with you for hours before they agree to work on you.
How Tattoos Worked in Traditional Bora Bora Society
Tattoos sat at the centre of social and spiritual life in ancient Polynesia.
In pre-European society, tattooing played a fundamental role as a social marker and sacred symbol. It wasn’t just a sign of belonging to a particular tribe and territory — it defined the wearer’s social rank. Tattoos were linked to important rituals, including the passage from puberty to adulthood and marriage.
Men were extensively tattooed from early in their teens. Women received tattoos on their hands, arms, feet, ears, and lips, but the process started earlier. At a very young age, girls received inner-arm markings to indicate they could accept food prepared by someone other than their mother. Designs were later added on the buttocks upon reaching a certain age.
Tattoos also carried a sacred dimension. They were considered a gift from the gods that bestowed supernatural power on the wearer. Certain designs were conceived to protect the wearer and preserve his Mana — the life force of Tahiti. They represented prestige and the divine spirit that guaranteed good health, well-being, and fertility, while also offering protection from harm.
The Process: Tools, Pain, and the Risk of Shame
Getting tattooed in ancient Bora Bora wasn’t a casual appointment.
Tattoos were applied using combs made from human and animal bones and teeth. The ink came from the burnt remains of nuts from the tia’iri tree (the candlenut tree), diluted in oil or water. The comb teeth were dipped in the ink, placed on the skin, and tapped repeatedly to pierce the skin and let the ink penetrate. The process took many days to allow inflammation to subside between sessions.
The pain was extreme, and the risk of death by infection was ever-present. To back down from tattooing was to risk being labelled a coward. Someone who abandoned their tattooing was left to wear an incomplete design — a mark of shame for the bearer and his family throughout their lives.
In the Society Islands — which include Bora Bora — the face was never tattooed. That’s a key difference from the Marquesas Islands, where facial tattoos were common and known as patutiki, meaning “strike an image.”
Despite the missionaries’ efforts to ban the practice — they would forcibly tattoo marks on the hands and faces of those who continued ancestral customs, marking them as criminals — the system of tattooing proved so reliable that courts later relied on tattoos to establish family links and determine rights to land.
Design Meanings: What the Symbols Communicate
Every motif carried specific meaning, and placement mattered as much as the design itself.
Shark Teeth and Spears
A shark tooth tattoo signifies guidance, power, and adaptability. Spears — traditionally three of them on the chest — marked a warrior or veteran. One local artist explained that he should have three spears on his chest as a veteran of the first Gulf War, but his work in the US meant he had to hide his tattoos.
Fishing Hooks and the Ocean
Fishing hooks represent a connection to the sea and to one’s livelihood. One Tahitian tattoo artist wears hooks upside down because he no longer fishes — he protects the fish instead. The ocean motif appears on his left, nurturing side, because taking care of the ocean is an act of love.
Family Motifs and the God T’a’aroa
Family motifs traditionally sit on the forearms. They identify lineage and belonging. The god T’a’aroa — the great creator — is represented by an egg. The lower shell became the world of darkness and all living creatures; the upper shell became the universe. In traditional practice, only the oldest family member could decide when someone was ready to receive the upper shell design.
If you’re considering a tattoo in Bora Bora, talk to the artist first. Expect a long conversation about your intentions. Artists like Sommer near the Vaitape market have turned away clients after hours of discussion because they weren’t ready for the cultural weight of the design.
Planning Your Tattoo Visit: What to Know Before You Go
Getting tattooed in Bora Bora today is different from the ancient practice, but the cultural expectations remain.
Finding an Artist
Bora Bora has a number of accomplished tattooers. Most work out of small studios near the main village of Vaitape or at resort spas. It’s worth visiting a few and looking at their portfolios before committing. A good artist will ask about your intentions and may suggest designs that reflect your own story rather than copying traditional motifs without context.
Cultural Etiquette
It’s considered wrong to take motifs from other families without their permission. While you can usually get away with it in French Polynesia, in New Zealand it’s considered a significant insult in Māori culture. Before being tattooed, seek advice on the symbolism of any design you’re considering.
Some resort-based tattoo shops offer quick, generic Polynesian-style designs that carry no specific meaning. If you want a tattoo that reflects genuine Bora Bora tradition, you need to find an artist who understands the symbolism — and that usually means a longer, more expensive process.
What It Costs
Pricing varies widely. Small, simple designs start around $100–$200 USD. Larger, custom pieces that require multiple sessions can run $500–$1,500 or more. The price reflects not just the artist’s time but the cultural consultation that precedes the work.
On the Ground: Practical Considerations for Your Tattoo
Beyond the design itself, there are real logistics to manage.
Healing in a Tropical Climate
Fresh tattoos need careful attention in Bora Bora’s heat and humidity. Saltwater, sand, and sun exposure can all cause complications. Most artists recommend keeping the tattoo covered and dry for at least two weeks — which means no swimming in the lagoon, no beach days, and limited sun exposure. Plan your tattoo for the end of your trip if you want to enjoy the water first.
What to Pack
You’ll want loose, breathable clothing that won’t rub against fresh ink. A reef-safe mineral sunscreen is essential once the tattoo heals, since traditional chemical sunscreens can irritate sensitive skin. A quick-dry travel towel helps keep the area clean without introducing bacteria from hotel towels.
Understanding the Meanings of Bora Bora’s Traditional Tattoos
Can tourists get traditional Polynesian tattoos in Bora Bora?
Yes, but expect a different process than a walk-in shop back home. Reputable artists will want to discuss your intentions and may refuse designs they feel you’re not ready for. It’s not personal — it’s respect for the tradition.
What does a shark tooth tattoo mean in Polynesian culture?
A shark tooth tattoo signifies guidance, power, and adaptability. It’s one of the more common traditional motifs and is considered appropriate for visitors who understand its meaning, unlike family-specific designs that belong to particular lineages.
How painful was traditional Polynesian tattooing?
Extremely painful. The tools were bone combs tapped into the skin, and the process took days or weeks to allow swelling to subside. The risk of death by infection was real. Completing a tattoo demonstrated endurance and dedication to cultural traditions.
Why were some tattoos considered a mark of shame?
If someone abandoned their tattooing because they couldn’t endure the pain, they were left with an incomplete design. That was a mark of shame for the bearer and their family throughout their lives. It signalled that the person could not be relied upon.
Are there any designs tourists should avoid?
Family-specific motifs and the upper shell of the T’a’aroa egg design are traditionally reserved for those who have earned them through age, wisdom, or family permission. Taking these without understanding their significance is considered disrespectful, particularly in neighbouring Māori culture.
Closing
What stayed with me after talking to artists and reading about the old ways wasn’t the pain or the tools — it was the idea that a tattoo could settle a land dispute in court, centuries after it was applied. That’s a different kind of permanence than anything a tourist shop can offer. If you’re going to wear Bora Bora on your skin, understand what the symbols behind the designs actually say.
Sources and further reading
Polynesian Tattoos History & Meaning. Bora Bora Insider.
Polynesian Tattooing. Tahiti Tourisme.
Tahiti Tattoos Have Deep Meaning. Bora Bora Island Guide.
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