From ritual efficacy to iconic efficiency: ritual encoding, surface/pattern and global perceptions of Pacific tattoo iconography Sébastien Galliot

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Sébastien Galliot. From ritual efficacy to iconic efficiency: ritual encoding, surface/pattern and global perceptions of Pacific tattoo iconography. Interstices: Journal of Architecture and Related Arts, 2017, Surface /Pattern, 18, ￿10.24135/ijara.v0i0.6￿. ￿hal-02976166￿

HAL Id: hal-02976166 https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-02976166 Submitted on 30 Oct 2020

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INTERSTICES 18 iconography perceptions ofPacific tattoo surface/pattern andglobal efficiency: ritualencoding, From ritualefficacytoiconic SÉBASTIEN GALLIOT 38 in its mode ofreception. mode in its to show a change how the global (re)appropriation has caused of Pacific designs oftheimages theritual production about insights keyethnographical light some have iconography. reading ofSamoan tattoo the multimodal called Iwillhigh to explore the way in moreused detail what I addressing before work, images ThenIwillclarifythetheoreticalframework Pacifictattooing. I contemporary To images. give thisend,Iwillfirst somecontextualtattooed informationabout ofPacific ofSamoaniconography thechangingstatus reception by questioning mission of inthemode aimsto examinechanges 2015b),this paper (Galliot, from previously work 2015a) and ritual trans published (Galliot, on ritual efficacy ( as an assistant engagement my involving curatorial activities and PacificandSamoantattooing personal my ofdataare sources months.Other of28 over andEurope New aperiod Zealand drawsThis papers onmybetween fieldwork 2001and2013inSamoa, conducted itprovoke? does operation for, itstand Whatdoes andmental andwhatkindofaction Samoan tattooing? in byiconography?Whatkind ofsignpredominates is mediated Samoantattoo relation Whatkindofsocial designs. oftattoo andagency onthemeaning cesses pro ofthese theeffect to understand itisimportant hand tappingtechniques, Given and the global proliferation and appropriation imagery of Pacific tattoo propriation, andcopying ofimages. ruling the circulation, ap ethics to and theprofessional theeconomy of images contentious onerelates wearers. andtattoo Themost practitioners among tattoo controversial ofother uparange brings issues oficonicpower also the question and the way of reception In thiscontext,mode relationships. theymediate social their beyond changes and their diffusionfar another Pacific islandscommunities Salvador-Amores 2013, Krutak2014). fromto onemedium Thetransferofimages the world (Kuwahara 2005, Awekotuku &Nikora2007, &Utanga2011, Mangos aroundother cultures amongPacificand occurring and revitalization enterprises appropriations, andexogenous re-appropriations ofindigenous several decades witha“nesian” andmedia carriers identity. theoutcome to of be Thisappears havemeans andefficientbywhichof tomarkawiderange popular ing, become or weav carving tattooing, likebarkcloth, andcrafts, frompulled Pacificarts andimages ornamentalmotifs From packagingto individual product tattooing, toso ) during several tattooing operations. Starting Starting operations. ) during several tattooing SURFACE / PATTERN / SURFACE - - - - - INTERSTICES 18 Pacific tattoo iconography From ritualefficacy surface/pattern to efficiency: iconic ritualencoding, andglobalperceptions of 39 In the 2010s, the number ofself-taught In the2010s,number 2005). ritualorornamentalcustomcreations(Mallon, togranting rights perform titles, ternational newcomers to bestowing their craft, providing apprenticeships, andhave tattooing Polynesian asmentorsandpatrons forin pre-modern acted knowledge. Consequently, ga tātatau Pacific tattooing andtheemergence ofa the guidanceofa and Australia,New the craft without as well who learned Zealand as westerners steadily. to increase Samoan onecontinues in Samoansoperating Thisincludes fromers diverse ethnicoriginsusingahand-tappingtechniquesimilarto the the western world during the1980s, Samoan of tattooing has propelled in aswellthroughout andcolonisation, mediatisation Christianization asits techniques and hand-tapped In Samoa,thecontinuityofritualtattooing was to adapted theindividual imagery aimsofaclient. popular ardized similar to theearlier Thisis oftheircustomers. aimsandbiographies personal ing themto fitwiththe andrearrang ofassemblage drawing andmodes from traditionaliconographies involvesing machineandhand-tappingtools patterns creatingPacificdesign by us For amongtattooists images. instance, practice anow widespread tattooed andinterpretation what onecouldconsiderasawestern understanding of also work have only not westernstandards ofhygiene adopted andtechnology, but oftheir theindigenousness andemphasize whoproclaim hand, Pacifictattooists On theother are in western repertoires. included ple, designs Māori-Polynesian have that,nowadays oftheart—so contributedto across-fertilization forexam andpatronages Brunt &Thomas,2010).Sincethe1980s, contacts exchanges, cultural festivals conventions and tattoo and United in Europe (Mallon, States Samoan Other in New Zealand. tatau thanksto andconsolidated toring thatwere relationships established years offriendshipandmen onthirty are based forthispaper exchanges these significantof iconography) andJapanese Themost Asian East andwesternones. (Pacific,South practitioners tattoo bly indigenous themutualborrowingbetween revival. tattoo Polynesian patterns isproba striking ofchange Oneofthemost innovation” &Vail, (Sanders onthe1980s 2008:29) hadtangibleconsequences American. Especially, “themutualrelationshipachangingmarketand between to linked that of the Euro- The development is closely tattoo of the Polynesian as specialists in one or several of these ancient techniques and iconographies, andiconographies, ancienttechniques inoneorseveralofthese as specialists haveAt time, thesame practitioners western tattoo to promote themselves started their culture’s traditionalrepertoire. of thatare consideredpart to apply images techniques ancienttattoo perform try movement revival, oftraditionaltattoo ofanethnicances inwhichpractitioners orso,have decade In thelast iconographies Pacifictattoo inaglobal participated theirdiffusionandcopyright. theimages, about knowledge withregard particularly to oftheirprofession, theethics toare thinkabout urged heritage.digenous In this context, newcomers and long-time established as a global trend of (mis)appropriating in concern regarding what appears also patronage of a clans (Su‘atooing and Tulou‘ena). without the tattooists of these The emergence

