Author: Scott and Kathy Erwin, Sail the World

So if anyone is interested…. “The Tattoo”

Hope Erwin had been planning to get a tattoo during her visit to us in Marquesas for nearly 6 months. The tattoo process here started with a conversation between her and Ahi the Artist in Nuku Hiva. The interview was a week earlier than the time of work and it consisted of sharing important aspects of Hopes life and family. At the time of the interview, we saw volumes of books of symbols and drawings of century’s of Marquesian body art with historical meanings. The selection of what art is to be “Hope’s tattoo” was all up to Ahi although Hope wanted a few specific items that meant more to her.

On the day of the work we showed up at 8:30 am where Ahi was explaining to a lady a tattoo he had placed on her the day before. She was flying out that day and was emotionally overwhelmed (in tears) by the art and symbolism representing her life. Hope at that time was very moved about the process awaiting her.

This is all free hand and no computer or graphic images helped along the way.

Ahi is 28 years old and has been taught by the Guru of Marquesan history. This history was almost forgotten over generations of cultural suppression by the Catholics and the French. Only in the latest 2 generations have the Marquesians demanded that their culture survive and be celebrated (much of this we saw in the Matavaa festival). Fortunately, the artwork was well documented in the 18th and 19th centuries and still practiced in small circles. Ahi explained that the art work is at the root of the culture and “has”’ to be shared. “Marquesans are proud of who we are and we want our Tiki to be known”. Thus, the tattoo culture is shared with others and not just kept to themselves.

The process was as interesting as the history. Ahi free handed for hours in green and pink with many revisions until he was happy with his canvas. Only then did he sit with Hope and explain the meaning of each symbol which we recorded on video. (One Hope will keep private). The whole process was complete by 3:30.

BTW, the Marquesans seem to have a very strained relationship with both French Polynesia and France. It’s one I would relate to a rebelling teenager in their middle to late teens. They are striving for their history, culture and independence. Marquesans are absolutely the most generous and kind people we have met yet, but there is an underlying anger from the last few hundred years. Time will tell if this generation will heed to parental supervision or will they push for more independence. In its present form these Islands are similar to Hawaii 100-150 years ago. -Scott

What a great couple of weeks with our daughter Hope Erwin.

Hopes trip has been a blur of cruising life in the South Pacific. Only 10 days and she had dove with Sharks, swam with mantas, videoed turtles, hiked the Hakatea Bay (Daniels bay) and made an effort to learn how to foil behind the dinghy.

Pictures can’t explain how proud we are of this soon to be 21 yr old college grad!

So excited to be here in Nuka Hiva with all the local Marquesan people gearing up and practicing dance, drums, song, foods, crafts, and beautifying the entire town for their big Matava’a Festival. This event is to Celebrate their Cultural Heritage and the last few decades of FREEDOM of artistic expression.

The Meal. This sure was unique, starting with a road trip across the island of Nuku Hiva to Tiapivia village. A 40 minute drive brings us to a beautiful ridge lined valley with coconut trees everywhere. Today we get to share a traditional meal with the islanders after more ceremonial dance. NO TICKETS are sold here, we are guests of the tribes. Each of the six islands prepare foods that have made up their culture in the past. We are served in bowls and plates that we bring that are made of natural island resources. Coconut shells, bamboo hulls and leaf weaved bowls. Then we eat with our fingers.

A few notes: –
-The Marquesas island are the most remote island group in the world.
-The United States bombarded this valley/village with cannons for three days in 1812. (More on that later).
-Yes the tattoos are real. Each tattoo has meaning and symbolism that represents the tribe, history and family of the person it’s on. Marquesas is world famous for their tattoos.
-Bread fruit, bananas, pork, beef, coconuts, mangos, other root stock made up most of the food. Some I didn’t know.

The Marquesas Islands Arts Festival is a cultural event created in 1987 but, founded in 1978 by Toti Teikiehuupoko. Its initial goal is to preserve the Marquesan heritage and unite the people around its culture. We noticed a lot of emotion around the events, so we dug deeper to learn more…..

Kakaia is a group, which shakes up the codes and wants to “defend Marquesan culture in an honest way”. Its members feel the need to express themselves in a different way, using unusual, provocative gestures. The story of Kakaia could help us all understand this perception. The troupe is made up of “people who are in search of their identity, who have another way of thinking, or by religion”, explains Kahuetahi Kaiha, its leader. Its members want to be free to think, act and live their culture in their own way.

Deep in their souls, there is a sense of resentment, that of the consequences of European and religious colonization. European colonization led to forced acculturation, bringing with it cultural and identity erasure. The French code prohibited their language as well as their dances, tattooing, and partial nudity. Actually sort of a trauma for these young people in search of their true identity. If the Marquesans are experiencing a real awakening of identity today, for Kakaia, we must not make a clean sweep of the past. This is part of their story and we must continue to tell it. Participating in the festival is a source of pride for many young Marquesan residents. I think this is the right time to share this strong message.

The leader of the Kakaia believes “that there must exist above all for us, and the culture must be experienced and felt in a spiritual, emotional, physical and mental way. We must let ourselves live it as we see fit, with our spirituality. “

It must be said that the Marquesas impress. Coming from a recent Tahiti news article: “Gauguin, Stevenson, Melville, Segalen, Brel, artists, poets and adventurers found in the Marquesas an exoticism to match their dreams. Today, passing visitors or cruise passengers are amazed when robust dancers, barely dressed in auuti leaves, come to perform the pig dance, a distant echo of the warlike dances of yesteryear With the European system, we are exotic. When people come, you have to show yourself, it’s a spectacle. So, the culture itself for the Marquesans is dormant. This festival is not for foreigners, it is above all for us. In any case for Kakaia, we are there for us, to express ourselves. For me, Marquesan culture only has the right to exist in one dimension, that is to say, it just represents exoticism, folklore. People think that putting on necklaces, donning costumes or getting tattoos is enough to be a Marquesan. It’s wrong, spoken by Kahuetahi Kaiha. This is precisely what the leader of the Kakaia from Marquesan Island of Ua Pou regrets.”