Lying on my death bed, 5 days of excruciating pain. I felt an angel coming to take me away.
True Story
This is a true story on one of the world’s most deadly tattoo the Samoan Pe’a (Pe’a in english means Bat)
Recently while in New Zealand I went to visit my nephew Caleb Patea, who at the age of 18 had the Samoan Pe’a tattooed on his body. This is what Caleb recalls, his experience.
Caleb’s story
Caleb was six months old when he was adopted into the Patea Samoan family. Living and learning the Samoan way of life you can understand why Caleb made the choice to be tattooed. Caleb’s origin is of Maori & Scottish decent.
The day of the Tattoo
Caleb was taken into a garage where the tattoo process was to take place. Prepared was a make shift bed he would lay on for the next 5 days.
The Tattooist
Then entering the garage the Tufuga (Samoan name translated tattooist) with his assistant called “Au Solo”. The Au Solo stretches the skin so the Tufuga can get nice lines
Who can enter
Woman are not allowed to witness the process, only men
The Pe’a Tattoo process
The Pe’a takes up to 5 days, 4 to 6 hours per day
The instrument used in Samoan is called AU, made of 4 sharp Boar teeth, giving a stinging effect when the skin is pierced. There are many sizes of the tool (AU)
They use Kerosene and Samoan Traditional Ink from the soot of the candlenut.
Men who enter
Only men can come in to watch the tattooing, they cannot wear
- Jewry
- Perfume
- Shoes to be taken off at the door
- Men come in and sit down
- Lava Lava is worn, which is material wrapped around their bodies
Witness
Tapuaiga – These are men who come in and witness the process
Few have died
Men have died
- 90% survive
- 10% die through infections, Loss of blood, spiritual belief
The pain of the Boar teeth, Near Death
As the Boar teeth pierced his skin through the pain, Caleb passed out 2 times a day. If you pass out the tattooist will stop. When Caleb came to he asked if the tattooist would carry on
Describing what he felt at the time
- At times you feel like giving up
- Excruciating pain from the teeth piercing the body, as you lay in your blood for the whole day.
- Lack of energy
- At this point of pain I didn’t fear death
- My Faith, Religion tested me, I was not going to give up
Men Caleb never new came to support the process of the tattoo. They would sing songs during the process, praying and meditating
After hours of tattooing you have to sleep on your own and lay on the prepared bed with fresh blood still oozing out
Why
People can’t control you because of the pain from inside the body from the daily tattooing. The pain is so unbearable, this alone at any point in time would make you feel as though you would want to give up and die.
The Sensitive Personal Parts
When doing this part of the body, no one is allowed access, only you and the Tufuga. The tattooist does everything. The pain is gut wrenching they go right into the skin with the AU, not only do you feel this is not ethical, you carry on.
More Pain
The pain you feel is like no other past experience, a punch has no comparison. If you were to be punched after this process you won’t feel a thing, you are well past the point of pain.
On Completion
The tattooist the Tufuga mixes in a bowl
- Egg yoke
- Laena powder
- Baby oil
Mix this all together, then wipe around your whole body. This is the only form of pain killers you will get.
The Tufuga will then crack an egg over your head, meaning you have come from a boy to a man. This meaning in the Samoan culture is “New Life”.
Side Effects
- Your legs never heal properly.
- If you hit your leg it’s like thousands of pins poking you.
- The feeling of pins and needles come just as fast as they go away.
It can take up to 8 months to heal, but if you draw blood at any given time around the area of the Pe’a your blood is BLACK not RED
So why have the Pe’a
Caleb always wanted a Pe’a. You have to learn and study about the tattoo first, then if you decide to have this done you need the blessing from the family, as well as a high chief and extended family.
Well Prepared
Before you get a Pe’a the Tufuga (Tattoist) talks to you, takes you through an induction process to prepare you well in advance. Once the tattoo has been approved the Tufuga will ask you are you ready to take on this challenge. REMEMBER there is no turning back.
Was all this pain worth it
Caleb has no regrets, he is very proud to be blessed to have this Pe’a on his body.
The difference between a Samoan and European Tattoo
- Traditional Samoan tattoo is on the inside. And they start straight away no marking
- A European tattoo is drawn on the outside before they tattoo
Have you ever experienced any thing like this?
Yes i have experienced something simliar – but I was tattooed by Su’a Sulu’ape in sydney. Takes a bit longer – but he has never had anybody die and i did not “pass out” or see any other intended soga’imiti “pass out” as Su’a is very attentive (but it is likely some may have over the past 40 odd years as it is quite an ordeal).
No painkillers – other than the realisation that the pain is “only in your head” – there is no pain at the actual tattoo location (sounds a bit stupid to most people – but most soga’imiti will understand). But plenty of antiseptic cream and antibiotics – the sea in sydney is a bit cold and dirty unlike Samoa.
“tufuga ta tatau” is the correct name – tufuga just means “master” and there are tufuga’s for other activities apart from tattooing. also the traditional ink is from the soot of the “candle nut” (not ink from the ava tree).
tofa soifua
levao
I am very proud my my son Caleb,a role model to other Samoan youth as well as Maori.
Thank you Uncle for your time you spent with Caleb doing the interview. The Grandparents Are amazing, where I had Caleb at a very young age and the Grand parents helped me to get an education, and I did. I love the Grandparents, they are like my mum and dad, and the love and support they give us every day.
He should take up modelling.
Ka Kite
My dad has the pe’a, and almost all of my uncles do too. The youngest anyone in my family received the pe’a was at 14 years, and I want to get mine, but I have never been to Samoa to connect with my roots.
Now my father regrets all of his tattoos, except for the pe’a because it has so much meaning to him. He said the most pain was after the pe’a, when the tufuga grabbed, and squeezed the parts of his body with the tatau.
I also wonder if I’m related to the man who did Caleb’s pe’a, maybe I’ll get a discount!
-Maverick Posane Su’a
Im glad i found this website thanks for the great read.
*jewelry lol
well thats really cool that you have a pe’a i know a few people that has a pe’a and i know someone who has got their pe’a from Su’a Petelo Suluape too and he was 13 when he got his done and he was the youngest person to get his one done and still is to this day, his father is one of the chiefs in savaii samoa his name is Tupai lesa from savaii, soo well done congratts to you ^.^ xo