Tiki Tattoos for Men

Tattoos have been an en-vogue fashion statement for some time now but it can be a dangerous idea to get a tattoo based solely on current fashion trends. A tattoo should represent something personal rather than being chosen simply for the aesthetics.

Artwork inspired by other cultures should also be fully understood to comprehend exactly what it depicts, therefore, we look to uncover the meanings and symbolism behind some of the most popular Tiki tattoos for men currently being inked around the world.

The Origin of Tiki Tattoos

Based on Maori beliefs, Tiki is the name given to both the first man and the human-shaped carvings made from either wood or stone across Polynesia.

As such, Tiki is synonymous with artwork from the whole area covering the central and Southern parts of the Pacific Ocean. This stretches from Hawaii to New Zealand and Papua New Guinea to the Cook Islands where the Polynesian people commonly live.

While both Polynesian men and women have always traditionally adorned their bodies with tattoos, a key difference between them comes in the use of large areas of black design specific to Tiki tattoos for men.

It is these bold images which have become popular in today’s Westernized Tiki tattoos and the reason why they project a sense of masculinity. There are many more layers of meaning and context behind this style of tattoo which are further explained below.

The Meaning Behind Tiki Tattoos

The stylized human figure plays a major part in Tiki artwork, with the designs used to portray Polynesian deities and semi-Gods. While Tiki is also the name given to the first Maori man, it was the tribal men who traditionally covered their faces in unique patterns which were seen as a right of passage into manhood and are symbolic with what we now associate with Tiki patterns and design.

While these patterns were primarily drawn on the face due to the heightened importance placed on this area of the body, images of Tiki are also commonly drawn on arms, backs and legs with different facial features of the Tiki used to provide different meanings, including:

• Eyes looking up symbolizes a sign of protection

• Eyes looking down is used to convey good luck

• The nose can be used to smell approaching dangerous

• Open mouths are a sign of peace

• Smiling mouths offer happiness

• Extending the tongue is used to symbolize a warrior

Reptiles

It is widely believed in Maori religion that the Gods and minor deities would reveal themselves to man in the form of a gecko or small lizard. They, therefore, are seen as one of the more powerful images, conveying good fortune as well as a vessel through which to communicate with the Gods and connecting to the invisible world, a role heavily associated with the tribesmen following in the footsteps of Mataora, a legendary figure in the Maori relationship with tattoos.

Turtles, meanwhile, are one of the most important symbols within Tiki art and carry a range of different associations. Signifying family as well as fertility, the green sea turtle is commonly used to portray long life and old age as well as representing an Aumakua, a guardian spirit who in this case, acts as a navigator in a time of need to return the men to shore from the Oceans.

Circles

A closed circle in Hawaiian culture implies both eternity and a smooth life to provide an overall symbol of sacred knowledge. Many of the circular designs within Tiki artwork are also used to represent the sun which generally symbolize leadership, wealth, or the eminence of a person.

When added to other designs, these meanings can take on additional meanings and the shape, the style of the sun’s rays, and even the size of the sun in relation to the overall image can portray different meanings. A rising sun typically shows rebirth or a new beginning while a setting sun in a connection with the afterlife, although, not death itself.

Ocean

Polynesians have a strong relationship with the Ocean with the men of the tribe spending their time out at sea to either hunt for food or explore neighboring islands. This close link appears throughout many Tiki tattoos for men, the designs of which are inspired by the sea and the creatures which lie beneath the waves. The Ocean itself is viewed as the final resting place after death but also is regarded as the whole lifecycle and can symbolize fertility or a source of food as well as death and the afterlife.

Sharks teeth are used to display power and aggressiveness for the hunters while shells offer protection from nature and dangerous animals, while the fish hook indicates all things good, from strength to luck. The stingray though is one of the most important and underused symbols which not only serve to offer protection, they can mean, peace, grace, speed adaptation all at the same time.

The Best Tiki Tattoos for Men

This is the original tiki man image with all its glory in shapes all around it. It is the real deal that you will find in original tiki masks. Its simple black shade gives it an authentic look and draws all attention to its details.

This tiki tattoo illustrates three images of the tiki man. It is drawn to create a joker comical effect especially with the detail around the mouth. Color and flowers are incorporated in it which draws even more attention to it.

This is a tiki tattoo design that is drawn to cover the entire arm. The actual image of the god is at the elbow area but surrounded by patterns and shapes that clearly authenticates the meaning and story behind the tattoo.

