Hawai'i and Germany Meet Halfway in Manhattan

Last Sunday, I found myself unexpectedly in my weekday stomping grounds, outside of Penn Station. I saw a couple sitting on the steps in Penn Plaza and noticed the gentleman had a remarkable tattoo on his outer left calf.<br /><br />We had a slight language barrier, as they were tourists from Europe. But Rico agreed to let me take the photo:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVdAE6-CJlBwNxPHCJI6S61O6hO7eJicBdCNiTi0r-prDbg8HkP6JHX9lv2P1rZ3BoKTIbtWKR26ryyrN4xbKPbw-Sraoz97YJhes2yAu4eD7UuQqSrQJLKIJAQpKv3WbQxcwiTIK1/s1600/Hibiscus+wm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVdAE6-CJlBwNxPHCJI6S61O6hO7eJicBdCNiTi0r-prDbg8HkP6JHX9lv2P1rZ3BoKTIbtWKR26ryyrN4xbKPbw-Sraoz97YJhes2yAu4eD7UuQqSrQJLKIJAQpKv3WbQxcwiTIK1/s640/Hibiscus+wm.jpg" width="318" /></a></div><br />The tattoo was done by <a href="http://www.stechwerk.com/index.php5?p=gallery-tom">Tom</a> at <a href="http://www.stechwerk.com/index.php5?p=home">Stechwerk Tattoo Studio</a> in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kempten_im_Allg%C3%A4u">Kempten</a>, Germany.<br /><br />Rico said he just liked the design and that Hawai'i is somewhere he hopes to visit one day. The surfboard and the archipelago outline are symbolic of our fiftieth state, and the yellow hibiscus is the state flower.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy8wJRs_NEYun6VPZUztWNhaN877Il4b9PMrydk09pNhDdKqhkpHP0iDgW6MY0frZ9h0ItDYIbukCUF1yAubf42t0ePa5mvV-J7ijgPbF0vRo06XAcKuGTPI0smqLPe6xW_JuSmuss/s1600/Hibiscus+detail+wm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy8wJRs_NEYun6VPZUztWNhaN877Il4b9PMrydk09pNhDdKqhkpHP0iDgW6MY0frZ9h0ItDYIbukCUF1yAubf42t0ePa5mvV-J7ijgPbF0vRo06XAcKuGTPI0smqLPe6xW_JuSmuss/s400/Hibiscus+detail+wm.jpg" width="293" /></a></div><br /><i>Danke schön</i> to Rico for sharing this cool Hawai'i-themed tattoo with us here on Tattoosday!

Hawai'i and Germany Meet Halfway in Manhattan

Last Sunday, I found myself unexpectedly in my weekday stomping grounds, outside of Penn Station. I saw a couple sitting on the steps in Pen...

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Tattoosday Goes to Hawai'i - Sylvia's Back Piece