(tattoo experts), likeSulu’ape experts), (tattoo PauloIIandhiscousin,Tavui PasinaIosefo forward onto the global scene asthemainrepresentatives ofthis forwardonto theglobalscene matua ofaiva matua ofaiva

professionnalisation tufuga tātatau causes not only debates about theirlegitimacy, onlyabout not debates causes but (established elder)from oneofthetwo maintat (established tufuga also frequently participated inPacific frequently participated also tufuga

were of consideredasthecustodians of western tattooing, inwhichstand of westerntattooing,

tā tatau tattooscape SURFACE / PATTERN / SURFACE and tattoo practition and tattoo tufuga tufuga tufu tā ------

INTERSTICES 18 Pacific tattoo iconography From ritualefficacy surface/pattern to efficiency: iconic ritualencoding, andglobalperceptions of 40 (the wearers ofcustom-madeSamoantattoo etc. affects affects, Thisalso periences, match or they must with their intention, their history, something, symbolize ex deliver amessage, eithercontainameaning, must wearers, designs tattoo most withareferent. words, Inother for associated signshouldbe for whichevery are interpretedtoday,ages aspictograms orinthefashionofavisuallanguage, im withwhichtattooed isthefrequency ofthisfact illustration striking most The induecourse. changed status andtheirsemiotic atradeinimages, become While evolving into anentrepreneurial activity, hasalso tattooing Polynesian tapping orskinstitchingusingreconstructed hand suchhandpoking, techniques withnon-electrical andexperimenting ers repr Meaningful or powerful images? orpowerful Meaningful evocative potentialities)? power theiriconic (i.e.,circulation affect andrelocation inthiscontext, their malu wish to investigate. (such as to ritual prototypical images What happens I the process This is precisely and their transformativetechniques consequences. apply concerningappropriation, andcirculationto transmission also questions withoutsaying here, oftechniques that butitgoes indetailthequestion address Icannot iconographies. tattoo Polynesian other encompasses of debate thatalso aspace simultaneously opens images ofSamoantattooed So, thecase addressing (296). situatedness” andpolitical linguistic “historical, ontheirrespective depend ofassociation andmodes mobilities of events) whose clientele (practitioners, of actors scapes within what I wouldtices call a prac us especially) toconsiderglobalcontemporary requires Pacific tattooing (and andidentification,tattooing consumption to ofaction, multiply models Intoday’s oflearning. cess world, tend where andmobilities migrations,media global trend inthere-appropriation/re-interpretation andnewpro ofimages techniqueandiconographyby this Samoan tattooing areaffected particularly Sweetman 1999). 1999 [1950], (Levi-Strauss ratherthanemitmeanings Falk 1995, thatabsorb fiers as iconographyqualified of theindigenous couldbe production of the image (theformal, thetechnical),aswell oftheimage astheconditionsof production oficonicpower works,notion actually investigate onemust theconditions of ofthereceptor.the dispositions how Thus, to therather enigmatic understand “read” toimage be efficiently,meet bereadable, must itsformal elements to (1975) andDelsaut Bourdieu have components, that,foran logical established socio andits ofperception context. Regarding theprocess andsocial practical its outside understood be cannot thattheimage By thisImean to theimages. thickness anthropological restoring andreception, their context ofproduction withinafieldofpractices, exploringimages Thisimplies ic approach to images. power historical, Kantian orientation for a pragmat one hasto abandonan art thought drawn by David (1989) Freedberg this thatto whoclaimed understand Ifollow thelineof To images, oftheiconicpower of these tacklethequestion o taulima ) whentheyare broken down into ofpattern? smallerunits their How does ducing or creating new arrangements of‘ancientducing orcreatingnewarrangements designs‘ fortheircustom (1990), a , arm band, or tattooscape tauvae is best understood as arelativelynetwork understood unstable is best tattooscape , , leg band, for example), so much so that parts that parts much so band, for example), so , leg media, equipment manufacturers, promoters manufacturers, equipment media, . Inspired by Appadurai’s of notion ad hoc tools. floating signifiers floating SURFACE / PATTERN / SURFACE , i.e. signi pe‘a and ------INTERSTICES 18 Pacific tattoo iconography From ritualefficacy surface/pattern to efficiency: iconic ritualencoding, andglobalperceptions of Sébastien Galliot] Sébastien Malu Fig. 2Su‘a Misitikeri (2007). Loli Galliot] or maletattoo. [Photo:Sébastien Fig. 1Su‘a Misitikeri (2007). Loli or femaletattoo. [Photo: Pe‘a

