What Maui’s tattoos in ‘Moana’ say about Polynesia’s tattoo culture. Tattoos in places like Samoa, Tonga, and Hawai‘i can signify a sacred oath to protect and honor one’s community.

A set of four tiny combs from the Polynesian kingdom Tonga might be among the world's oldest tattoo kits. ... 2,700-Year-Old Polynesian Tattoo Kit Found — and the 'Needles' Were Made of Human Bone.

Now an ancient bone tattoo kit from the Pacific island nation of Tonga is providing researchers with more than an inkling into the rich history of Polynesian body art, a method so indelible ...

Similarly, “tattoo” can mean a constant rapping sound. In 1996, the reporter Robert D. McFadden wrote in a Metro article that the rain from a weekend storm in New York “hissed like surf ...