The one day in Hawai'i when I didn't take any tattoo pictures, I did pass out a few fliers. One I handed to a woman sitting in a chair at the <a href="http://www.kapahuluavenue.com/?p=112">Safeway Center on Kapahulu Avenue</a>.<br /><br />She had what appeared to be an incredible back piece, the top of which was visible to passers-by.<br /><br />Sylvia later e-mailed me and shared a link to a site that featured a photo of the tattoo, along with an explanation of the piece. I have extracted it here for the enjoyment of the Tattoosday audience.<br /><br />First, the tattoo:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghrKKR-R2PukrWmss301i4uQLdE_UzSTt-IjuAm2HPaMFoxI6AMzdxtF1FG5S7jQiU54XaFDmrNwnhF8jBg1AFHBINGgBSav0ALMfhIW56MMlINOf4m8_28ttTbc7gHr2G9DQHTFv6/s1600/sylvia+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghrKKR-R2PukrWmss301i4uQLdE_UzSTt-IjuAm2HPaMFoxI6AMzdxtF1FG5S7jQiU54XaFDmrNwnhF8jBg1AFHBINGgBSav0ALMfhIW56MMlINOf4m8_28ttTbc7gHr2G9DQHTFv6/s400/sylvia+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Sylvia explains:<br /><br /><blockquote>"My tattoo represents my ancestry...from the family of the 'Royal Hawai'ian Ole' (chanters of the Alii court), from the snowy mountains of Japan, the homeland of <a href="http://tastyislandhawaii.com/blog/2010/01/13/time-for-zippys-portuguese-bean-soup/">Portuguese Bean soup</a>, and the inter-mix marriages of American Indians and Puerto Ricans. I believe the seven I have on my back describe who I am the best. Most locals have meaning for <u>their</u> tattoos but we also have people like <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/2009/12/all-i-want-for-christmas-is-tattoo-with.html">Lindsay</a> who just go with <u>their</u> flow. Many families have several signs that make up <u>their</u> families even as far as the Scottish Clan "<a href="http://www.clan-duncan.co.uk/">Duncan</a>" like me..."</blockquote><br />What's wonderful about this tattoo to me is that Sylvia has incorporated so many cultures and motifs into the design which, as she acknowledges, is based on the wonderful mix of heritage and ancestry that comprises her background. This is very typical of people who live in Hawai'i, which is host to such an explosion of multicultural intermingling.<br /><br />I love how the honu/sea turtle brings all of the elements together. The eagle, dragonfly, bear paw, wolf, buffalo, and shark all join to provide a rich tapestry of images that each speak to a different aspect of her heritage.<br /><br />Sylvia's tattoo was inked by <a href="http://www.myspace.com/thestainremains">Joseph Garcia</a>, <a href="http://local.yahoo.com/info-21877195-trigga-happy-tattoo-waipahu">Trigga Happy Tattoo</a> in Waipahu. Eagle, Dragonfly, Bear Paw, Turtle, Wolf, Buffalo, and Shark.<br /><br />Thanks to Sylvia for responding to me initially and for sharing her tattoo via her post <a href="http://wwwyolga.yolasite.com/index/-tattoos-">here</a>. We here at Tattoosday appreciate your contribution!

Tattoosday Goes to Hawai'i - Sylvia's Back Piece

The one day in Hawai'i when I didn't take any tattoo pictures, I did pass out a few fliers. One I handed to a woman sitting in a cha...

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Tattoosday Goes To Hawai'i - All in the Family, Part 3 (Ikaika, In Progress)

