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Kōrero: Samoans

Woman's tattoo

Image
Woman's tattoo

Samoan women are tattooed from the knee to the top of the thigh. As can be seen in Greg Semu’s 1994 photograph, a woman’s pe‘a tattoo (sometimes called a malu) is less elaborate than the male pe‘a.

Te whakamahi i tēnei tūemi

Auckland Art Gallery – Toi o Tāmaki

by Greg Semu

Permission of Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

Ngā whakaahua me ngā rauemi katoa o tēnei kōrero

Me pēnei te tohu i te whārang

Lupematasila Melani Anae, Samoans – Culture and identity, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/mi/photograph/1572/womans-tattoo (accessed 4 June 2026).

He kōrero nā Lupematasila Melani Anae, i tāngia i te 4 March 2009, reviewed and revised 7 September 2022 me te āwhina o Lupematasila Melani Anae.