These are two different yet similar in origin tattoos that are drawn on both legs. It is an ideal choice when you want to illustrate two sides of the tiki man tattoo in an artistic manner. The rich colors used draw attention to every detail on it.

This is one of the best tiki tattoos idea that covers only a small portion of the arm. All the features of the angry tiki man are well illustrated by the rich colors.

If you are looking for simple yet attention drawing tiki tattoos for guys then consider this. It is in black and white and covers the leg. It is especially best on a well built arm.

Tiki man tattoos can be fun and this particular one is drawn to create this effect. It is rich in color and color all around it which makes it stand out. It effortlessly draws attention in a fun way.

This is one of the most defined tiki tattoos for men that only features the true tribal designs and shaped of this god. It is drawn to cover the leg from knee to ankle with organized border lines. The black ink makes it authentic.

This is one of the most illustrative tiki tattoo ideas on an arm. It simply focuses on the ideology behind the tiki man. The black ink is used with the tiki man head at the center of traditional patterns. It runs from the wrist to above the elbow.

This tattoo conveys the entire face of the tiki man's face that's drawn on the quarter upper section of the back. This tattoo is very illustrative especially with the blank ink shade that well defines it.

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The tiki man's face on this tattoo is well illustrated and defined with its eyes wide open. The face is made the center of attention and sits at the top. The bottom part of the tattoo is full of traditional patterns which adds a decorative effect.

If you are looking for unique way to convey the tiki man mythology then consider this one. It is drawn with a wooden effect and has a twisted face. The comical effect is stretched further by the flowery details all around it.

This tiki tatto is in an oval shape and rests on the lower portion of the back of the leg. It is in black ink which earns it its originality. It has a unique appeal to it that runs all around unlike other authentic tiki man images.

This is one of the most complex tiki man tattoo ideas for men. It incorporates many complex details in it. The tiki man's face is on one side of the tattoo but shares its glory with many other details. It is a definite attention grabber.

If you are looking for tiki tattoos to cover up an old tattoo or scar then this is an ideal choice. It could also work for people who are looking for a complex way to illustrate the tiki mythology. In the midst of all the detail, the face is conveyed within a circle.

The tiki man's idea is more than a face. A nose, mouth or an ear could simply be used to illustrate the same concept. In this tattoo, all of these are incorporated for a unique touch. The blank ink makes it more defined.

This is a diverse tattoo idea which incorporates the ray fish and a theater mask all within the same image. It is a unique way of making the tattoo interesting or even incorporating all your passions in one image.

This is a really defined tiki man tattoo with boldly illustrative images and colors. The tiki man in this image has all his facial features exaggerated which almost brings the tattoo to life.

This is one of the most passionate tiki tattoos idea for any guy. It covers the entire arm with clear border lines around the wrist. The tiki man's face is well conveyed at the back of the elbow and surrounded by traditional patterns all around.

This tattoo is what you are likely to find on a wooden plank and the poles of an entrance of a cave especially in games. The details are very illustrative and features the entire body of the tiki man.

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This is an oval tiki man tattoo that is drawn on the calf region. It illustrates the whole body of the tiki man which is well bordered in a circular shape. The rest of the tattoo incorporates the traditional patterns hence decorative.

This tattoo is drawn on the upper arm and extends over to the breast area. The black ink is very definitive and the rich and unique patterns in the tattoo makes it quite a master piece.

This is poker face version of the mythical tiki man. The gorging eyes are quite piercing and the shape of the mouth depicts anger hence a more modern version of the tiki man. The richness of color makes it stand out.

This tattoo covers the half part of the torso, from the neck down to the waist line. There is a lot color and detail in it which almost tells a story. The tiki man is at the fore front and everything else falls behind it.

This is one of the most thorough tattoos ideas with lots of color in it. The tattoo features the tiki mans face with bold shapes and colors to create a dramatic effect to it.

This tiki tattoo for men is especially eye-catching, since it features a lot of bright colors along with an animated type of design. This tiki tattoo is designed with a golden-brown tiki head, red-yellow eyes, and a large, toothy grin. In the foreground of the tattoo there are green leaves to add texture and color, and on top there is a red flame design against a blue background.

For a less colorful and more textural example of tiki tattoos for guys, this one is designed to use only black ink to create an appealing texture. In the center of the tattoo is a tiki face, and spiraling out around the centered tiki face is a varying pattern that gives the design visual complexity.

Coming up with the perfect tiki tattoo ideas for men is a painstaking process of artistry, and this tattoo encompasses all of the traditional tiki themes. For one, it features a tropical background of palm trees and island mountains, with a centrally placed tiki head that appears to be made from wood. This tiki figure has red eyes, and its tongue is sticking out as well. Along with the green leaves in the tattoo design, there is a lot of red-yellow background coloration as well.

