JANUARY 2001-FEATURE ARTICLE
THE 1ST INTERNATIONAL TATTOO FESTIVAL, RAIATEA-TAHITI
APRIL 28-30, 2000
By Leo Zulueta
Photos by Dianne Mansfield
Tahiti, "Otaheite" as it was called in the 1700s, refers to the entire society island chain consisting of Tahiti, Raiatea, Tahaa, Moorea, Bora Bora, Hlahine and Maupiti. This last April, I was on my way with old and new friends to a place in Polynesia that I've always wanted to visit. Having been notified several months before, the last few weeks were filled with anticipation. The board of tourism, Tahiti Manava, invited many tattoo artists and photographers from around the world. Unfortunately, because of late commitments from the show organizers, many key invitees cancelled at the last minute. I was very sorry that Baxter, Rollo, Hardy, Nakano, Hanky, Sabado and Mao and Cathy; among others, were not present.
So at LAX I was joined by other members of Black Wave, including my protégé Rory Keating and his wife Gini (San Diego) who also apprenticed with me, along with Dianne Mansfield (Ann Arbor. Michigan) who has done beautiful photography for the shop. Also on our flight was Paul Jeffries (Calgary, Canada) who I had worked for in 1986 and Richard Todd (Los Angeles). It was Easter Sunday and we arrived at night. We were picked up by a member of the board and taken to the Outrigger Tahiti, a very luxurious hotel. The next day, after seeing a beautiful sunrise over Papeete Harbor, we walked into town to get the lay of the land. It was Easter Monday and Papeete was very quiet. No sign of the bus, car and motor scooter traffic that tomorrow would bring. There was a gigantic cruise liner berthed right across the street from the busy tourist café. A mountain parked in the harbor. In the center of town was a park with the most beautiful series of ponds and water lilies. The local children were playing in the water.
FRIENDS ARRIVE
Monday and Tuesday were spent exploring Papeete and going on the bus to a black sand beach where we met a local tattoo artist with his friends (clients). It was two days of seeing old friends. Another member of Black Wave, Tamati Hunt (Aotearoa), who has been in Los Angeles since Samoa, joined us. At the hotel I ran into Miki Vialetto and his wife (Italy). Miki continues to do a brilliant job with his new projects, Tattoo Life and Tattoo Energy. Tin-Tin (France) was in early to do some serious scuba diving among some rather large sharks. Marco Leoni and Jurate are also in from Italy. Phil and Cathy were in from France, as was Julien. Frank Weber was in from Germany. Trevor Mistay was in from Australia. Po'oino (Tahiti) and his family were in from Hawai'i. Sulua'pe Petelo, his brother Lafael and Petelo's bodysuit client, Watti, are in from Samoa. The festival is still a few days away. Wow!
Wednesday, we all congregated at a popular local bar for a press conference. On the way there we ran into the Leu Family Iron—Felix, Loretta, Titine and Filip. They had just arrived from Switzerland. It was so great to see them all, as it had been many years. We were greeted by Tahiti Manava. It was a big treat to meet all the Tahitian, Marquesan and various other Polynesian tattoo artists: Tito (Rapa Nui), Tetini (Rarotonga), Vatea (Moorea) and his family, Simeon and Efraima (Marquesas, currently tattooing in Papeete) and Michel and Aroma (Tahiti).
ON TO RAIATEA FIRE WALK
Thursday morning we were up early to take the plane to Raiatea. At the airport we saw Keone and Vaughn (Hawai'i). Jorgen and his clients, Lars and Claus, were in from Denmark. Jorgen is a new friend that I met in Samoa. We spent many hours discussing tattooing, migration and global integration with other close friends. It was great to see him at this event. My Viking brother, Chimé (Moorea) was there with his wife and baby. Chimé had a lot to do with this show and I am thankful to him. Off to another island. The excitement mounted.
Thursday night featured the opening ceremonies. The festival was held at the Taputapuatea Marae (temple). This historical site is one of the oldest religious places for all of Polynesia. In ancient days it hosted travelers from far reaching Polynesia. This was a good choice for the tattooing to be. We were joined by the last of Black Wave, Freewind and Angela. K.C. Angel, Dan-o and Peter Black were back in L.A. holding down the fort. Jo-D and Paul were in from Ipsilanti, Michigan. Mo'o and his family were in from France. Xenia and Jeff Silva were joining us from Southern California. Christine Harvey was in from Aotearoa. Lal Hardy and George Bone were in from England. Inia Taylor and his family were in from Aotearoa. There were many artists here with their partners, families, babies. Very nice to see. It was interesting as we walked up the hill to the sacred ground. It had the feeling of a great pilgrimage, as we were joined by families of all races, colors and creeds. All for the common goal of tatau, tattooing the world over.
Beautiful song and dance opened the night's festivities. The smell of local food surrounded us. Raiatea is a very quiet, local-style island. Then, the big build up as the local men turned the stones for the fire walk. This ceremony has to take place to purify and awaken the site. According to ancient rites, no one would be able to enter the premises without the fire walk. We all watch as a high priest chanted and called upon the gods for approval. At first I wasn't going to do it but did anyway. As I got to the other side I had a very moving moment with Sulua'pe Petelo and Lafael. We spoke about Paolo, as thoughts about him abounded.
