traditional tattooing
Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The Department of Health (DOH) is initiating a regulatory framework to oversee tattooing activities throughout the territory. This will encompass commercial tattoo parlors as well as culturally traditional tattooing practices.
According to a proposed regulation that will...
Apia, SAMOA — A Samoa PhD candidate and researcher has suggested a solution to concerns about traditional tattooing.
Last week, a top traditional Samoan Tufuga or tattooist, Su'a Suluape Petelo, said it was wrong for fa'afafine to wear the 'malu' and for women to wear the traditional male 'pe'a'....

![Traditional tattoo tools are still being used in American Samoa, especially for traditional cultural tattoos for males and females. What effect DOH regulations will have on tattooing activities throughout the territory will be interesting to see. [SN archives] tattoo implement being used](https://www.samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/tattoo_fest_2009.jpg?itok=itLfQWXr)
![The traditional male 'pe'a'. [SN file photo] traditional male 'pe'a](https://www.samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/ws_tattoo_fest_2009web.jpg?itok=9K34UcCR)