Continuing with the mini-reunion, of sorts, with my family in Hawai'i, back in April, let's visit with my nephew Ikaika. If seeing my nephew Keali'i for the first time in 18 years was a trip, then talking to Ikaika was an all-out exercise in time travel, it seemed.<br /><br />Ikaika, to my memory, was a toddler, barely a kid. Or, at least that's how I last remembered him. Now, he is an adult, and he remembered who I was, much to my amazement.<br /><br />He shared his work in progress, a traditional-style Hawaiian pattern tribal sleeve, here:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiiBlaVcJdzSqbnbLH50oajJ-OSv901UFrgE6gIikulB3Qht8CXzrI3TvDefo24F1gwqo8mlCcfWwo_ajbcZg3-W-O7v6zIyNRiyuKExfO7dvvZaY2YYfEJmrtcnceq5iOwnZrpBRq/s1600/ikaika+pattern.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiiBlaVcJdzSqbnbLH50oajJ-OSv901UFrgE6gIikulB3Qht8CXzrI3TvDefo24F1gwqo8mlCcfWwo_ajbcZg3-W-O7v6zIyNRiyuKExfO7dvvZaY2YYfEJmrtcnceq5iOwnZrpBRq/s400/ikaika+pattern.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />This sleeve represents about twelve hours of work, all done by <a href="http://hippografix.com/?page_id=394">George "Keoki" Davis</a> at <a href="http://hippografix.com/">HippoGrafix</a>. <br /><br />Ikaika also shared this <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hannya"><i>hannya</i></a> mask on the back of his calf, courtesy of <a href="http://www.myspace.com/3322049">"Tattoo Mike" Higuchi</a> at <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/dark-side-tattoo-honolulu">Dark Side Tattoo</a> in Honolulu:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgqgmMqS-gxbU3jN7hS47T-vFNppZw3PFvYEz5NPpt6YckGCj3OEnxTVvV97VrAdZEUmSnA3EefKkCHGKD-ceDgceYUTZvV1d3M0fzh7cisYW-GD-Pn95P63jGuTRA1YTN-UaGIFA2/s1600/Ikaika+Hannya.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgqgmMqS-gxbU3jN7hS47T-vFNppZw3PFvYEz5NPpt6YckGCj3OEnxTVvV97VrAdZEUmSnA3EefKkCHGKD-ceDgceYUTZvV1d3M0fzh7cisYW-GD-Pn95P63jGuTRA1YTN-UaGIFA2/s400/Ikaika+Hannya.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br />Thanks to my nephew Ikaika for sharing his ink with us here on Tattoosday!<br /><br />Previously in the <i>Tattoosday Goes to Hawai'i - All in the Family</i> series:<br /><br /><a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/2010/05/tattoosday-goes-to-hawaii-all-in-family.html">Part 1, A Preface</a> <br /><a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/2010/05/tattoosday-goes-to-hawaii-all-in-family_19.html">Part 2, Keali'i's Sleeves</a>

Tattoosday Goes To Hawai'i - All in the Family, Part 3 (Ikaika, In Progress)

Continuing with the mini-reunion, of sorts, with my family in Hawai'i, back in April, let's visit with my nephew Ikaika. If seeing m...

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Tattoosday Goes to Hawai'i - All in the Family, Part 2 (Keali'i's Sleeves)