41 provides arelevant oficonicpower. theconception to test case iniconicityand ofchange aprocess epitomizes 32)Thus,Samoantattooing 2012: time.” atthesame meaning anddepth twining ofsurfaceaesthetic (Alexander inter ontheseamless “iconicpower depends time.Alexandernotes, same As perceptual properties ofthepatternedskinsurface properties perceptual and thevisualsaliency experience both andpalpable):therecipients ceptual per (inthematerial sense, icons, areandpractical simultaneouslymeaningful Alexander, or called stemsfrom akindofexperience images of tattooed to one’stic orassociated ofidentity(collective orindividual), theefficacy sense as itwere, therapeu Whethermagical,eschatological, beyond visualperception. meaning—located, have on the skin does and often a (loose) an effect inscribed Whatever ofatattoo, orintention related thefunction to thesporting themark obvious. whichmakethisinteraction relevant images, to whenapplied tattooed ofsurfaceanddepth”ity asan“interaction haveAlexander andBartmański thedual nature oficonic recently emphasised intheworld.of acting content its and, finally, status, semiotic butits prototype) andcapacity agency its (which is,aswe ofa only itself amimeticrepetition not theimage willsee, ences context oftheinterpreters influ words, to show how Iwilltry thesocio-historical Inother images. to tattooed responses andcontemporary oftattooing standing under pre-Christian a(reconstructed) between status oftheirsemiotic changes andinto the images power to give ofthese I willtry insightinto thespecific some interpretant, ofthesign/object anunderstanding relationship heldby someone. Crucially, ofacode). on theknowledge relies a symbol involve allcategories an an arbitrary, conventional of for(themeaning itstands relation withtheobject ofsigns: An ic categories To oficonicpower, clarifythenotion IreturnS.Peirce’s to Charles threesemiot forSamoantattooing. operators oneofthecrucialfunctional also itself. of art I want that this theme is and in the practice to stress history in art andthereferent the image between haveand thedistance acentralconcept been towards 1979). ofdispositions it(Bourdieu, the production Further, thereferent the object to which it refers. An the object iconic difference

index by Gottfried Boehm. Thatisto say, Boehm. by Gottfried as tattoos, hasametonymical relationship oracausal with icon has a relation of likeness, and a hasarelation of likeness,

(2012: 2).Thisremark isparticularly (2012: and SURFACE / PATTERN / SURFACE project meanings atthe meanings project iconic power symbol by Jeffrey has ------INTERSTICES 18 Pacific tattoo iconography From ritualefficacy surface/pattern to efficiency: iconic ritualencoding, andglobalperceptions of 42 out western Polynesia the out western Polynesia from wore Uvea andFutunaalso kindoftattoo.people thesame through Infact, ritual.Tonganscessful to travel used ritual,and to thesame Samoato undergo was asanindexofasuc precisely worn meninwestern Polynesia, knees by most the nineteenthcentury, mark covering from theloinsto the thebody atattooed half of of historical change. on—butthisisthe result In thefirst andso bodies, ofidentity, ofculturalpride, ideas sense carrying oftheSamoan distinctiveness are of nowto emblematicthemselves, thepoint images tattooed these Of course, and psychological) ofthewearer. physical relations andthestrength(both marks are primarily anindexofgood Tattooed throughout andcaringinteractions theprocess. to maintainrespectful well: managed conducted aritualwhere thetwoa ritualthathasbeen parties erally, they through painfulmethod, avery transformative: inscribed by being indexical and,lit are inthemaleandfemaletattoo both images cultural setting, isexcluded duringtheritual.Thus,inthis from theinteractions of theimages Or, meanings. deep ifthiswas oncethecase, today interpretation thesymbolic grammarthatwould reveal There deciphered. isnoesoteric to be designed not inthiscase,aninitiate. called, what canbe However, are shapes asawhole, these Thus,anyteristics. individual ofagroup can,atonly briefglance, avery identify image. in the middle of the back), to the extent that they indicate a completed tattooed cal relation as a whole, has the with the tattoo and so work as signs. In the men’s tattoo, the us now have atthewayLet look acloser inwhichsmallerpattern actually units onlifecycle rituals. based andasharedreligiosity asharedancestry instantiated content. symbolic iconic and its its markover to anindexicalpriorityofthetattooed point tween 2001and2013also order, on.” formandso to dowithrelationships, theyare decoration, scripts/texts/testimonies beautiful own agency. Wendt Albert As (1996) it: “The puts withtheir muchdecorative thanentities are so not surfaces are secondary—these Iwould marily judgments ontheircompleteness. even add thatformalaesthetic pri depends ofpatterns, efficacy theimages’ the complexityofassemblage inthis regard anddespite ofacompletedritual.Infact, asindexes qualified be (1992), to nameonly afew. InPeirceanterms, thefull by Van initiationastheorized (1969) (1905), Turner three-step Gennep andBloch inthefashionofa areofaritualwhichisorganized theresult Samoan tattoos cupofkava thefirst served to be duringgatherings. ( andgranted themabasketoftools ent villages voyage throughout theSamoanarchipelago, metseveral individuals from differ Taemā deities linkwiththetutelary andTilafaigāwho,logical duringamythical tufuga fai va’a as ceremonial status prerogatives andsocial They are of motifs). made bygroups a reiterates aninvariable withspecific thebody ofzoning model images occurrence configurationsofpatterns. ofthese two Each standardized Pe‘a/tatau Production oftheritualimage andreception 4 The diamond shape inawoman’s Thediamondshape charac thesame areashares popliteal (male tattoo, figure 1)and (boat builders). The tattoo experts’ status derives status from agenea experts’ Thetattoo builders). (boat 3 The ethnographic dataIgatheredonmany Theethnographic be occasions pe‘a was not the sign a specific ethnicitybutrather was thesignaspecific not Pe‘a pute malu tufuga tā tatau and (or blackened navel) (or blackened has a metonymi (female tufuga fau fale malu atoau tatau are, glance, of at first indexes

