Taupou Aulelei

This design was originally done as one of my submissions for our annual Asian Pacific Islander Heritage month shirts. Since this is a design for a shirt, I kept the shading minimal and aimed for a really simple, clean look. Which is a big change for me since I'm obsessed with shading, LOL. This is my first time drawing a Taupou, which I've been wanting to do for a while now, and even though it's a very simplistic design, I'm very pleased with how it turned out, and I hope others will enjoy it as well.

Steph's Custom Tattoo Design

I was able to find some time to put together a tattoo design for my dear friend of MANY years, Stephanie.  She wanted something to symbolize her daughter and two sons, using turtles, plumeria, and Poly tattoo designs.  I incorporated both Chamorro and Samoan styles to represent their heritage, and had a lot of fun putting this design together. I will post an updated pic when she gets her tat done.

Samoan Taulima Sketches

Here are twos pencil drawing of a Samoan man wearing a Samoan "taulima" tattoo design and blowing a conch shell. Blowing the conch shell is sometimes used before a ceremony to mark the official beginning, to herald chief's proclamations, and in ancient times was sometimes used to accompany chants. To blow the conch shell is a call to the divine. The blowing of the shell should always be accompanied by protocol. When it's blown, how many times and in which directions all have a complex set of meanings. In ancient times the blowing of the conch shell was also often used to communicate across the waters between people on canoes and those on land. Sometimes to request permission to come to shore. Permission or denial would then be returned from those on shore by them blowing the conch shell back with a certain number of blows. Permission to land avoided possible death, making the conch shell a vital instrument.

A Samoan Blessing

This is one of my favorite drawings. I originally drew this as a going-away present for my pastor and his family, before they left Seattle to start a new church in Hilo, Hawai'i. I chose a heart as the background to represent God's love for us, and decorated it with taulima (Samoan tattoo) designs. The banner shows the scripture Ephesians 6:24 in Samoan, "Ia i ai lou alofa tunoa ia i latou uma o e alolofa tumau i lo tatou Alii o Iesu Keriso." Efeso 6:24 At the bottom of the banner is the word "Shalom" in Hebrew. Meaning 'peace be with you.' At the top of the banner is a dove holding an olive branch, similar to the one in the story of Noah's Ark; symbolizing God's promise and faithfulness.