Media-Press

King ‘Afa is available for media interviews, press features, academic publications, and institutional projects that explore Polynesian tattoo art, cultural preservation, and indigenous storytelling. With over 30 decades of lived trained experience, he brings deep insight into Pacific Island traditions, symbolic tattoo design, and the role of art in ancestral identity. For media inquiries, speaking engagements, or collaborations with museums, universities, and global publications, please contact us kingafa.com.

Media & Podcast Booking Request

King ’Afa is available for commissioned interviews, podcasts, speaking engagements, and cultural consultation focused on Pacific Island art, cultural tattoo systems, and creative direction. All appearances and consultations are paid/commission-based and scheduled by availability.

Why this is commissioned (value-based)

I came to the U.S. as a FOB (Fresh Off the Boat) and watched Pacific tattoo culture treated as “garage-level” work—paid in beer and cigarettes instead of respected as cultural knowledge, professional labor, and intellectual property. My career helped move Pacific Island tattooing from underground stigma into recognized cultural and economic value.

When your platform commissions my time, you’re not buying “a talk.” You’re commissioning:

• decades of research and lived cultural protocol

• original authorship and cultural interpretation

• professional-level insight that elevates your audience and brand
   

• The Value I Brought as a FOB (Fresh Off the Boat)

• 1) Economic value

• Helped normalize professional pricing for large-scale cultural work (from “garage barter” to real-market rates).

• Raised the perceived value of Tongan/Pacific tattoo artists so artists can support rent, bills, families, business growth.

• 2) Cultural value

• Protected and explained Tongan tattoo structure and Pacific systems as disciplined cultural language—not generic decoration.

• Reinforced boundaries and protocol (what is appropriate, what is not, and why).
   

• 3) Identity value

• Helped Tongans and Pacific Islanders reclaim pride in tattoo identity—especially diaspora communities navigating stigma.

• Reframed cultural tattooing as legacy and lineage, not trend.

• 4) Professional legitimacy value

• Helped shift public perception so cultural tattoo work is recognized like a serious art practice—not “tribal flash.”

• Modeled standards for consultation, design discipline, and long-form projects.

• 5) Educational value

• Built a research-driven approach that explains how these systems function: symbolism, spacing, flow, history.

• Converts media into real learning, not shallow “Polynesian tattoo = cool patterns.”
  6) Media and storytelling value

• Brings compelling narrative: migration, sacrifice, discipline, cultural responsibility, and the business of creative labor.

• Your audience gets  + structure, not social media soundbites.
  
   

• How We Collaborate (Commission + Value Exchange)

• Commission options (choose one)

• Option A — Paid booking

• Flat fee for interview/podcast/speaking + clear deliverables.

• Option B — Sponsor-backed booking

• Sponsor covers fee and commits to promotional placement (mutual visibility).

• Option C — Partnership value exchange (case-by-case)

• If budget is limited, we agree in writing to specific value delivered to my business (see below).
   

• What Your Platform Must Provide (Mutual Value Deliverables)

• To confirm, your platform agrees to at least 3 of the following:

• Promotional deliverables

• Permanent link to KingAfa.com in show notes + episode description

• Pinned post + story mentions (IG/YouTube/X) tagging my official handles

• Use my approved bio + images + correct name spelling and credits

• A short promo clip delivered to me for my channels

• Rights and content

• I retain rights to my story, methods, and cultural interpretation.

• My name and work must be credited on all reposts and clips.

• No re-editing that changes meaning without approval.

• Business outcomes

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• Clear CTA: “Book / inquire at KingAfa.com”

• Audience targeting aligned with cultural tattoo collectors / serious clients

• Booking Requirements

• To request a booking, submit:

• Show/platform name + links

• Topic and format (interview / panel / keynote / consulting)

• Recording date window + location/time zone

• Estimated audience size + distribution platforms

• Sponsorship status (sponsored / not sponsored)

• Your proposed compensation or value exchange deliverables

• Note: Tattoo clients and commissioned projects are prioritized. Free requests are generally declined.
  
  My appearances are commissioned because what I provide is not casual conversation—it’s structured cultural interpretation and narrative direction built from decades of research, training, and authorship.
  
  All media appearances, podcasts, speaking engagements, and cultural consultations with King ’Afa are commissioned (paid or sponsor/partner-backed). If budget is limited, a written value exchange agreement is required (promotion, links, content rights, and measurable deliverables).

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