What are the different styles of Polynesian tattoos?
Polynesian Tattoo Styles
There are different styles of Polynesian tattoos but,what is the difference between these styles? I’m going to tell you, in a simple way, with some examples of custom tattoo designs created by me, the basic differences between these different styles of Polynesian tattoos.

TABLE of CONTENTS
Marquesan Tattoo Style
This is the most popular Polynesian tattoos and the most requested tattoo style by visitors/clients of this web. A very popular tattoo style due to the famous wrestler and actor Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.

Marquesan Tattoo Design Sample
This is a photo sent by a client of JunoTattooDesigns.com with his custom tattoo in Marquesan style. I’ve added classic Polynesian symbols of wisdom, eternal life, spearheads, shark teeth plus some personal designs to tell us his personal story.

Typical tattoo design in Marquesan style

What symbols we can use to create a Marquesan/Polynesian tattoo?
In a Polynesian tattoo we can add symbols of wisdom, family, marriage, protection, eternal life, strength and much more. And non-Polynesian designs too. In this tattoo, the client wanted, in addition to these classic Polynesian symbols, an owl on the upper part of the shoulder, representing wisdom.

Tattoo design in Marquesan style with non-Polynesian symbols
Shoulder tattoo with American flag and footbal ball in tribal style

Marquesan Tattoo Design with Batman symbol

Custom Marquesan tattoo design with Star Wars, Dr Who, Star Trek and other TV shows and movie logos


Samoan Tattoo Style
Samoan tattoos tend to be geometric, created with straight lines, strips of designs. Shark teeth, ocean waves, spearheads, stones, bird symbols and triangles can be found in this style of Polynesian tattoos.
FOREARM TATTOO IN SAMOAN STYLE

Custom shoulder Samoan tattoo design

Samoan calf tattoo design with Shark
Samoan tattoos typically lack recognizable designs like tiki faces, animals, or flowers, but if the client wishes, we can include recognizable tribal-style designs that represent each client.

Because it is ancestrally made with flat tools, straight lines and geometric designs abound. In this video you can see how they are made with the ancestral Samoan technique.
SAMOAN SLEEVE TATTOO DESIGN

Maori Tattoo Style
Tattoos created by fine lines, curved shapes and spirals. It is also a “light” tattoo style, with no solid black areas. This is a forearm tattoocreated Online by me, inPolynesian Maoristyle, for a visitor of this web, according their wishes.

Hawaiian Tahitian Tattoo Style
In these Polynesian styles we can see clear lines, recognizable and rounded figures. In this tattoo: a couple oftiki faces, animals liketurtles,sharks, stingray; symbols like marquesan crosses and geckos…all designed by thin and curved lines, without solid black areas.
Tahitian Tattoo Design Sample
This is a sample of a tattoo in Tahitian style created ONLINE for a visitor of this web with a Honu (family symbol) as main design for the shoulder, a dolphin, manta ray, surrounded by spearheads, turtle shell symbols and Tahitian designs.

Tahitian Armand Tattoo Design
Armband tattoo for shoulder with tiki faces and Polynesian turtle.

Polynesian / Aztec Tattoo Design
All the tribal tattoos can be combined. This is a custom tattoo in Aztec/Polynesian style: Polynesian designs with ancient Mexican designs (Aztec), like a warrior skull as main design for the outer forearm.

READY TO TELL YOUR OWN STORY IN A POLYNESIAN TATTOO?
CUSTOMER TESTIMONIALS
Stuart Graham – Polynesian sleeve tattoo design
“Can highly recommend Juno amazing work completed very quickly to a excellent level and quality will be using him again in the future”
*****
Nick – Samoan shoulder tattoo design
“Great artist! Juno has done a wonderful job , I love my tattoo!. Highly recommended!”