special issue: inauguration 2009 - National Peace Corps Association

Courtesy of Sara Reeves
the full pe’a. However, several have
replicas of the pe’a wrapped around
their calves or arms.
I knew if I were going to get a
tattoo in Samoa, I would have it done
traditionally. I can get a tattoo with a
gun anywhere; the reason for getting
one here would be to have it done with
the combs.
The combs used in the tattooing
were once made with bone or tusk
and consisted of a row of sharpened
teeth that were first dipped into ink
(most often made with charcoal) and
then tapped into the skin. Today, they
have been slightly modernized. The
tools used for my tattoo were wooden
handles with a plastic attachment to
hold stainless steel teeth. They were first
sterilized and the ink was tattoo ink and
not charcoal. However, I still had sharp,
pointed teeth hammered into my arm.
Tap, tap, tap. Pause. Tap, tap, tap,
tap. Pause. Peter Sulu’ape, a member
of the legendary Sulu’ape tattoo family,
is working on the band of designs that
encircles my right bicep. I am laying
face down on a mat in a faleo’o (small,
open wooden hut), two men are pressing
down on the skin on the back of my arm,
pulling it tight. This part of the tattoo is
decidedly uncomfortable, but I wouldn’t
say it hurts, not in the way I expected.
The flies that keep landing on the face and
legs are bothering me more than the comb
being hammered into my arm.
Obviously, I am not unique in my
decision to get inked in Samoa. Tattoos
are prolific among Peace Corps in
Samoa. Our training manager jokingly
refers to it as the “tag and release”
program. We come to Samoa from the
States and somewhere along the line the
culture catches up with us, tags us and,
Continued on page 40
Tattoo artist Peter Sulu’ape completes the top band on Laura Hanks’ traditional tattoo.
THE PCMO Perspective
Teuila Pati has been a Peace Corps Medical Officer in Samoa for 12 years.
During that time, she has had the opportunity to see her fair share of
volunteer tattoos and says the numbers getting tattooed is on the rise.
“For the volunteers, I have dubbed it the ‘tattoo itch’ period when most PCVs
go through the mid-service crisis. It is a good sign… I think,” said PCMO Teuila
Tattoos are so prevalent among volunteers that she covers it in her Pre-Service
Training medical sessions and recommends a particular tattooist, Sulu’ape
“Sulu’ape is a well-known, acclaimed tattooist who has received training
and follows international tattoo guidelines in sterilizing of equipment, using
disposable gloves, etc.,” she explained. “I have had minimal post-tattoo
problems with PCVs who have used Sulu’ape.”
Unsanitary tattoos can be a medical
concern in the United States and
the same goes for Samoa. For Teuila,
medical concerns are diseases such as
Hepatitis B and HIV and post-tattoo
infection. There have been cases of
overseas Samoans being hospitalized
due to serious infections after receiving
a tattoo. Teuila has not treated any
life-threatening medical complications
among volunteers. However, she has treated several for infections.
Teuila does not have a tattoo herself but if she did, she would choose the
malu, the traditional female tattoo, as it would symbolize her Samoan heritage.
“There is a deep meaning for the traditional tattoo for Samoan men and
women. This encompasses cultural identity as well as tautua or serving in
your family, village, and country,” said Teuila. “There is always a sense of
pride and connection seeing Samoans with traditional tattoos, especially on
the international scene.”
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