The word “tattoo” originates from the Tahitian “tatu” and the Samoan “tatau”. The origins of Polynesian tattoos (or culture in general) are dicey at best when your accounting for over 1000 spread out islands in the Polynesian tribe. The famous James Cook brought tattoos to the western world after returning from Tahiti and New Zealand. Modern polynesian tribal is often comprised of solid color decorative ornament and mythological spiritual symbolism.