tattoo, figurefrom 2) result pe‘a pe‘a ) andtheceremonial right , an expert with the same with the same , an expert and the SURFACE / PATTERN / SURFACE design (a small triangle design and (house builders) and builders) (house malu malu v ā ega canbroadly are not just are just not (zones, or (zones, ------INTERSTICES 18 Pacific tattoo iconography From ritualefficacy surface/pattern to efficiency: iconic ritualencoding, andglobalperceptions of Galliot or maletattoo. [Photo: Fig. 3Su‘a Misitikeri (2005). Loli ] Sébastien Sébastien Pe‘a

gle inthemiddleofmen’s backcalled witha marked isalwayscommon to menandwomen). area,atthebackofknees, Thepopliteal fromof whichare afemaleiconography extracted (however, some ceived of orverticalarrangement asahorizontal However, con andcanbe construction through astandardized proceeds italso of a female The construction ing ontheexpert’s timetableandthetolerance ofthe offive over isindicatedby thenumbers) aperiod to sequence ten days, depend the onthebackanditendswith motif 43 ornamentalvariations.dom to introduce The hasalittlefree by tradition,andwithinwhichtheexpert rigid planprescribed or Figure 3 shows the construction, regarding theiconicpower oftheSamoantattoo. we statements canformulate further If we examinehowiscomposed, theimage offerviewers Samoantattooing and wearers? does What kindoficonicexperience up andthepatterns ofthetattoo ‘O vāega ma‘ava‘ega mamamanu mamalu terms, visiblyonthewearerinto thetattoo confers local asurplusofdignity, surplus ofexistence onthewearer inWolf, (Simmelquoted 1950: 339). Translated Simultaneously, however, a anaura,attractiveness, theadornmentconfers environment.of thequalityrelations thewearer withhissocial entertains below,will stress asanindex stands oftheimage completionornon-completion I mentalandphysical As rendertoughness. visiblemoraldisposition: They also young strengthen theintegumentandmagically fortify men(1993:images 57). the Gell noted, As onthepain. recipient’sbodily aneffect to produce response tufuga , as well as moral and social responsibilities. responsibilities. , aswell asmoralandsocial is expected to perform a succession of asuccession to perform isexpected malu , the lozenge-shaped design which (just liketheblack trian which(just design , thelozenge-shaped malu ‘ava‘ega isquickerandprone to more variations. pe‘a pute ) entertains ametonymical) entertains relationship o le onthenavel. motifs, these Inbetween , of a maletattoo, which follows a very ‘ava‘ega mālōfie mamanu vāega ta‘oto usually starts withthe usually starts SURFACE / PATTERN / SURFACE (sections or portions, the the orportions, (sections : zoning, putting : zoning, (theonelaiddown). (pattern motifs), most (patternmost motifs), mamanu va’a are - - - -

