§ Symbol
Manta ray
Hīhīmanu
Polynesia at large · Hawaiian term
In Polynesian tattooing today the manta ray is associated with freedom, elegance and protection. In Hawaiian, hīhīmanu names the rays and also means «magnificent».
§ How I draw it
3 original drawings
None of these drawings gets tattooed as it is. They're the starting point: in the consultation the motif is adapted to your anatomy and to the rest of the piece.
§ Meaning
Freedom, grace, protection.
In Hawaiian, hīhīmanu names the rays and also means something like «magnificent» or «elegant»; the manta itself is called hāhālua. It glides through the ocean without agitation, hence the reading: freedom of movement and a strength that doesn't need displaying.
The most common readings in Polynesian tattooing today are freedom, grace and protection. They come more from the contemporary craft than from a documented tradition, and I'd rather say so.
Graphically it's one of the motifs that best fits the body: the wings open along the curve of a shoulder blade, a pectoral or the ribs almost without forcing the design, and the tail resolves the exit towards the arm or the hip.
§ How it's drawn
A diamond body with two wide wings, a long tail and the cephalic fins marking the front. In my designs the body holds a tiki face or a centre of concentric circles from which the whole pattern radiates.
§ Works well with
Interested in a piece with this symbol?
In the consultation we work out how it fits your body and your story.
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