Seaturtle tribal movie#

Sammy, the cute turtle from the movie 'A Turtle's Tale', is often used as a tattoo design. These turtles are generally depicted cheerfully, viewed as a symbol that a positive attitude and determined effort spell success in life. The more ' cartoonish' turtle designs are also popular. Tribal turtles are sometimes combined with flowers like Hibiscus and Plumeria. The curved, intact nature of the turtle shape makes it a good artistic choice for shoulder designs. Their slow movement has some negative connotations, such as the decreased mobility of old age, but primarily the slow, dogged movement of turtles denotes steadfastness, as in Aesop's fable of the tortoise winning the race against the hare.Ī tribal turtle tattoo remains a popular choice.The sea turtle's ability to return home connects them with guidance, good luck and faithfulness.Their ability to travel thousands of miles is associated with endurance and perseverance.Their protective shell is associated with strength, security and stability.Capable of laying a hundred eggs at one time, they are viewed as symbols of fertility and creation.Long lived, they are seen as symbols of immortality.The characteristics of the turtle are deeply intertwined with its symbolism: Hawaiian turtle tattoos remain a popular design today. It is said the great turtle Kailua would turn into a human female and appear to protect children playing on the beach from danger. Ancient Hawaiians believed that their 'Aumakua' (guardian spirits) could take the shape of a variety of animals, including the turtle. An ancient petroglyph that depicts a turtle with a vertical line drawn down its shell supports this mythology.Īlthough there are alternate myths, a reverence for the turtle's prowess in navigation is part of the Hawaiian culture. One Hawaiian myth says that it was ' Honu' (Hawaiian for turtle) who guided the first inhabitants of Hawaii to their new home.

The missionary noted that the turtle symbol was 'reserved for the chief alone,' indicating that the turtle was deeply associated with the chief's genealogy. A 19th century missionary to Polynesia recorded that Pa te Pou Ariki, Chief of the Takitumu tribe in Rarotonga (one of the Cook Islands) had turtle tattoos on both knees. Warriors wore the most tattoos, viewing them as armor that would protect them in battle. In the tribal culture of Polynesia, the war god Tu was represented by the turtle. A tribal turtle tattoo might have had a more significant meaning to one tribe than another, gaining particular importance through an association to family genealogy. As a tribal culture, meanings associated with tattoos varied from tribe to tribe. Shark, lizard and turtle tattoo designs were primary symbols, used throughout Polynesian society.

All of these aspects are indicated by specialized tattoos, placed on specific locations. Where a person stood in the hierarchical society of Polynesia was determined by their current role in the tribe, as well as by their genealogy and maturity. As a culture with no writing, the Polynesians not only used tattoos as talismans of protection and spirituality, but as a way to exhibit their status. The art of tattooing has been prevalent on almost every shore of the Pacific, but achieved particular significance in Polynesia, the area defined by Hawaii in the north, New Zealand to the west, and Easter Island to the east. Mohawk mythology ascribes earthquakes to the great World Turtle, stretching in reaction to bearing the weight of the world.

In numerous North American creation myths, the turtle carries the world on its back.

In India, the earth rests on the backs of elephants, supported by the shell of a turtle.

The turtle is often associated with myths of creation, in which it is seen as a support for the world:

As a golden god that appears at times of trouble to aid the Vietnamese.

As a protective spirit for Japanese seafarers.

As a trickster god in African folklore.

The turtle has played a role in a wide variety of mythologies: Covering one third of the planet, the Pacific Ocean is the realm of the sea turtle, and upon every land mass that the turtle has visited, legends and myths have arisen about the singular creature. Turtle tattoos have most likely been around just as long.Īlthough tattoo art has been embraced by numerous cultures throughout history, nowhere has the sea turtle been associated with tattoos more than in the Pacific Islands. Protected by a hard shell, equipped to navigate both land and water, capable of crossing oceans and exceptionally long-lived, it is no wonder that the turtle has been revered for thousands of years by cultures all over the world as a symbol of strength, stability and stamina.

Seaturtle tribal