Māori tattoo is not “tribal decoration.” It’s a living cultural system governed by tikanga (protocol), identity, genealogy, and community authority. That is why the words matter — Maori tāmoko is not the same thing as kirituhi, and not every artist is permitted to practice or claim it.

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.