Mind you, readers, that the last time I saw my nephew Keali'i, he was not yet into the his teens or, if he was, he had just started. So when I saw him for the first time in nearly twenty years, I was stunned. There, in the blindingly bright <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaneohe,_Hawaii">Kāne<span class="okina" style="font-family: Lucida Sans Unicode,sans-serif;">ʻ</span>ohe</a> sunlight, where once I had remembered a boy, stood a man.<br /><br />My first glimpse of his tattoos was at a time when I wasn't thinking much about ink - a sad occasion that gives everyone a bit of perspective, in the bright shadows between the living and the dead.<br /><br />It wasn't until later that evening, as small glasses with clear liquor were raised in honor of a departed husband, father, and grandfather, when the talk of tattoos began.<br /><br />I had known Keali'i had ink, but I never realized how much. He has two full sleeves and he kindly shares them here.<br /><br />His left arm is distinguished by a black and gray depiction of a skeletal warrior king presiding over a dark domain. Skulls are prevalent in the flowing piece that runs the full length of the arm:<br /> <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiECnDaYWParXlZ0vz6pp6weWMCAC_I_fw_sH7CwGysvIuol8asjjiqke3VvmWvaYnpwV9Mm4-cM2lSJbSrTgwBdOxSMzPuXGSNkWnU3ADguPdfldTiRtoHsjVGBh3Wmyj7zNvqzb49/s1600/Kealii+left+arm+top.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiECnDaYWParXlZ0vz6pp6weWMCAC_I_fw_sH7CwGysvIuol8asjjiqke3VvmWvaYnpwV9Mm4-cM2lSJbSrTgwBdOxSMzPuXGSNkWnU3ADguPdfldTiRtoHsjVGBh3Wmyj7zNvqzb49/s640/Kealii+left+arm+top.jpg" width="262" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB_4pO0gdUXs_IPH3oOk26Gk35dPy_zjjhv8axJadT8JNRAhMKI1tbaOvBaD8BhZZ_h3dQIdIC9e2GoqCjS_6WjMDM1aTgUQ0TFlZwhR_xqtlEllO_hBWgNRdjAeuoFG4RA1sNLP57/s1600/Kealii+left+arm+bottom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB_4pO0gdUXs_IPH3oOk26Gk35dPy_zjjhv8axJadT8JNRAhMKI1tbaOvBaD8BhZZ_h3dQIdIC9e2GoqCjS_6WjMDM1aTgUQ0TFlZwhR_xqtlEllO_hBWgNRdjAeuoFG4RA1sNLP57/s640/Kealii+left+arm+bottom.jpg" width="228" /></a></div><br />The depiction of the great Hawaiian king, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kamehameha_I">Kamehameha the Great</a>, is a popular element in many tattoos for people honoring the history of Hawai'i. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk7jw79ANTImOx6KfBXiY3fRucKQGr4Lrsk8v3RbiFKthnilnEOZXkpHbLNsJwPxQCjY9NCzyNbQin_dmt__xDvYTfCbtYx5xQGYvAEourtEQcxo69Y2sHp4BIsx8kww3jjTEgKZvt/s1600/Kealii+left+arm+detail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk7jw79ANTImOx6KfBXiY3fRucKQGr4Lrsk8v3RbiFKthnilnEOZXkpHbLNsJwPxQCjY9NCzyNbQin_dmt__xDvYTfCbtYx5xQGYvAEourtEQcxo69Y2sHp4BIsx8kww3jjTEgKZvt/s320/Kealii+left+arm+detail.jpg" /></a></div><br />The traditional warrior helmet on the skeleton signifies that this is an undead Kamehameha, a twist on the cultural and historical icon that makes the dark side of Keali'i so unique.<br /><br /><br />Keali'i's right arm contrasts the left with an explosion of color:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAXiL3Sw-1huzrR55ahCBTBeLj04Ydn_mqQCBdN1UooAiNWt05_hAleYhuRYwQyMgbf77uRvhQ55ZdFZSrDW2siWlH6hUAM88l6VIIyCnP0Ep1UTAMU8yCCQ2pcoqrWBrv89rRn5hz/s1600/kealii+collage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAXiL3Sw-1huzrR55ahCBTBeLj04Ydn_mqQCBdN1UooAiNWt05_hAleYhuRYwQyMgbf77uRvhQ55ZdFZSrDW2siWlH6hUAM88l6VIIyCnP0Ep1UTAMU8yCCQ2pcoqrWBrv89rRn5hz/s640/kealii+collage.jpg" width="368" /></a></div><br />My nephew's full Hawaiian name is Keali'i 'O ka Moana, which translates to "Chief of the Ocean". And he lives up to this moniker, being an avid fan of surfing, diving, and fishing. Embracing his love of the sea, Keali'i adorned this side of his body with the bright vibrant colors of the ocean reefs, with multi-hued corals, anemones, and other sea life, including a fish and an octopus.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHQN1XyCUd6ZrmiZugqS-Y7Rsb1vY25eRihHWVyb-evh2pjM4qWfu41hYlS0EeeE6zhqy3SwTc5YFg7731lVJXzZIOKow6x6U921NRhcfJb0VF9vDNEWkTgSvzudtiJc1Svf4tN5Pw/s1600/kealii+right+arm+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHQN1XyCUd6ZrmiZugqS-Y7Rsb1vY25eRihHWVyb-evh2pjM4qWfu41hYlS0EeeE6zhqy3SwTc5YFg7731lVJXzZIOKow6x6U921NRhcfJb0VF9vDNEWkTgSvzudtiJc1Svf4tN5Pw/s640/kealii+right+arm+2.jpg" width="212" /></a></div><br />Unfortunately, the bottoms of Keali'i's arms are darker than the tops, a fact that he grudgingly accepts as the cost of being in the sun so much, combined with having naturally darker skin to begin with.<br /><br />His artist, <a href="http://www.808tattoo.com/portfolios.php?id=4">Billy Whitney</a> from <a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1591938139">808 Tattoo</a><a href="http://www.808tattoo.com/"> Studio</a>, has scolded him, Keali'i told me, but he swears up and down he can't help it.<br /><br />Regardless of the visibility of some of this work, it's still wonderfully done and was great to see in person after hearing so long about his great tattoos.<br /><br />I want to say a big mahalo to my nephew, Keali'i, for sharing his sleeves with us here on Tattoosday!<br /><br />Previously in the "Tattoosday Goes to Hawai'i - All in the Family" series:<br /><br /><a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/2010/05/tattoosday-goes-to-hawaii-all-in-family.html">Part 1, A Preface</a>.

