Good luck!

Find an artist who specializes in tribal tattoos and ask him/her to design one that has the same look but none of the cultural meaning. Most artists have many books around for inspiration, and should be able to help you design something custom. You are showing respect for the culture without ripping it off, and the chances of it being copied are greatly diminished.

ADD: Sweet. Most people I know with tribals are white dudes with big pick-up trucks. Ask members of your extended family if there are symbols special to the family or try looking into public records.

like, dont think im racist or anything, cause im soooo not. i lived in hawaii for a while so i know the polynesian style quite well. its just that when your like, the whitest white boy out there and youve got a tribal tattoo, it just SCREAMS tool

www.tahititatou.com

tattootraditions.alohaworld.com

www.thetattoosite.com/tattoo/polynesian_tattoo_meanings.html

www.tahititatou.com/history.html

If you want more info just type in polynesian tattoos in yahoo search

The ships lay at anchor off the islands for several days, but the crews did not venture ashore and didn’t even get close enough to the natives to realize that they were not wearing silk leggings, but their legs were completely covered in tattoos.

In Samoa, the tradition of applying tattoo, or tatau, by hand has been unbroken for over two thousand years. Tools and techniques have changed little. The skill is often passed from father to son, each tattoo artist, or tufuga, learning the craft over many years of serving as his father’s apprentice. A young artist-in-training often spent hours, and sometimes days, tapping designs into sand or tree bark using a special tattooing comb, or au. Honoring their tradition, Samoan tattoo artists made this tool from sharpened boar’s teeth fastened together with a portion of the turtle shell and to a wooden handle.

Traditional Samoan tattooing of the “pe’a”, body tattoo, is an ordeal that is not lightly undergone. It takes many weeks to complete. The process is very painful and used to be a necessary prerequisite to receiving a matai title; this however is no longer the case. Tattooing was also a very costly procedure.

It was not uncommon for half a dozen boys to be tattooed at the same time, requiring the services of four or more artists. It was not just the men who received tattoos, but the women too; their designs are of a much lighter nature rather than having the large areas of solid dye which are frequently seen in men’s tattoos. The tattooing of women was not nearly as ritualized like men’s were.

Samoan society has long been defined by rank and title, with chiefs (ali’i) and their assistants, known as talking chiefs (tulafale). The tattooing ceremonies for young chiefs, typically conducted at the time of puberty, were part of their ascendance to a leadership role. The permanent marks left by the tattoo artists would forever celebrate their endurance and dedication to cultural traditions. The pain was extreme and the risk of death by infection was a concern; to back down from tattooing was to risk being labeled a “pala’ai” or coward. Those who could not endure the pain and abandoned their tattooing were left incomplete, would be forced to wear their mark of shame throughout their life. This would forever bring shame upon their family so it was avoided at all cost.

The Samoan tattooing process used a number of tools which remained almost unchanged since their first use. “Autapulu” is a wide tattooing comb used to fill in the large dark areas of the tattoo. “Ausogi’aso tele” is a comb used for making thick lines. “Ausogi’aso laititi” is a comb used for making thin lines. “Aumogo” small comb is used for making small marks. “Sausau” is the mallet is used for striking the combs. It is almost two feet in length and made from the central rib of a coconut palm leaf. “Tuluma” is the pot used for holding the tattooing combs. Ipulama is the cup used for holding the dye. The dye is made from the soot collected from burnt lama nuts. “Tu’I” used to grind up the dye. These tools were primarily made out of animal bones to ensure sharpness.

The tattooing process itself would be 5 sessions, in theory. These 5 sessions would be spread out over 10 days in order for the inflammation to subside. The steps are as follows.

I. O le Taga Tapulu (back and small of the back) In the first session the height to which the tattoo will rise is decided (Ano le Tua), this is always such that the top of the design will show above the lavalava. Then the va’a, pula tama and pula tele are outlined and the design filled in.

II. O le Taga Fai’aso (the posterior) The aso fa’aifo are completed around to the abdomen and the ‘asolaititi are finished. Next to be added are the saemutu, which vary in number depending upon social status. A matai will have four an orator three and anyone else would have two. Where it meets the ‘ivimutu at the anus it is called tafaufile, where it covers the perineum it is called tasele, where it covers the scrotum it is called tafumiti and the area over the penis is called tafito. Needless to say this is very painful.

III. Taga Tapau The lausae, an area of solid tattooing, is added to the thighs beneath the aso e lua.

IV. Taga o Fusi ma Uluma

By traditional, I’m assuming you mean the actual traditional way of applying that tattoo and not just a design. I doubt there is anyone in Texas practicing the traditional Island way of tattooing. But, I guess it wouldn’t hurt to call around some prominent tattoo shops and inquire about it and if they don’t do it, ask if they can lead you to someone who may know more about it.

But, I would suggest you waited until you are able to go over to Hawaii, or even better American or Western Samoa in order to get the real thing done..it only adds to the tattoo being special and meaningful.

Good luck!

Please help.

Im half samoan =]
Turst me no one would be offended when you get it. Anyone can get a polynesian tat no matter what race you are or where you come from. You just need to respect the culture and have pride of getting the tattoo

Go for it =]