START THE TATTOOING!
Friday and the tattooing began. An amazing atmosphere, to hear the tapping of the au and the sound of the machines together at the same time. I so enjoyed being able to witness the various styles from Rarotonga, Marquesas, Samoa, Hawai'i and, of course, all the islands of the Tahitian chain. To be able to meet so many different people was a gift. Raiatea is different than Tahiti island—slower, older. Friday, Saturday and Sunday, tattooing was everywhere. Thousands came to visit from around the world, and the local population was very well represented. All hotels, flights and boat transport were booked that weekend as the world gathers at Taputapuatea. During the weekend, I met Tihoti (Huahine) and his family, Mareto, a carver from Motu Uta, Vatea (Moorea) and his wife, Tavita from Moorea, Patrik and Petra from Sweden—and I tattooed Yas from Japan. Cyril was in from France and Moorea. So many new friends!
REMEMBERING PAULO
The weekend was filled with many ceremonies. One very important memorial to Sulua'pe Paulo. The rocks that we were asked to bring from our respective countries were added to a large stone memorial carved by a local Tahitian artists in honor of Paulo. Those were heavy moments, as many of those present, especially Sulua'pe Petelo and Lafael were so close to Paulo. The European, American and Oceanic tattoo communities were bonded as we all focused on the memories we hold of Paulo. Both Petelo and Paulo had always shared so much of their tatau with us in the Western (non-traditional) tattoo world.
We were also invited to a kava ceremony which had a wonderful choir and dance exhibition. It was Sunday and we neared the closing of festival. We were asked to partake in a ti planting ceremony. In two separate groups, tattoo artists from around the globe symbolically planted ti plants in a circle around a sacred stone. The ceremony was led by a woman who was the guardian of this marae (temple). She was one of my favorite people of the weekend. She's middle-aged, but I couldn't accurately tell how old she really was, as she had such a magical, ancient quality. She had long hair and was dressed totally in white, and, to me, she seemed to float across the ground in broad daylight. Raiatea seems old with many secrets. Then we approached the closing ceremony which included a tattoo re-creation and an elaborate song and dance show, all part of the famous Tavana productions. Many said good-bye to Paulo's memorial. I also said good-bye to the temples here at Taputapuatea, and, of course, good-byes to some of our friends. That night, there was a great art show at our hotel by Gotz, who has lived in Tahiti for years. His paintings of tattooed people were beautiful. His artwork has been used not only to promote the festival, but also appears on postage stamps, postcards and many tattoo publications. He's currently working with Chimé on a wonderful new tattoo magazine. I'm hoping to see his artwork on a global scale.
THE BAD AND THE GOOD
On Monday we visited Tiki Village in Moorea. It was a shame to see the conditions there. We were asked if we would "volunteer" our services, without notice. Worst of all, we discovered that there is no sterilizer present and many were enraged, especially Felix Leu. We were not pleased by the whole day. We only got a short time to experience Tiki Village on Moorea, and then it was back to Tahiti island by high-speed ferry, 35 minutes.
The next day, Dianne Mansfield received a wrist tattoo by the entire Leu Family Iron. We drove to the end of the road in the southern portion of the island called Tahiti Iti. We set up on a black sand beach. Within ten minutes, there was a crowd of 20 or so people, mostly children, gathering to see what was going on. Felix freehanded the outline, Loretta filled in a bit, Titine did more fill work and Filip finished it off. What an amazing experience, the entire Leu family in its' usual top form. The tattoo is beautiful, primitive and very magical. Filip conversed in French with a local teenage guy who said he wanted a "thick tribal tattoo like what's on him," pointing to me. Filip asked me if I want to tattoo him, and I was into it. I drew a stingray at the top of his back. The day before, Tamati had given me the bone of a stingray tail that he found at the beach. I was wearing it in my hair, so I pulled it out to show him what kind of design I drew. His friends told him what it is, and I tattooed. What an adventure! Plus, there was a beautiful red and black sunset as we enjoyed the long drive north to Papeete.
WINDING DOWN
Another day in town and it was time to wrap things up, shop for souvenirs and gifts and visit our friends that have shops in town—including Siméone and Efraima, Michel and Aroma and Gordi. While at Gordi's, he hooked us up with some tattoo books we were looking for. And we also got to meet his friend, Richard, who wrote a beautiful book called Tattoo Age. Thanks, Gordi.
Then it was farewell to Tahiti. I would like to thank Patricia and all the rest of Tahiti Manava, our sponsors. They were extremely gracious to the invitees, providing luxury accommodations and all transportation. They took very good care of us in Tahiti. Hopefully for their next festival (two years), those of us in the Western tattoo world can truly share our expertise regarding sterilization, equipment and overall tattoo awareness.
Mauruuru (thank you) and much aloha to all our new and old friends who joined us on this great trip.
And mauruuru roa (thank you very much) to all the Tahitian children that had temporary Polynesian tattoos that Westerners would consider wristbands placed straight down the center of their chests— because they know how the "stuff," the tatau, the tattoo, should be.
Aloha.
—Leo Z