Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The 18th Annual Tisa’s Tattoo Festival at Tisa's Barefoot bar 2023 in Alega, successfully celebrated the completion of its first malofie and malu on Saturday night, October 28, 2023.

The celebration of the first completed pair started at 8pm, with an evening service in "thanking God the creator of all for safeguarding the land and sea, especially supporters of the festival," said Reverend Fetuao Mua of Leone.

 Then the Master Tattoo Artist (Tufuga) Su'a Ala'ivaa Loli led the ritual ceremony or ‘samaga pe’a’. It involves the application of a raw egg on the heads of the new soga'imiti, and the female malu wearer.  The tufuga also wished the two all the best, to wear their tattoos with respect and to be blessings to their families, villages, churches and country.

The first pair was a sister and brother, children of Reverend Fetuao and Sunema Mua of Leone in American Samoa, Saleimoa and Samauga of Samoa.

Reverend Mua told the crowd that it's the first malofie for his siblings after his grandfather warned his father to stay away from being tattooed.

The story of his grandfather getting his tattoo 100 years ago sounded scary and painful.

It took the tufuga days, and weeks to complete, due to the pain.

 In the old days, where not only the tools were possibly blunt but heavier as well that the traditional needles were hammered down by a much heavier raw lapalapa from a coconut tree leaf.

Rev Mua said the tufuga would have to chase after grandfather Migi and his brother Papa to continue their tattoos.

Once they were ‘caught’, then a piece of maybe four inches of the tattoo would be added for that day. The tattoo was not supposed to be done in public or in the village. It was traditionally done away from the village center or aai environment — because of the taboos and the men were very respectful of women then. Those were the days when Samoa used the traditional ink from the lama tree.

The young lady Miss Railani Mua with a malu, celebrates her 18th birthday this year, which makes its special as well, as Tisa's Annual Tattoo Festival of Arts also celebrated its 18th year.

Her father said," that makes Rai's malu more special during the celebration this weekend."

Her mother Faletua, Sunema Mua says she had her malu tattooed 20 years ago. She didn't want her daughter to go through the pain she'd experienced, but she'd offered to pair up with her brother as it's part of this tradition that a malofie should have another malofie to pair with, or a malu.

There are still more malofie on the waiting list amongst the two gentlemen with almost completed tatau, including Jacob McBride of Perth, Australia and a matai from the village of Nuuuli.

Following the celebration, was a Sunday feast/  toona'i put together by the hosts of the 18th Tattoo Arts Festival 2023, Tisa Faamuli and Candyman of Tisa's Barefoot Bar, for their guests of the day, the Tufuga Su'a and his aiga and friends.