Island tour - Tiki's

Tashi Delek
Mike & Carol Kefford
Tue 20 May 2014 12:41

The ancient Polynesian culture is fascinating and there are many archeological sites that are so well preserved you can picture life going on around you.  John sat down on what appeared to be a random stone but it then became clear that it was actually quite a comfortable place to sit.  Just to his right was a small bowl shaped indentation cut into the stones which would have been for ink and to his left a larger, shallower bowl also cut into the stone which would have been filled with water.  This is the tattoo parlour!  Small bowl for the ink, large one filled with water made a mirror.  Perfect.

 

 

Tattooing has been a key part of Polynesian culture for millennia and elaborate, very beautiful tattoos are still worn. 

 

The carved tikis, also still made, are a delight and it was great to see so many still in situ in well preserved, if abandoned, villages from an ancient culture..

 

 

 

 

 

This is a lady lying down…….