A black-and-white photo of a person mid-air in a Superman-style body suspension pose, supported by multiple hooks in their back and legs, smiling joyfully toward the camera. They are suspended horizontally in a large indoor space with high ceilings and visible rigging. A group of onlookers—some seated, some standing—watch with expressions of admiration, amusement, and support. The atmosphere is lively and communal, capturing a moment of shared experience and transformation.

Hand-Tapped Samoan Tattoo Experience

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Procedural photos continue after the break.

Abacrombie sent in these shots of a truly old-school tattoo experience at the home of Petelo Sula’Ape, a tattoo artist from Faleasiu, Samoa. The tattoo was done over about eight painful hours of tattooing in a single day. Several assistants helped by stretching the skin as Petelo hammered the tattoo in place using traditional tools in his open-air home — which was a good on account of all the smoking!

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Comments

70 responses to “Hand-Tapped Samoan Tattoo Experience”

  1. Airi Zombie Avatar

    I’ve always wanted to have a traditionally done tattoo , but I honestly don’t know if I could handle the pain of getting one THAT big done. HUGE kudos to this guy.

  2. Airi Zombie Avatar

    I’ve always wanted to have a traditionally done tattoo , but I honestly don’t know if I could handle the pain of getting one THAT big done. HUGE kudos to this guy.

  3. John Joyce Avatar

    That is amazing. I hope one day i can add some traditionally done tattoos to my collection of black work.

  4. John Joyce Avatar

    That is amazing. I hope one day i can add some traditionally done tattoos to my collection of black work.

  5. San Avatar

    Wow, thats amazing.

  6. San Avatar

    Wow, thats amazing.

  7. SteveC Avatar

    Traditional Samoan tattoo has received some bad press of late in New Zealand, due to a number of serious bad outcomes (down to one tattoo artist in particular) which resulted in serious infections and hospitalization. There is a recent article here:-
    http://www.stuff.co.nz/4375468a23918.html

    Earlier articles included this one:-
    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10413698

    As you can see from the first article, there are no really effective laws in my country concerning who can and cannot practice tattoo. It’s “Buyer beware”, and do your research!

  8. SteveC Avatar

    Traditional Samoan tattoo has received some bad press of late in New Zealand, due to a number of serious bad outcomes (down to one tattoo artist in particular) which resulted in serious infections and hospitalization. There is a recent article here:-
    http://www.stuff.co.nz/4375468a23918.html

    Earlier articles included this one:-
    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10413698

    As you can see from the first article, there are no really effective laws in my country concerning who can and cannot practice tattoo. It’s “Buyer beware”, and do your research!

  9. original_sly Avatar
    original_sly

    Hahaha there’s been hardly any bad press in NZ regarding pea and the like! it was seriously like one article which the press didn’t even pick up on.

    there are a shitload of scratchers out here in aotearoa and an even greater number of crappy piercers, but the good guys aren’t hard to find 😀

  10. original_sly Avatar
    original_sly

    Hahaha there’s been hardly any bad press in NZ regarding pea and the like! it was seriously like one article which the press didn’t even pick up on.

    there are a shitload of scratchers out here in aotearoa and an even greater number of crappy piercers, but the good guys aren’t hard to find 😀

  11. dani Avatar
  12. dani Avatar
  13. [QUEEN] Avatar

    yep original_sly is right.. that one article is all you are going to find. Awesome tattoos shame about the cigarettes though 🙂

  14. [QUEEN] Avatar

    yep original_sly is right.. that one article is all you are going to find. Awesome tattoos shame about the cigarettes though 🙂

  15. SpeakerForTheDead Avatar

    10. haha the face hes making is that of a smoker. haha Ahh the smoke is getting in my eyes and i cant free my hands. it sucks trust me.

  16. SpeakerForTheDead Avatar

    10. haha the face hes making is that of a smoker. haha Ahh the smoke is getting in my eyes and i cant free my hands. it sucks trust me.

  17. Abacrombie Avatar

    WOW, was searching for some Samoan tattoos and ended up finding myself! Thank you all for the lovely comments!

    here’s a small video clip of it being done: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50J5kHIt97o

    That tapping sound really sticks to your head, back at the hotel the geckos taunted me making the same sound as Petelo 🙁

    I was thinking about watching The Tattooist when I was in Auckland a few months earlier but didn’t have the time, instead I saw it on the plane after I had the tattoo done. It brought back sweet memories 🙂

    Special thank to cyber_android and Bastiodon 😉 :hugs:

    Fa!

  18. Abacrombie Avatar

    WOW, was searching for some Samoan tattoos and ended up finding myself! Thank you all for the lovely comments!

    here’s a small video clip of it being done: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50J5kHIt97o

    That tapping sound really sticks to your head, back at the hotel the geckos taunted me making the same sound as Petelo 🙁

    I was thinking about watching The Tattooist when I was in Auckland a few months earlier but didn’t have the time, instead I saw it on the plane after I had the tattoo done. It brought back sweet memories 🙂

    Special thank to cyber_android and Bastiodon 😉 :hugs:

    Fa!

  19. easydoesit Avatar
    easydoesit

    seriously much respect mate. Im Samoan and that tapping sound even gives me the shivers haha nice work bro.

  20. easydoesit Avatar
    easydoesit

    seriously much respect mate. Im Samoan and that tapping sound even gives me the shivers haha nice work bro.

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