Meet the Artists

Meet the Artists Behind the Art

The tattoo art on NĀ KOA leather gear is created exclusively for us by tattoo artists who are deeply immersed in the ancient art and symbolism of Polynesian tribal tattoos. (Read here why "tribal" is the wrong term, and why we use it nevertheless)

 

The artists come from all corners of the Pacific Islands - Aotearoa (New Zealand), Hawaii, Samoa and Tahiti, and draw on their own traditions as well as personal artistic style in their art. 

 

Every one of them is a practising tattoo artist, and tattooing clients is their main livelihood.  They are extremely good at what they are doing, and we are so glad to have them part of the NĀ KOA ohana.

 

Akiu "Q" Sale

Akiu "Q" Sale
Sulu'ape Akiu "Q" Sale is known everywhere as Q (that's how his first name sounds when you drop the A)  He is both a true artist as well as  More

 

 

Braddah Wills Kaai

Wills has three major passions - his family, tattooing, and being a waterman on the North Shore of Oahu where he grew up. More   

 

  

Eugene Ta'ase

Eugene is one of the most popular Polynesian tattoo artists in Las Vegas, but he grew up in American Samoa, and learned tattooing on Maui.  More

 

Hano Fernandez 

When Hano is not tattooing, he plays with big knives, in pursuit of his other big passion, fire dancing.   More

 

 

Katerina Mauri Moko

Kathy is a Maori ta moko (tattoo) artist from Rotorua. Her ancestral village in Rotorua is still an active Maori village, where many  More

 

Kuaika Quenga

  Now an award winning tattoo artist, Kauika was on a dangerous path before he found his calling as a Hawaiian tattoo artist at the age of 15.  More

 

Marlo Lualemana

Marlo Lualemana's start as a tattoo artist was unorthodox.  She drew a custom tattoo design for her Samoan husband who More

 

Megan Jones

In addition to tattooing, Megan is also an active practitioner of Hawaiian culture, including carving  More

 

 

Samson Harp

Samson Harp got his first tattoo at the age of 9.  At 12, he built his own tattoo machines from scrap pieces and started tattooing his friends.More  

 

Sulu'ape Pili Mo'o

Mo'o, as he's known to his friends, is one of a very small group of artists who have been granted the title Sulu'ape by the Samoan  More

 

 

Teva Lowy

Teva Lowy is well versed in Hawaiian  tattoo styles if a client requests it, his natural style is a mixture of Tahitian and Marquesan, due More 

 

Tricia Allen

Tricia Allen wrote the book on Polynesian Tattooing. Literally. She's a prolific tattoo artist, but also the author of two of the most important books  More

 

Xavier St. Amand

Born in Guadeloupe, Xavier St. Amand studied Tahitian and Marquesas tattoo art under the internationally renowned Tahitian tattoo artist More