Tahiti Tattoo Fest, the return of the tattoo festival to Tahiti

The Tahiti Tattoo Fest 2024 will bring together for four days, 54 tattoo artists, including 47 using the machine and 6 practicing traditional tattooing. The program includes an opening ceremony, meetings with tattoo artists, exhibitions, tattoo competitions and activities.

This event will highlight the rich heritage of Polynesian tattooing, with a particular emphasis on the theme “Tavana Salmon – Back to Basics“. This festival will honor the art of traditional tattooing, celebrating the cultural roots of this ancient practice, while also highlighting the new generation of tattoo artists using the machine.

For this 2024 edition, we have the honor of presenting an impressive range of international artists.

• Rise Why, traditional tattoo artist (Tonga) Cudjuy Patjidres, traditional tattoo artist (Taiwan)
• Tevairai H, traditional tattoo artist (Spain) Tautu Ellis, traditional tattoo artist (Canada)
• Luther, Next Tattoo (Rarotoa)
• Melissa M , Humble beginnings (USA)
• Jordan G , Humble beginnings (USA)
• Steve Peace, (Canada)
• Manatoa, (France)
  Sophie Lopez, Bohemian Tattoo (France)
• Front Tattoo, (France)

At the end of each day, competitions « Best of the Day » will highlight the finest achievements. These competitions will focus exclusively on tattoos created in full during the festival, with four categories: ltraditional ocal, modern Polynesian and tatau.

1 PREDICTION PROGRAM OF THE FESTIVAL

1st Day: November 28, 2024 (Open day)

• Opening ceremony: Welcoming participants and visitors. ‘Orero, song, dance and ceremony’ohro’a ‘ava.
• Meeting of tattoo artists: Presentation of tattoo artists from all over Polynesia and international artists.
• Inauguration evening with a parade of non-conventional pieces and acoustic concert.

2nd Day: November 29, 2024

• First day of convention: Tattoo demonstrations. Exhibitions of artisans, workshops and activities.
• Competition: At the end of the day, the first rounds of the tattoo competition.

3rd Day: November 30, 2024

• Competition day: Continuation of the tattoo competitions. Exhibitions of artisans, workshops and activities.

4th Day: December 1, 2024

• Last day of competition: Closing of tattoo competitions. Exhibitions of artisans, workshops and activities.
• Closing ceremony: Prize giving and closing festivities.

2 Practical information

From Thursday November 28 to Sunday December 1, 2024

Le Tahiti by Pearl Resorts

Online ticketing available: https://my.weezevent.com/tahiti-tattoo-fest-2024

3 Tavana Salmon, a treasure trove of traditions

Tavana Hare Salmon, born in Tahiti in 1920, lived in Hawaii where he learned Polynesian traditions and led a dance performance in Waikiki. In the 1980s, he played a crucial role in the reintroduction of traditional tattooing to Tahiti. He traveled to Samoa with three Polynesian dancers, where tattoo techniques had survived despite colonial and missionary influences.

In 1984, with the support of OTAC, he brought in four master Samoan tattoo artists to revive the practice in Polynesia. The success of their work marked the true awakening of Polynesian tattooing.

Tavana, initiated by master tattoo artists, has made tattooing a symbol of pride and identity for Tahitians. Today, Tavana Salmon is considered a “living treasure” for his contributions to Polynesian culture, including the revival of marae, traditional music and tattooing.