Tattoosday Goes to Hawai'i - All in the Family, Part 2 (Keali'i's Sleeves)

Mind you, readers, that the last time I saw my nephew Keali'i, he was not yet into the his teens or, if he was, he had just started. So ...

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Tattoosday Goes to Hawai'i: Reston's Expansive Ink

I've alluded, in previous posts, to a trip to <a href="http://www.alamoanacenter.com/">Ala Moana Center</a>, during which I was astounded by the amount of tattoos I saw, much more than I recall seeing on my previous trip, five years ago.<br /><br />I was in the expansive food court section of the complex when I met Reston and his uncle. I was first intrigued by the work on his left arm:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNLj4eojFsZFdLjDsH2WWNC-I8PP9isWDfCfig0zx2iz0sOp4WIYA0-1PHoukuSurCar36Lc4MACmF3illEsJBH0bKXg-IUxQ1TyHV8l3ymhuL2BlEP39EjzN6l-s1W0OWEUZhuNUa/s1600/Reston+Arm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNLj4eojFsZFdLjDsH2WWNC-I8PP9isWDfCfig0zx2iz0sOp4WIYA0-1PHoukuSurCar36Lc4MACmF3illEsJBH0bKXg-IUxQ1TyHV8l3ymhuL2BlEP39EjzN6l-s1W0OWEUZhuNUa/s640/Reston+Arm.jpg" width="212" /></a></div><br />but then, in one of those rare Tattoosday moments in which I see much more than I anticipated, his uncle convinced Reston to show me his back, which revealed this wonderful work:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOwSUdxNSMKYl5aKEm8IZua1rIe02qD3VjdmSXCcnmHfUAEjpXjyWC89rZHPCPJ2DIDqyUVgYwib6Y6wiqKSYS0U0r0cObl5hyphenhyphenkxa40p-c3aPxVEeXMP497mvI1LOQkM20SB2chuFG/s1600/Reston+Back.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOwSUdxNSMKYl5aKEm8IZua1rIe02qD3VjdmSXCcnmHfUAEjpXjyWC89rZHPCPJ2DIDqyUVgYwib6Y6wiqKSYS0U0r0cObl5hyphenhyphenkxa40p-c3aPxVEeXMP497mvI1LOQkM20SB2chuFG/s400/Reston+Back.jpg" width="346" /></a></div><br />For Reston, his tattoos are tributes to his heritage. The large <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gautama_Buddha">Buddha</a> on his back acknowledges the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism">Buddhist</a> faith that can be found on his father's side of the family. The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiki">tiki</a> and tribal patterns are in honor of his mother's Pacific Islander lineage. This is apparent from the merging of the two styles (and the names "mom" and "dad" at the top of his back:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggha35_xMZJM33AgnZC6u2WK8Ll6HjNEoTymq99bYvL1_i9EoFANwA1Nxamu_nF-GjBpZYInKO_iEqKLwXwBoBvqsL3ShPNVPaV_z3njqMnI2OO0WnGBek1RrRMOda9s338zt3U-0X/s1600/Reston+back+-+detail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggha35_xMZJM33AgnZC6u2WK8Ll6HjNEoTymq99bYvL1_i9EoFANwA1Nxamu_nF-GjBpZYInKO_iEqKLwXwBoBvqsL3ShPNVPaV_z3njqMnI2OO0WnGBek1RrRMOda9s338zt3U-0X/s400/Reston+back+-+detail.