INTERSTICES 18 Pacific tattoo iconography From ritualefficacy surface/pattern to efficiency: iconic ritualencoding, andglobalperceptions of 44 canonical, prototypicaland, dare we say, images. transcendental a non-verbal, they are aniconic ritual, but still conventional signs representing inthephenomenal world,recognizable by repetitively anything displaying depict not acompleximage, whichdoes hand, Ontheother anindex forself-referential represents messages. image tooed thetat occasions. Inthis respect, specific physical publicly onsome appearance her family, ortoinvolved get tasks,orto display incustomary hisorherchanged hisor serve to reinforces thetattooee’simage anddisposition self-confidence physicallyacts, and psychologically, on him or her. For example, the completed eventuallysulting image thevalue delivers about cues ofthewearer, butitalso the “journey”. undertaking There atthe person point directly processes healing malu surface, ritualcontext, astheyaretoIn thisparticular applied thebody knowledge,piration, background, etc. memories, canvary indefinitely, immutable components these about according to theiras andinterpret understand forthemselves whattheparticipants By comparison, theliturgy. called are andunchanging.Thisiswhatcanbe strikingly stable ages and im actions are revealed to but both no secrets the initiates, explained, not are Images thecontrary). mayvolume session suggest ofastereo duringatattoo silentformofritual(even isavery Samoan ritualoftattooing thoughthehigh (1999:the current oftheparticipants physical,state 52–53).The psychic orsocial inthe“liturgy”,already encoded whichrelate to from self-referential messages, but by theparticipants variant, encoded ofinformationthatisnot eternal body to anin whichbelong canonicalmessages, rituals, Roy distinguishes Rappaport formalityinhuman Discussing ofritualencoding. me toThis leads thequestion person. the outcome ofapainfulritualthatisorientedtowards thetransformationof orculturalpride, andforemost butare ofbeautification first made forthesake one has to that remember rather paradoxical fact, However,by theritualexpert. Inorderthis to happen. understand not thisdoes discourse orallegoric ofapoetic suitablefortheelaboration isvery tattooing of ity (i.e., thesignandobject) between likeness oficonic Regarding thedegrees speech. fields ofmetaphor,esoteric and allegory andtheskilloforators inthe oftheSamoanlanguage remarkable potentiality given the Thissituationisquite striking, areinthedark. kept the participants ping ( andphysical silentworship oftechnicalactions perception, by asuccession nortransmitted duringtheritual.Theritual,rather, exegesis elaborate proceeds However, to an content isneithersubjected symbolic andpossible theirmeaning 1930). Thenomenclature of (Handy &Handy 1928,and by thefollowing ofanthropologists generation Hiroa 1897, (Luschan ethnographers madeby German descriptions Marquardt 1899) detailed sincethefirst the overall hasremained thesame oftheimage structure Although the application of pattern intensified during the twentieth century, of a samoa common onerelatesto division theindigenous ofspaceina but themost with the fale allowto attentionapplied different tolevels be oftheimage. and Tattooing tāpua‘i (Samoan house), which is composed oftwo whichiscomposed (Samoan house), ), andtwo malu ), and very few speech acts. As far as design meaning is concerned, is concerned, meaning far as design As acts. fewspeech ), and very as full tattoo. Local informants haveas fulltattoo.informants Local various interpretations forit, itu (two middle sections ofa (two middlesections mamanu and pe‘a and vāega fale malu tala ). is known by most experts. experts. isknown by most vāega pe’a are thecentralelement of (the rounded end sections (theroundedendsections SURFACE / PATTERN / SURFACE and and malu mamanu are only not , Samoan pe’a and fale ------INTERSTICES 18 Pacific tattoo iconography From ritualefficacy surface/pattern to efficiency: iconic ritualencoding, andglobalperceptions of Fig. 4Fa‘amuliali’ao 45 logical analysis of this visual strategy towards what Philippe Descola has called hascalled analysis towardslogical ofthisvisualstrategy Descola whatPhilippe inthe wayeffect different items are leadstheanthropo ordered. This,inturns, adynamic ofpatterns repetition produces work Thequasi-systematic ofentities. net to makevisibleadense ofusingthesurfacehumanbody with theidea uptheenvironment,store amountofwhatmakes alarge withoutgrammarbut and animals(caterpillar, jellyfish, frigate bird). However, visuallyboth re they thefemaleoneismoreimals andplants, orientedtowards bodies celestial an asa combination of artefacts, itself technique. presents While the male tattoo by guided asimilarfigurative to be seem tion, maleandfemaleiconographies andthematicorienta Although obviously different intheirvisualproperties patterns ofits withSamoanmaterial culture,the likeness faunaandflora). of ofthe moralityofthewearer),ticipants, virtue aswell oficon(by asthestatus relationshiptheritualpar between ritual,ofgood (of aprototype, ofasuccessful tion, it can displaystatus at different levels: semiotic status ofindex a different the that,even context indetail,onenotes thesame ofrecep animage Exploring for. theystand ofthenaturalobjects recalltheshapes motifs astattoo their shapes anufe (frigate bird, figure 5) imal’s as well as 17), head, material andnaturalenvironment. InFigure 3, The oficonicity. theirdegree crease to in thatconstitutetheoverallseems atthesmallerunits look images a closer between the or flying fox, species image thetattooed between though, ontheresemblance perspective, ofaSamoanhouse. Therecultural isclearlynounified sections broadly(Wendt, to aflying fox theshapes associate can sometimes 1996) orthe discourse forwhichthere are noreferents. ofimages Local to acategory belong (his inthe whichisstored asamentalimage ofaprototype repetition refer not to anythingwhole, itself. does outside Rather, itistheoutcome ofthe I would liketo addafewwords thisstatement.A about Fig. 7Atualoa m mamanu (caterpillar, figure 8)dohave image, and thetattooed anexistenceoutside ā faufau Fig. 5Gogo do have names and shapes that suggest a closer likeness with the withthe likeness acloser dohave thatsuggest andshapes names ) and exists temporarily on a body surface. Thus, temporarilyonabody ) andexists , alu alu fa‘amuliali‘ao (jellyfish, figure 6) (jellyfish, malu and an actual Samoanhouse.However, andanactual (end of a Trochus shell, figure(end of a Trochus 4) va‘a , atualoa (1), Fig. 6Alualu SURFACE / PATTERN / SURFACE pe‘a (centipede, figure 7) and 7) and figure (centipede, Fig. 8Anufe tatau (3)and pe‘a andtheanimal ora tatau tufuga ulumanu malu and ’s mind (stars) (stars) , gogo , gogo , asa malu (an ------

