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New this year — Forum kicks off Tisa's Tattoo Fest

Dr. Unasa Felise Va’a (left) , pictured in a 2012 Pacific Manuscripts Bureau (PAMBU) newsletter along with Kylie Moloney and Avologo Togi Tunupopo, head librarian, at the National University of Samoa Library. He is the keynote speaker of the first Tatau Forum to be held at the ASCC Lecture Hall on Thursday, October 27, from 9:00 to 2:30 P.M.  [photo: National Library of NZ website]
Here it comes — Tisa’s 12th Annual Tattoo Festival

Alega, A.S. — The fun filled weekend we have been waiting for is almost here. The sweet fragrance of Moso’oi flowers are in full bloom, Palolo season is here, and Tisa’s Tattoo Festival leads the way for festivities of fa’afiafiaga season for Motu o Fiafiaga in October 27- 30, 2016. Are you ready?

WHAT’S NEW THIS YEAR

The 12th annual celebration of the Tatau offers everyone, young and old, a Tatau Forum to express their thoughts on and learn about the ancient art of Samoa and its folauga around the world.

 “The Tatau has arrived in exciting and peculiar places around the planet and Samoans have an opinion about it’s journey, and I am grateful to have one of Samoa’s favorite scholars to be the key note speaker of the first Tatau Forum in American Samoa to kick off the 2016,Tattoo Festival,” Tattoo Fest founder Tisa Faamuli told Samoa News.

Retired Professor & Lecturer of Samoan Language & Culture, and Anthropology, Unasa Felise Va’a will be the keynote speaker of the event. Keepers of the Tatau, Taupou, Matai and village leaders will be presenters on the subject matter at ASCC Lecture Hall, where the Tatau Forum is facilitated and sponsored by ASCC and the Fine Arts Department, on Thursday, October 27, from 9:00 to 2:30 P.M.

Cultural taboos, controversies, and love of the Tatau are subjects to be addressed at the Forum for the first time, in American Samoa and the public is invited to voice their opinion of the Tatau and it’s journey in the past, present and future.

This year, the Tatau Festival is about the best emerging tattoo artists of the two Samoas and Keepers of the Tatau.

On Tattoo Friday and Saturday, visiting Tufuga and machine gun tattoo artists of Upolu and Savai’I will challenge award-winning artists of Tutuila with the latest trends in Tatau, and new fashionable skin art designs to woo tattoo fest crowd in this fun filled weekend.

It will be fierce competitions to produce the best of the fest in the 2016 Awards Ceremony on Sunday and the last day of the fest.

Su’a Fitiao, of American Samoa, Su’a Li’aifaiva Levi, a new emerging Tufuga star of Samoa and award winning artist Paulo Maui’a, along with our favorite, Off the Rock Joe Ioane and Duffy Hudson will be on hand to exhibit their traditional best, for the best Of fest awards ceremony of Tisa’s Tattoo Festival 2016, on Sunday October 30.

To enter the exciting Skin Art fashion Show, tattoo artists will select their very best work, to participate in Tattoo competitions and a chance to win prizes and gifts provided by sponsors of Tisa’s Tattoo Fest.

Open MIC by Pacific Roots and a special appearance by California Rapper, Novacaine Carter who is vacationing on island, will be a treat for the youth in attendance and the festival.

Pe’a and Malu competition and a local favorite to launch the new Tattoo Fest stage at the world famous Tisa’s Barefoot Beach venue will follow an ava ceremony demonstration for our visitors and fest goers.

Registration for both machine applied Tattoos and traditional Samoan Tatau is open to the public, starting on Monday October 24 at Tisa’s in Alega.

As always, new island-style fashion will be on stage and a treat for everyone.

Our new sponsors this year include Amerika Samoa Humanities and ASCC & its Fine Arts Department.

We also want to welcome Office of the Governor, DOC, Triple B Forwarders, Harbor Maritime, Tri Marine and our long time sponsors Samoa News, American Samoa Visitors Bureau and the Department of Marine & Wildlife Resources, Tool Shop, Industrial Gases, Neil's Ace Hardware, Computer World and GHC Reid & Co.- Vailima.

The support of our sponsors and local businesses make the celebration of the Samoan Tatau possible. Please support them by patronizing their businesses.

Tisa’s Tattoo Festival is a rain or shine event

Entry tickets of $3 are sold at the fest gate. Please contact tisafaamuli29@gmail.com for more details.