Now an ancient bone tattoo kit from the Pacific island nation of Tonga is providing researchers with more than an inkling into the rich history of Polynesian body art, a method so indelible ...

A New York Times article from 2000 attributes the origin of the word “tattoo” to traditional Polynesian markings known as “tatu” or “tatau.” “Tatau,” according to the National ...

A set of four tiny combs from the Polynesian kingdom Tonga might be among the world's oldest tattoo kits. The tools had been sitting in storage in an Australian university for decades. A team of ...

But Polynesian-style tattooing is making a comback, and over the past few decades several traditional tattoo artists have emerged to make their mark and reinvigorate the age-old tradition.