Faces of Resistance: The Revival of Female Tattoos in Melanesia

Holly Otto | South Pacific Fellow

Image sourced from Carsten ten Brink via Flickr.

While separated by vast geographical distances and host to distinct cultures, the Melanesian countries of Papua New Guinea (PNG), Fiji, Vanuatu, and Solomon Islands are united by an unexpected tradition: the sacred, feminine art of facial tattoos. These ancient tattoos, such as the reva reva of Papua New Guinea and the veiqia of Fiji, were often complemented by markings across the bearer’s body to communicate her qualities and broader connections to community, ancestry and land. The wider, typically female-only practice also gave women unique agency within their community. Not only were tattoo artists elevated in social standing and paid for their work, but they also ultimately became cultural custodians of matrilineal knowledge – both of the symbols they designed and the rituals governing the tattooing process.

During colonisation and amid strong missionary influence, tattooing traditions were stifled for generations under the weight of cultural suppression. Now, the revival of face tattoos by Melanesian women represents a powerful cultural and feminist movement. In the face of historical erasure, modern prejudices and cultural appropriation, women receiving these empowering markings are reclaiming their place as custodians of the past and community leaders for the future.

The Suppression of an Ancient Art

The regional practice of tattooing dates as far back as the seafaring Lapita people who settled in Melanesia in 1100 B.C. Even in Pacific mythology, the art of tattooing is said to have originated in Fiji, where markings were reserved for and applied by women. This tradition, once fundamental to feminine identity across Melanesia, was extensively curtailed by the arrival of Christian missionaries in the early 19th century.

Moale James, an Australian-Motu woman and proud recipient of reva reva markings on her face and body, explained to SBS News that her great-grandmothers were born during a period PNG missionaries referred to as “the time of darkness”. During this time, women from the age of five would be marked with tattoos from head to toe to record their personal and familial histories. However, the imposition of colonial and missionary values systematically dismantled these rituals. Colonisers believed that they ushered in PNG’s “time of light” by introducing Christian values and ways of living. Reva reva was deemed incompatible with this new epoch – a tangible representation of a “savage” and “ungodly” culture. The inherently visible nature of facial tattoos makes the artform impossible to practice in secret, so women had no choice but to stop practicing the custom that their matriarchs had preserved for thousands of years.

Much like in PNG, women’s facial tattooing was systematically suppressed throughout the Pacific. On Motalava Island in the northernmost province of Vanuatu, facial markings that women wore to communicate their father’s and husband’s ranks declined when the importance of traditional social hierarchies were diluted by Christian and foreign influences. In Fiji, veiqia and its sacred rituals were all but lost as colonial administrations imposed Western gender roles onto local communities. The markings which had once symbolised a woman’s strength and autonomy became stigmatised in a process of cultural suppression that transcended physical appearance and targeted women’s ancient cultural authority.

A Global Reclamation of Tradition and its Challenges

After decades of dormancy and the gradual loss of irreplaceable customary knowledge, a new generation of Melanesian women are reawakening the practice of traditional skin marking. Their actions are not just a preservation of cultural sovereignty but symbolise a poignant feminist reclamation of authority over bodies and narratives. Tattoo artist Julia Mage’au Gray is at the forefront of this movement, credited with helping to revive these traditions in both PNG and Fiji. Her art has inspired a generation of women to explore their own connections to the unique designs of their villages and cultures. This progress is aided by grassroots movements like Fiji’s Veiqia Project. Through workshops and exhibitions exploring Fijian tattoos, cultural knowledge, and female leadership, the project challenging the weaponisation of colonial stigma while rebuilding a historical narrative that allows women to contextualise their own purpose and position in the world.

This reclamation of Melanesian tradition and feminine agency forms part of a global movement driven by a new generation of proud indigenous leaders. Increased visibility of traditional face tattoos in mainstream media, proudly displayed by newsreaders, models, actors and social media influencers, has led to broader exposure, understanding, and social acceptance of markings like the Māori moko kauae, Innuit kakiniit and Alaskan Yidįįłtoo.

Despite its strides towards progress, this movement is not without its challenges. Tattooed women often face prejudice, particularly beyond the Pacific. Moale James’s 2022 experience in Brisbane, where she was barred from a nightclub for her facial tattoos, underscores the discrimination that cultural expression and sacred symbols are still met with. However, her public response – calling out the business – not only led to a policy change across several clubs, but it also demonstrated how resistance can fuel genuine change. This outcome also underscores the critical role that non-Pacifica individuals and institutions can play in addressing discrimination and supporting women in reclaiming their cultural heritage.

A Quiet Revolution

Ultimately, the revival of traditional face tattoos among Melanesian women is more than a cultural renaissance; it is a reclamation of sovereignty over bodies and stories. The once-suppressed act of tattooing is now a quiet revolution which refuses to let historical erasure or contemporary discrimination win. By taking ownership of these traditions, the feminine art of tattooing evolves from a relic to a living, dynamic practice, with Melanesian women integral to its trajectory. These tattoos are not just patterns etched into skin — they are the past, present and future, guided by the hands of women who refuse to be forgotten.

Holly Otto is the South Pacific Fellow for Young Australians in International Affairs (YAIA). She is a recent Bachelor of Laws (Honours) and Arts graduate from the University of Queensland, with majors in International Relations and History. Having completed her final semester at the National University of Singapore as a 2024 Westpac Asian Exchange Scholar, she looks forward to commencing work as a Judge’s Associate in 2025. As YAIA's South Pacific Fellow, Holly is eager to continue engaging with this dynamic region, highlighting the importance of Pacific literacy in Australia, and exploring her interests in justice and human rights in plural legal systems.