The History of Tattooing
Polynesia
The Maoris - Tahiti - Samoa - Marquesas

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In all the Polynesian Island of the South Pacific the old tattoo tradition is well and alive. From Tahiti comes the word: Tattoo. They called it "tatau".

The repetitive ta-ta tells that you beat several (two) times with your hand to get the colour u into the skin. Look also for a more thorough explanation under Tahiti.

Since Captain Cook came to Tahiti in the middle of 1700, the word has spread from English to most other languages.

  Tahiti: Tatau  
Danish: Tatovering Norwegian: Tatovering Swedish: Tatuering
English: Tattoo German: Tätowierung Frensh: Tatouage
Italian: Tatuággio Spanish: Tatuaje Dutch: Tatoeage
Brazilian: Tatuagem Finnish: Tatuointi Polish: Tatuaz
Hawaiian: Kakau Portugese: Tatuagem Lithuanian: Tatiuruote
Estonian: Tätoveering Hungarian: Tetoválás Slovenian: Tetoviranje
Inuktitut: Tunniit Turkish: Dövme Czech: Tetování
Romanian: Tatuaj Créol: Tatouaz  

Other languages:
Japanese: Irezumi Icelandic: húðflúr Greenlandic: Kakiorneq
New Zealand (Maori): Moko Polynesia in general: Mana  

If anyone out there knows the word for tattooing in any other language
- I would be grateful if you sent us an e-mail.

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