Shows
Transformative Marks PodcastInscribed Legacies: The Art of Tongan Tattooing and Honoring Ancestral Connections with Terje Koloamatangi#010 Sitting across from me, Terje Koloamatangi, a Tongan cultural tattoo practitioner, shares his ink-infused wisdom, revealing how each etching on our skin can tether us to our ancestors. As we savor the ceremonial kava, Terje recounts his initiation into tattoo artistry under the tutelage of a Samoan master, igniting a passion for reviving traditional Pacific methods. Our conversation takes you through the heart of Tonga, where the ritualistic kava ceremonies are not just about drink, but about connection, history, and the indelible marks of identity.The late Paulo's legacy casts a long shadow in our discussion, as...2024-02-2755 min
Wai? Indigenous Words and IdeasEp 24: Tātatau with Terje KoloamatangiTufunga Tātatau Terje Koloamatangi from Small Axe Studios is featured in this episode. He shares some of his journey and background with tātatau Tonga (customary Tongan tattoo), from receiving and learning from Su‘a Suluape Paulo II to practicing and developing the art further. Tātatau was banned in the early 19th century in Tonga by the Vava‘u codes that would later inform the modern national constitution. We discuss some of the misconceptions that have resulted, and Koloamatangi shares his research-based approach to mark making, working through terms and concepts to (re)discover further layers of meaning...2021-02-0742 min