INTERSTICES 18 Pacific tattoo iconography From ritualefficacy surface/pattern to efficiency: iconic ritualencoding, andglobalperceptions of 46 Alaiva’a from resulting thereplacement ofmaterials for thechanges described in conducted In aninterview oraFrench tourist inApia. orto ofGerman the tattooing Samoa, inthediaspora which Inow calliconicefficiency,in itself ritual tothetattooing andthisapplies risk andtheritualpower oftheimage, to theadvantage ofamoreone, imagistic of neutralizing the This had, in turn, the effect as ritual specialists. their activities rigouroulsy,more orless normshaveby the these imported been place in the evaluation While they have important of finished work. applied been and hygienicmarket, virtuosity conditionshave cometoanincreasingly occupy competitive inavery globalised projects body combination forcustomized re ofmultipleorigins,andits andtattooees Samoan iconography by tattooers However,tractive andbeautiful). inthecurrent context oftheappropriation of symmetry, orits whatever design, ofits theintricateness isactually finished sense, every Inthis visual qualityofthefinished work. to theritualthan ismore relationships important The maintenance ofgood toproperly. carried theendandheal mentation hasto be imple butits isknown indetailby artefact—itsshape heart, than ontheactual ofmarkingthebody andonthetechnical process thetwotions between parties on the rela it to moresay to focused be ritual seems that the Samoan tattooing here,great retribution.enter Icannot into amorediscussion butsuffice detailed maintain hismotivation thefamily’s andexpress abilityto endtheritualwitha tufuga by thepatient’sthe well-being oftheexpert family. here Thegoal isto provide the concerning routinization of the expert’s care and the constant expressed actions thisritualwas theapparent between meabout thecontrast tions. Whatstruck involved rituals in Samoa and in Newin several tattooing Zealand posi both ment of his patience through the phrase, ofthat justification termis the frequentacknowledge a patient.Anindigenous whichiswhy task, onecancallhim withnospecific cipient istheonly participant of thepole occupy andthesupporters (making), areasfollows:cy distributed the ofagen where (agent/patient), thepoles ofaction oradualmode of participation modes ofdistinct bypresence acombined ritualproceeds The Samoantattooing the image ofactionThe ritualmode andtherelational background of generative specific relationship. (2009:orthebroadofaninter idea properties” 11), andcosmos human qualities with theirreferents, inorder theinvisible to express “correspondence between an iconic repertoire, to i.e. encode seem tattoo that have pictograms a likeness religiosity, theSamoanmaleandfemale withSamoanpre-Christian proposition kindof certain endowed thatare things traditionallyentities witha between thoughtasseparate toward isdirected over ofatattoo ofrelations therestoration theconstruction 2009: words,relations” 10).Inother thatpresides thevisualstrategy (Descola, disparate would to relation “make anencompassing thatcondenses be present or invisible) isconceived Inthisontology, assingularandseparated. thegoal regime (visible entity in an analogical as each insofar ontologies and naturalist totemic withanimist, figurationcontrasts figuration.Ananalogical an analogical with respectful attention and gifts until he finishes the work, in order the to attention until he finishes work, and gifts with respectful amio (behaviour) andagency. to relink Ifonetries thistheoretical Apia, August 2013 tufuga and his assistants occupy the pole of thepole occupy andhisassistants Malo leonos‘ai tapua‘i , practitioner Su’a, practitioner Sulu’ape SURFACE / PATTERN / SURFACE !). My own participation (silentprayer). re (The tufuga pe‘a mānaia or within within malu (at fai ------,

