3 years ago today my uncle completed his Tongan Tātatau. On this same day was his ceremony & we also found out that there were only 3 recognised globally & then he became the 4th (from our understanding & the tattooist).
The meaning behind his Tongan Tātatau was mainly to honour our ancestors and the many sacrifices they went through in order for us to be here but also a way for him to feel more connected with his roots/culture
I ain’t no expert on the history of this but I found a little something that explains parts of the history that I have heard/know about https://www.google.co.nz/amp/s/matadornetwork.com/nights/tattooing-traditional-tongan-tattoo/amp/">https://www.google.co.nz/amp/s/mat...