Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1538122
LOCAL706.ORG • 35 Sure, we had wigs, character make-ups, prosthetics, battle-sequence wounds, fake bodies, and the list continues. But the real challenge was the tattoo design. Running a business that provides and has designed tattoos for more than 25 years, this show was by far the largest volumetrically and most challenging in terms of design. Analyn Cruz, who is no stranger to textured hair and the difficulties that can result due to climate and other action moments, was faced with a monumental task of creating and designing hundreds of styles in the form of partial and full wigs for an entire cast, background, and stunt performers. Production provided both Analyn and me with cultural advisors. My personal liaison: A world-famous native Hawaii historian and tattooist named Keone Nunes still practices kākau uhi (hand-tapped tattooing). Our first of several interactions with Keone were simply to understand the culture and heritage of the Hawaiian people. Next, we took a deep dive into the symbolism and meanings behind all the tattoo work: why it existed, the class system that participated in tattooing, and the meaning behind the shapes and placements on the body. This essentially laid out the rules we needed to play by when designing and creating the hundreds of combinations we were about to embark on. Understand, after studying tattoos on some level for over half my life, there were concepts I had never considered. A few of the things I found most fascinating in being enlightened to the story behind these tattoos were as follows: • Gendered Placement: Men were traditionally tattooed only on their left side. Imagine splitting someone in half vertically; the tattoos would only be on the left half of the body. This placement empowered the more feminine side. Conversely, women were tattooed on their right side for the opposite reason. Occasionally, both wrists could be tattooed. • Genealogical Lines: The long "line" tattoo commonly extending from the top of the ankle up through the waist onto the hip, sometimes curving toward the back spine, often represents genealogy or ancestry. • Mana Embodiment: The tattoo itself, and the act of tattooing, is believed to bring forth the life force or mana. • King Kahekili's Mark: King Kahekili of Maui, played by the great Temuera Morrison (famously Boba Fett), was tattooed with a dense design on his right side of the body, contrary to the typical rules. This was because the gods marked the king. • Symbolic Triangles: The "triangles" commonly seen represent shark teeth or spearheads. They can also represent land. These are commonly faced pointing outward or upward, and in some cases, downward. Direction, shape, distortion, and placement all have various meanings, from protection to aggression, and so forth. • Existing Reference: One of the most fascinating was the current reference that exists that we find is inaccurate, according to Keone. Those images were often drawn by Europeans who looked upon the Polynesians as savages. Depicting them as such and somewhat incorrectly for that reason. Sure, some of it captures a general idea. However, this was not to be used as source guides in any way.