In the world of Polynesian Tattoos and Blackwork Tribal tattoos, artistry, true creativity thrives under artistic freedom. King ‘Afa, a renowned Polynesian tattoo artist from Tonga-Fiji based in Los Angeles, creates powerful, culturally rooted designs when clients give him full creative control. Drawing on ancient traditions from Polynesia, Micronesia, Pacific Island Oceania regions, his tattoos become personal stories etched in skin—far beyond Westernized trends or copied

Some Asian Americans are bullied by Samoan and Tongan for wearing Polynesian tattoos—called culture thieves, known as culture appropriation, while the real culture thieves are those who ignore their own ancestral values. I stand with those who seek knowledge, not trends. Cultural appreciation is not theft—it’s respect. As a Tongan artist from Tonga, I share Polynesian tattoo with those who honor it, regardless of race. Gatekeeping is not protection—it’s division.