INTERSTICES 18 Pacific tattoo iconography From ritualefficacy surface/pattern to efficiency: iconic ritualencoding, andglobalperceptions of 47 mation depending on the context of production andrecipient’s onthecontext ofproduction mation depending knowledge. delivering andcontext dependent, multimodal variousbecome layers ofinfor but has, rather, westernized tation ofSamoaniconography simply has not been ofidentity. assymbols images automatically regards tattooed Thus,theinterpre In this, they may gaze, which tattooed. westernized applyof being a somewhat to reconsiderthemeaning lifeinthediaspora, experiencing those and especially ritual context Samoans themselves, has lead a strictly outside Samoan tattooing is thatthegrowingof status, popularity insemiotic thechange remark about to ofthisiconography? My whichislinked mytion anduse hypothesis, earlier ofinterpreta inthemode aconflict Mightthere be of ethnicprideandidentity? asense abilityto maintaining its carry communityoforigin,still its outside tige and ment—while cultural efficiencytoepitomize its localness keeping still valueand orna avalued ontheskinsurface, body hasbecome transcultural inscription el, we to consider how need such iconography, primal as it is in its naturalized atagloballev design In thecontext tattoo ofagrowing ofindigenous popularity butindexicalinPeirce’s. sense, andAlexander’s tion), iconicinBartmański of theskin.Here, the onthesurface thanthepatterns inscribed else ascommunicatingsomething age of the wearer, conduct im sexual) ofthetattooed to lead anunderstanding also teria, attributedastheywere moral(and/or to thebehaviour and thesupposed eating bac andflesh ofinfections cases interpretations ofseveralcontemporary Onecouldaddthatlocal amalepreoccupation. integument,whichreflects ened In this way, as the index of a strength acts of the image the complex structure “passive called whatGell heroism” subjection—to (53–8). andsocial of political, to materialcontributes theproduction ofits form,tattooing hand,byother virtue thanbefore, stronger i.e.emerged way” inamarked (1993: healed 308).Onthe oftheyoung warrior,the person from to which he anassault whowas subjected islands,“thekeyto ofsealing thisritualwouldthenotion be that intheSociety ofheroismgreater andendurance” emphasisonthequalities than,forexample, to a is more Samoan ritual. Since “Samoan tattoo comes traumatic and places (2)whenit to tends tophase attribute more Gell importance mark, permanent 3) formation/healing, 2)scab marks,(1)wounding, in theacquisitionoftattoo involved ultimatelyconfigurations.Intheuniversales relatedprocess to social which give of tattooing totechnical schemata divergent rise practic symbolic Polynesia ofhisbook In theconcludingcomments byink—as steriletattooing ditional candlenutsoot follows. more hygienic ones—i.e. andtra thereplacement tusksby needles ofboars’ steel component of the social person (his person ofthesocial component remaining ritually efficacious. How does this very cultural markgain thispres remaining rituallydoes very efficacious. How [candlenut trees]!” and Itold my andmy sons family: “Keep theplantalive! Plantmore pua’a everybody. inthe ButIknowinmythatthemanaisstill deep heart is timethatwe anappropriate […]makeachange: thatwillbenefit change Su’a Sulu’ape Alaiva’a: Butwe can’t itdoes. doanything Itdoes, it.It about inanyway affect needles) power the oftheritual ? of theuse Does Galliot: Sébastien (1993), Alfred Gell made a fruitful distinction between threekindsof between (1993), madeafruitfuldistinction Alfred Gell [boar’s tusk], and even the traditional ink. So I still keep those things things those keep Istill So tusk],andeven thetraditionalink. [boar’s pe‘a issimilarto to arevelatory theinternal devicepointing amio aunila orbehaviour andhis (Samoan tools made out of steel madeoutofsteel (Samoantools Wrapping inImages. Tattooing in SURFACE / PATTERN / SURFACE aga or disposi nifo lama

