§ Symbol
Tiki
Tiki
Polynesia · strongly present in the Marquesas
The tiki represents the first human in Polynesian mythology and acts as a guardian spirit. It is drawn face-on with large eyes and visible teeth, and is the most recurrent element in Marquesan tattooing (patutiki).
§ 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
Ancestor, guardian, the first human.
The tiki represents the first human of Polynesian mythology. It's drawn face-on, eyes wide open and mouth showing its teeth, in a posture that isn't aggressive but watchful: it's looking out for you.
In Marquesan tattooing (patutiki) it's the most recurrent element and usually sits at the centre of the composition, above all in pieces meant to protect the wearer. In Māori tradition it also survives as a carved pendant, the hei tiki, handed down within a family.
It's a demanding motif: it needs surface and symmetry. Placed in the wrong spot or made too small, it loses the stare — which is precisely what makes it work.
§ How it's drawn
A frontal face with large eyes —often pentagonal or diamond-shaped—, a broad nose and an open mouth with pronounced teeth. It appears on its own, inside a turtle shell, or repeated in a column down an arm.
Interested in a piece with the tiki?
In the consultation we work out how it fits your body and your story.
Book a consultation →