MGRADES UPDATED EXAMS
SAMOAN TATTOOS UPDATED ACTUAL
Exam Questions and CORRECT Answers
When did they originate? - CORRECT ANSWER - There is no documented date
When were they estimated to have originated? - CORRECT ANSWER - It is estimated
that they originated 5000 years ago
Why is the date unknown? - CORRECT ANSWER - This is due to the fact that in
Polynesia, before the Europeans' arrival, every event was told by word of mouth, as they had no
form of transcribing until the missionaries arrived.
1 - CORRECT ANSWER - The tattoo was most likely the Samoans' first form of cultural
art along with their woven mats.
2 - CORRECT ANSWER - Samoan legend states that two Fijiian women named Taema
and Tilafaiga introduced the practice of tattooing to Samoa.
3 - CORRECT ANSWER - It is said that they canoed from Fiji to Samoa, singing "tattoo
the women and not the men", but along the way, they made a mistake, and instead switched to
singing "tattoo the men and not the women".
4 - CORRECT ANSWER - When they arrived in Samoa, the mistake went uncorrected,
and when the Samoans adopted tatau, the men received the majority of it.
5 - CORRECT ANSWER - Samoan tattoos are a long and painful process.
6 - CORRECT ANSWER - It takes many weeks to fully complete a Pe'a but overall it can
be finished in as little as five days with breaks in between sessions to let inflammation subside.
, MGRADES UPDATED EXAMS
7 - CORRECT ANSWER - Tattooing combs are made of sharpened animal bone or teeth.
8 - CORRECT ANSWER - They are dipped in a dye made from the soot of burnt lama
nuts and then repeatedly struck with a mallet called a sausau. The sausau is almost two feet long
and made from the central rib of a coconut palm leaf.
9 - CORRECT ANSWER - New tools are made for every Pe'a for hygiene purposes.
Autapulu - CORRECT ANSWER - Autapulu (wide comb used to fill in large dark areas of
the tattoo)
Tuluma - CORRECT ANSWER - Pot used for holding combs
Ipulama - CORRECT ANSWER - (cup used for holding dye)
Tu'l - CORRECT ANSWER - (pestle used to grind up dye)
1 - CORRECT ANSWER - The Malu is the female version of the male traditional tattoo
called the Pe'a.
2 - CORRECT ANSWER - The Malu is often a representation of centipedes, octopi, birds
and flying foxes. It is of a lighter nature than the Pe'a, and is more "lacy" with less of the large
black areas often seen in the Pe'a.
3 - CORRECT ANSWER - It covers from the bottom of the knee to the upper thigh. It is
generally much smaller than the Pe'a, although the women also tattoo their hands.
3 - CORRECT ANSWER - As with the males, it is considered a great source of shame to
have an unfinished tattoo and it is almost always hidden.
SAMOAN TATTOOS UPDATED ACTUAL
Exam Questions and CORRECT Answers
When did they originate? - CORRECT ANSWER - There is no documented date
When were they estimated to have originated? - CORRECT ANSWER - It is estimated
that they originated 5000 years ago
Why is the date unknown? - CORRECT ANSWER - This is due to the fact that in
Polynesia, before the Europeans' arrival, every event was told by word of mouth, as they had no
form of transcribing until the missionaries arrived.
1 - CORRECT ANSWER - The tattoo was most likely the Samoans' first form of cultural
art along with their woven mats.
2 - CORRECT ANSWER - Samoan legend states that two Fijiian women named Taema
and Tilafaiga introduced the practice of tattooing to Samoa.
3 - CORRECT ANSWER - It is said that they canoed from Fiji to Samoa, singing "tattoo
the women and not the men", but along the way, they made a mistake, and instead switched to
singing "tattoo the men and not the women".
4 - CORRECT ANSWER - When they arrived in Samoa, the mistake went uncorrected,
and when the Samoans adopted tatau, the men received the majority of it.
5 - CORRECT ANSWER - Samoan tattoos are a long and painful process.
6 - CORRECT ANSWER - It takes many weeks to fully complete a Pe'a but overall it can
be finished in as little as five days with breaks in between sessions to let inflammation subside.
, MGRADES UPDATED EXAMS
7 - CORRECT ANSWER - Tattooing combs are made of sharpened animal bone or teeth.
8 - CORRECT ANSWER - They are dipped in a dye made from the soot of burnt lama
nuts and then repeatedly struck with a mallet called a sausau. The sausau is almost two feet long
and made from the central rib of a coconut palm leaf.
9 - CORRECT ANSWER - New tools are made for every Pe'a for hygiene purposes.
Autapulu - CORRECT ANSWER - Autapulu (wide comb used to fill in large dark areas of
the tattoo)
Tuluma - CORRECT ANSWER - Pot used for holding combs
Ipulama - CORRECT ANSWER - (cup used for holding dye)
Tu'l - CORRECT ANSWER - (pestle used to grind up dye)
1 - CORRECT ANSWER - The Malu is the female version of the male traditional tattoo
called the Pe'a.
2 - CORRECT ANSWER - The Malu is often a representation of centipedes, octopi, birds
and flying foxes. It is of a lighter nature than the Pe'a, and is more "lacy" with less of the large
black areas often seen in the Pe'a.
3 - CORRECT ANSWER - It covers from the bottom of the knee to the upper thigh. It is
generally much smaller than the Pe'a, although the women also tattoo their hands.
3 - CORRECT ANSWER - As with the males, it is considered a great source of shame to
have an unfinished tattoo and it is almost always hidden.
