Tattoo Traditions of Polynesia

09/01/2026

Here’s an excellent documentary on Tā Moko:

Tā moko, the traditional Māori art of tattooing, was rarely seen fo...

08/12/2026

I’ll be working in Roseville in the Sacramento area soon and have just a few openings remaining. I’ll be doing all of the art and I’ll be working with Tito at Tattoo Madness who will be doing the actual tattooing since my shoulder injury. Call me quick if you’re seriously interested in an appointment 808-734-8677. I’ll also be giving the seminar at the Aloha Festival in Auburn at the county fairgrounds on Saturday, September 19. Watch here for details. And sorry about the red marks on the photo. That’s what I get for trying to do this on my phone!

07/23/2026

I’ll be teaching two online classes soon. The new course is Introduction to Cultural Anthropology, which is being offered through UH Maui. Regardless of where you are enrolled, you can take classes at any other UH campus and get credit on your home campus. Even if you’re attending UH Manoa, or one of the four year universities, you can still take classes through the community colleges and pay the lesser tuition. Register soon because classes will be dropped as of August 1 if there isn’t sufficient enrollment! Please help spread the word!

06/22/2026

I’ll be doing a talk-story presentation with some great images from Tahiti, the Marquesas and Rapa Nui. I have given many presentations about historical tattoo practices, but I’ve never given one from a personal perspective about my travel experiences, so this is a first. Surprisingly the DAC has easy affordable parking despite being downtown. Come!

02/18/2026

Since this injury to my shoulder, I can no longer tattoo, but I can draw and design your tattoo and explain the history and meaning to you. I will have a competent Tattooist with me doing the actual tattooing. If you’d like to book there are still some appointments available in Livermore. Call me ASAP or message me here. This will be my 130th Tattoo trip and perhaps my last, although I will be back in northern California in September and will have a booth at the Aloha festival in Auburn.

01/26/2026

I haven’t posted in a while. My shoulder injury has really made a drastic change in my activities and lifestyle. Right now I cannot tattoo, but I can still design pieces and draw them on. I’ll be working with another Tattooist who will be doing the actual application, and I’ll be there to share the history and the meanings of the designs. my LA dates are approximately February 27 through March 10. From there I will be driving up to Northern California or I’ll be in Livermore from about March 18 through April 12. Call me at 808–734–8677 or email tattoo@lavanet if you’re interested in booking. I will be in Sacramento again in September for the Aloha festival, but that might be my last trip to Northern California. I’m looking at forced retirement due to three full tears in my right shoulder; my deltoid is the only muscle that is attached. tattoo

01/08/2026

Here is the YouTube link to my interview that I should have included in my last post. Check it out. https://youtu.be/X8TKb2wSWXI?si=8eC8bTH07R3AWh1g

01/08/2026

That’s an old photo from a tattoo magazine in the mid 1990s, what I really want to post is this link to YouTube. This is the full interview from Pym’s series Old Crow Road Show featuring a number of Tattooers. it seems I can’t post a YouTube link without posting a photo. This was the first one that popped up that wasn’t a cat.

01/06/2026

There’s a new video interview out! Watch it at

Tricia Allen's career started in the late 1980s as an anthroplogy student studying Polynesian tattoo history, specifically Marquesan tattooing, before the mi...

08/20/2025

I drew up a turtle with a tiki very much like this one with some significant changes, of course. It was for a father and son team who wanted to get tattooed together. They decided on a shark instead, so I have a great drawing and stencil, ready to go that would be a beautiful unique turtle something like this photo which was originally designed by Fred Yrondi.
There is an opening tomorrow, Thursday, here in Carson and I have one opening remaining in Alameda. There might be openings in Sacramento, but it’s pending cancellations. Call me ASAP or text me if you’re interested. 808-734-8677.