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />In addition, Reston shared this cool lizard on his left shoulder:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXEPxLQSEXkxzfBCu99hKnog9HdnOMBAhjxACXx9oG5wgvw3KJUukoYjUiRFgD8Ngi0GSjH5QyEDmTm4_jwqg63GGqfwdQJFzHuGE6v1FHCJWZh3ofcxmnd07Bq8c8wM5ybICKouwe/s1600/Reston+Shoulder.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXEPxLQSEXkxzfBCu99hKnog9HdnOMBAhjxACXx9oG5wgvw3KJUukoYjUiRFgD8Ngi0GSjH5QyEDmTm4_jwqg63GGqfwdQJFzHuGE6v1FHCJWZh3ofcxmnd07Bq8c8wM5ybICKouwe/s400/Reston+Shoulder.jpg" width="400" /></a>Actually, in Hawaiian tattoo styles, this is referred to more specifically as a <i><b>mo'o</b></i>, which can be defined (source <a href="http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/kona/historyg.htm">here</a>) as a "spirit guardian (lizard) that protects a resource, such as a fishpond, from overuse and other abuse". Mo'o are also referred to as geckos.<br /><br />There's a lot going on with Reston's personal canvas, but you can see the geographic shapes of the <i>mo'o</i> design jumping off the skin.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFSKsmDpKZrUyOuzazosyJY4iyo6UbMODFb91MzYk_ZP4tHh1NqBKU6QsFM5RL73tPXRGHsMqc-_I6DXaAfwjD4E3RSDetnhqFM8IucASROATa_4ocy3Jp3bDp3WIy9PFsJp0XsfNo/s1600/Reston+Shoulder+detail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFSKsmDpKZrUyOuzazosyJY4iyo6UbMODFb91MzYk_ZP4tHh1NqBKU6QsFM5RL73tPXRGHsMqc-_I6DXaAfwjD4E3RSDetnhqFM8IucASROATa_4ocy3Jp3bDp3WIy9PFsJp0XsfNo/s400/Reston+Shoulder+detail.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />  All the work was done in California. The Buddha back piece was inked by <a href="http://www.12monkeystattoos.com/jon-highland.html">Jon Highland</a>, owner of <a href="http://www.12monkeystattoos.com/">12 Monkeys Tattoo</a> in Tracy, California. The majority of the tribal/Polynesian work was tattooed by <a href="http://www.hbtat2.com/orly/">Orly</a> at <a href="http://www.hbtat2.com/">Humble Beginnings Tattoo Studio</a> in San Jose.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje874A-6nMQjUDvwFGJcoIiNWVt1cEZI2vDByl-4ygeWGvHkElUd39-eMixvqRN21u13P3OZxHbQeb4d12erdoszttVQx0boAa4SwD43C50L_tFaIU2RQkBDzCN008jXaFDkd9ZClu/s1600/Reston+Arm+-+Detail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje874A-6nMQjUDvwFGJcoIiNWVt1cEZI2vDByl-4ygeWGvHkElUd39-eMixvqRN21u13P3OZxHbQeb4d12erdoszttVQx0boAa4SwD43C50L_tFaIU2RQkBDzCN008jXaFDkd9ZClu/s640/Reston+Arm+-+Detail.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br />A hearty mahalo to Reston for being bold enough to remove his shirt in the Ala Moana food court so we could all get to better appreciate his ink. We here at Tattoosday thank you for your contributions to the site!

Tattoosday Goes to Hawai'i: Reston's Expansive Ink

I've alluded, in previous posts, to a trip to Ala Moana Center , during which I was astounded by the amount of tattoos I saw, much more ...

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