As the ancestor of modern tribal tattoos, Polynesian tattoos are one of the original tribal tattoo styles that originated in Polynesia, the geographic area located within the Polynesian Triangle (a region of the Pacific Ocean marked by three groups of islands: Hawaii, Easter Island and New Zealand). Within these islands are many cultures; however, the main Polynesian cultures are derived from Hawaii, Tahiti, Easter Island, Samoa, Tonga, New Zealand and the Marquesa Islands. Early cultures on each of these islands developed their own unique tattoo styles as a form of non-verbal communication that symbolized many things including an individual’s social belonging, level of courage and bravery, tribal status, genealogy and religious beliefs. More...