------INTERSTICES 18 Pacific tattoo iconography From ritualefficacy surface/pattern to efficiency: iconic ritualencoding, andglobalperceptions of 48 esoteric orexoteric.esoteric have sign must either that each on the presupposition meaning, much founded whichare approaches often to too semantic complementary implications, canbe attention anthropological to its andwithaclose studies in thefieldofvisual anddisplay.of theirproduction with ifscrutinized images, oftattooed Theissue context theinteractional about insights callsforanthropological signs precisely nature oficonic polysemous contexts.The social configurationsand teractional ethnic origin),onehasto considerhow theyhave circulated, through whichin (i.e., asepitomizing culturalvalue received suchabilityto or be andprocessed have images howsuchiconicefficiency to these reached Of course, understand erally, heritage. toformsofindigenous other iconography orKalingatattoo and,more gen toMarquesan Māori, applies same ofethnicpurity. idea thedisturbing implies italso in marketingstrategies; The conveys ofauthenticity. theidea notion Thisisawidespread butunreflected viewer culturalmessage according Theconnoted to theirvisualarrangements. the affect properties and cultural. The perceptual perceptual is both the message Baumgarten’s appreciation inAlexanderGottlieb ofanaesthetic sense: scope bycarried thesigns.Theyrely onanaffective language, andtheyfallwithinthe have designs tattoo mentary a denotation oftheterm to hisunderstanding terms, andinopposition In Roland Barthes containaniconicpower, nonetheless the images oriconicefficiency.meaning, direct way. culturalanchoringina abilitytovery for its effect Withoutprecise theiconography ismobilized because so thisiscertainly designs, withtattoo ed Vailima pure andtheTaula beer, oreven are decorat theVirginSamoaengines, beyond readability. If several commercial Tatau items, suchasfabrics, brand, their iconic evocative keep motifs the tattoo bottle, power though they remain inanewshape,orevenAlthough arranged fragmentedasinthe as well asforthemarkingofterritorial origin. andevenofaircrafts)inorder to ontheengines enhancetheirattractiveness, ing, cloth bottles, foragreatvariety (beer inmarketingstrategies ofproducts used are nowadays designs, andMāori Marquesan butalso designs, Samoan tattoo that areupby summed theterm ofvalues Samoa)acommitmentto whoknowasharedbody about to those least and(at ancientSamoantraditions,epitomizing Samoan-ness up representing invarious asacommon visualrepertoire Inthatway,peated media. theyended staff), wooden as —such of artefacts with a limited number together images, these mobilizations. First, ritual efficacy. Now, itscontemporary of cases Iwillbriefly commentonafew the performative role oftheimage, thatis,theway inaffective and itparticipates withtheexplanationofwhatwe dealt mightconsider ofthispaper part A large suchasadvertising? iconography media, forother whenitisrecombined of tattoo status by to the following: the semiotic what happens questions earlier by status complementingmyI willconcludewithafewwords semiotic about globalapplications Contemporary Conclusion: fale tele (which refers to the external objects represented by signs), these frag by signs), these represented (which refers to the external objects tanoa (ceremonial house), (ceremonial house), (kava bowl)—have astheywere ‘iconic’insofar re become connotation fa‘asāmoa va‘a (theSamoanway).

, which refers to allthesurplusvalues fue (orator fly whisk), SURFACE / PATTERN / SURFACE to‘oto‘o Taula (orator beer beer ------INTERSTICES 18 Pacific tattoo iconography From ritualefficacy surface/pattern to efficiency: iconic ritualencoding, andglobalperceptions of usually avoid displaying. whichgrownanatomical part men ritual aswell ascovering this experimenting thepainof blackened for thesake of havemen) often theirnavel many In fact, 4 and interpretant. relationships sign,object between onthecontextualdepending dominate, aspects or iconic In thepresent case, indexical characteristics (Atkin, 2013). of iconic, indexical andsymbolic any signmay have acombination an abstraction. Herealised that icon/index/symbol trichotomy is symbolic orconventional andthe areand indices always partly his 1903Harvard lectures, icons 3 ethnographers orexplorers. a remote by period early recorded during orcollected by whetherornotthey were 2 ethnicity (2014 : 127). to pan-Pacific signify Islander 1 Endnotes McGavin thisterm hascoined This status isusuallydetermined As Peirce in began to suspect This is a generalised statement. This isageneralised statement. pula‘ū (un-tattooed 49 Hīroa Oxford , UK:Clarendon Press. (1998). Gell, A. Oxford, UK:Clarendon Press. images. Tattooing inPolynesia (1993). Gell, A. Gradhiva mémoire etaction rituelles. agents. Images, Samoan etses S. (2015b)Galliot, Le tatouage Culture in themaking, S. (2015a)Galliot, Ritualefficacy Press. London: University ofChicago ofresponse. Chicago- and theory of images Freedberg, D. (1989). andSociety,Body Falk, P. (1995). Written inflesh. org/181 URL: [Online], Consulted 19 visible : ontologie eticonologie P.Descola, (2009). L’Envers du UK:Cambridge University Press. experience. Hunter. ofreligious Thepolitics M.(1992).Bloch, University ofHawai‘i Press. of Maori tattooing (2007). Awekotuku, W. N.&L. Nikora semiotics/ archives/sum2013/entries/peirce- https://plato.stanford.edu/ of philosophy encyclopediaThe Stanford (Ed.), N.Zalta InE. of signs. (2013).Atkin, Peirce’s A. theory andSociety Culture Cultural Economy. and Difference inaGlobal (1990)Appadurai, A. Disjuncture Palgrave Macmillan. life Materiality andmeaninginsocial B. (Eds.), Giesen. Alexander, D. and Bartmański D. (2012). Introduction. InJ. Alexander, J. &Bartmański, Macmillan. 25–37). New York, NY: Palgrave and meaninginsocial life (Eds.), D. andB. Bartmański Giesen. role ofthecritic. InJ. Alexander, The andperformance. power Alexander, J. (2012). Iconic REFERENCES material culture (pp. 1–13). New York, NY: http://actesbranly.revues. , Te Rangi.(1930). Iconic power.Iconic Materiality , Mau moko. Theworld 20 21, 156–181. 21, . Studies in the history inthehistory . Studies (2), 101—125. Cambridge, . Retrieved from Journal ofMaterial Journal Wrapping in Art andagencyArt . Honolulu,HI: Prey into Iconic power.Iconic , Honolulu,HI: 1, 95–105. Theory, , 7, 295–310. The Power The Power

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