Thank you to all of our supporters who helped us exceed our goal! Tatau: Marks of Polynesia is a very special project and we’re grateful to those who have contributed to it. Whether or not you made a donation to this campaign, we hope you’ll visit the Japanese American National Museum to see what we have to offer, including Tatau in Summer 2016.
For more information about Tatau, visit janm.org/tatau.
For questions about your perks as a contributor to this Indiegogo campaign, contact development@janm.org.
For questions about additional sponsorship opportunities related to Tatau: Marks of Polynesia, contact development@janm.org.
UPDATE: Please see our new featured perk Mālō (Greeting). This perk includes a special first-look preview of the rough-cut of the documentary film that will be part of "Tatau: Marks of Polynesia" and allows contributors to share feedback to help shape the final product. Mālō is also available to contributors who select any perk at a higher giving level.
Support Tatau: Marks of Polynesia
Support the documentation and promotion of an important indigenous art form. Donate to JANM’s Indiegogo campaign today. Your funds will go directly toward the costs of producing Tatau: Marks of Polynesia, from photographing the work to installing the exhibition at the museum to publishing the full-color catalog. Donors are entitled to perks; see the column at right to choose your contribution level and its related benefits. All
donations are at least partially tax deductible; if you decline perks, 100% of
your contribution is tax deductible.
![]()
Tattoo by Su'a Sulu'ape Peter; Photo by John Agcaoili
An Important Indigenous Tradition
Samoa’s tatau, along with Japan’s irezumi, is one of the world’s most distinctive living tattoo traditions. An indigenous art form with a continuous history that dates back 2,000 years, tatau has played a pivotal role in the preservation and propagation of Samoan culture, surviving many attempts at eradication. In Samoa, tufuga ta tatau (master tattoo artists) are accorded high status in society, and acquiring tatau is considered a powerful affirmation of national identity, particularly for young men, for whom it is an important rite of passage.
![]()
Tattoo by Su'a Sulu'ape Aisea; Photo by John Agcaoili
Promoting Understanding of Diverse Cultures
The Japanese American National Museum (JANM) works to preserve civil rights through promoting understanding of diverse cultures. The museum collaborates with a variety of community groups to create programs that highlight the multitude of cultures that make up the fabric of America. In 2014, JANM collaborated with author and master tattoo artist Takahiro “Ryudaibori” Kitamura to organize Perseverance: Japanese Tattoo Tradition in a Modern World, an enormously popular exhibition. Continuing that path of discovery, JANM is now working with Kitamura to produce Tatau: Marks of Polynesia, an exploration of Samoan tattoo practice.
![]()
Tattoo by Su'a Sulu'ape Alaiva'a Petelo; Photo by John Agcaoili
Exploring the World of Tatau
Through photographs taken in the studio and on location in Samoa, Tatau will showcase the work of traditional tatau masters alongside that of younger practitioners and artists who are adopting tatau’s motifs and styles for new media and art forms. Viewers will be able to appreciate the sheer beauty of Samoan tattoos while at the same time learning about what they signify in Samoan culture, and how they help Samoans and other Polynesians living abroad stay close to their identity and their heritage. Public programs during the run of the exhibition, such as panel discussions and workshops, will help the public to further engage with the material. Tatau will also be accompanied by a full-color catalog that includes a scholarly essay.
The Artists
Among the artists featured in Tatau are Su'a Sulu'ape Alaiva'a Petelo, Su'a Sulu'ape Peter, Su'a Sulu'ape Paul, Su'a Sulu'ape Aisea Toetu'u, Sulu'ape Steve Looney, Tuigamala Andy Tauafiafi, Mike Fatutoa, and Sulu'ape Si'isi'ialafia Liufau. An important focus of the exhibition is the influential Sulu’ape family and their disciples; the legendary Petelo Sulu’ape and his deceased brother Paulo are credited with spurring the resurgence of Samoan tattoos worldwide. Additional photographs taken in New Zealand, Hawai‘i, California, and Nevada demonstrate the spread of the art form outside of Samoa and some of its newer interpretations.
The Organizers
Tatau is organized by the Japanese American National Museum (JANM) and curated by Takahiro
“Ryudaibori” Kitamura, the master tattoo artist and author who previously
curated the successful exhibition Perseverance:
Japanese Tattoo Tradition in a Modern World for JANM in 2014. Kitamura is
collaborating with John Agcaoili, photographer; Edward Danielson, MA, lecturer
in the Department of Indo-Pacific Languages and Literatures, University of
Hawai‘i; Sulu’ape Steve Looney and Danielle Steffany-Looney of Pacific Soul
Tattoo in Hawai‘i; Sean Mallon, author and Senior Curator of Pacific Cultures
at the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa; and Sulu'ape Si'isi'ialafia
Liufau of A-Town Tattoo.
Support Tatau: Marks of Polynesia
Support the documentation and promotion of an important
indigenous art form. Donate to JANM’s Indiegogo campaign today. Your funds will
go directly toward the costs of producing Tatau:
Marks of Polynesia, from photographing the work to installing the
exhibition at the museum to publishing the full-color catalog. Donors are
entitled to perks; see the column at right to choose your contribution level
and its related benefits. All
donations are at least partially tax deductible; if you decline perks, 100% of
your contribution is tax deductible.
To make the most of your donated dollar, please arrange for picking up your perk when you visit JANM. A JANM staff member will contact you or
contact development@janm.org directly.