This is one men's tiki tattoo design in particular that fans of richly colorful tattoos will love. The tiki design in this tattoo is a bit more abstract, and it works in a tremendous amount of color and intricate lines. The tiki head is a bit more cartoonish on this tattoo, and the design features a mosaic of orange, blue, green, purple, and yellow colors to create a brilliant and vibrant design overall.

For a guy's tiki tattoo design that is a little on the softer side, this design features depictions of pink flowers in addition to the central tiki head. This tiki head uses a brownish color for the actual tiki mask, and it has a small skull featured prominently at the forehead of the tiki. Out of the top of the tiki head is a sort of red-yellow flame, that almost looks like hair in a way, but is more accurately characterized as a flame design.

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While some tiki tattoo creations for men use a large amount of color and animated design features, this one is more minimalistic and clean looking in a way. Using only black ink, this tattoo design creates a tiki head that uses small triangular ornamentation and other patterning inside the tiki head to give it texture. The tiki head is also sectioned by vertical and horizontal lines running through it, further adding visual appeal and giving it a more abstract look.

For guys who want a tiki themed tattoo with some color in it, but don't want it to look like a rainbow, this one is perfect. It uses darker color tones like dark greens, darker yellow-golds, and red color for the eyes and chin detailing on the tiki head. The tiki head itself is bordered in dark green leaves, giving the tattoo some added color, texture, and clearly defined bordering.

This tiki tattoo concept is one that takes up a bit more space on the body, and is located on the shoulder, upper-arm, and chest area. Spanning this entire area of the upper body, this tattoo uses only black ink and is another one that has an emphasis on visual texture and patterning. Featuring a circular tiki head on the chest, that tiki head is surrounded by expanding black-ink patterns that expand the design.

For a men's tiki tattoo concept that uses the sleeve tattoo format, this tattoo spans the entire length of one's arm. Using intricate patterning and black ink only, this is another example of a tattoo that primarily focuses on visual texturing instead of a single tiki head animation. The contrasting bands of different patterns that make up this tattoo give it an understated, yet eye-catching and complex appearance.

For tattoo lovers who want a perfect tiki tattoo concept designed for men, this one is great because it uses symmetry and balance to create an overall design that is very attractive. The symmetry comes into play in the sense that on each lower leg, a tiki totem pole is tattooed vertically running down the lower leg. Each tiki totem pole features three similar tiki faces, lending a rough symmetry to the design.

This tiki tattoo concept for males is one that spans the upper chest, and wraps around the upper-arm and shoulder areas. It is a large tattoo, and one that uses a lot of black ink, with no coloration. On the chest is a kind of circular sun & moon design, with expanding patterns emanating out from the central circular design. This is another tiki tattoo that focuses on visual texture and patterning above all else.

Spanning the shoulder and upper-arm area, this men's tiki tattoo design is more on the abstract side and features only black ink. On the shoulder there are four smaller circular designs, ringed by a circle of small triangles. The design continues down the upper-arm, including more textural patterns that give it a signature tiki-inspired, almost tribal appearance.

While there are many tiki tattoos ideas for men that use only black ink and textural patterning, this one is different from the rest because it also uses a lot of open space. This means that instead of filling everything in with solid black ink, this tiki tattoo leaves a lot of open space within the patterns and this helps to accentuate the intricate nature of the textural patterns. This design spans part of the upper chest, and wraps around the shoulder as well.

For guys who want a tiki tattoo that covers a large portion of their upper body, this design could be perfect. It spans across most of the upper chest, wraps around the shoulders, and acts as a dual full-sleeve tattoo design spanning the entirety of both arms. Very ink and time intensive, this is a tattoo design for the serious tiki tattoo enthusiast. With an array of incredibly complex and intricate textures and patterns, this tattoo will definitely be eye-catching.

This is a tiki tattoo concept intended for men that spans the entirety of the front torso, covering the abdominal region all the way through the chest area and up around the neck and shoulders. Not for the faint of heart, this tattoo is a serious project and it will look absolutely awesome once it is entirely finished. A smaller, circular tiki head is featured on the abdomen, and all around it is different texture and patterning in all black ink to give the tattoo an appealing background.

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Spanning one side of the upper body, this men's tiki tattoo covers half of the chest, along with the shoulder and upper-arm. It uses all black ink, and a centralized circular tiki head featured prominently on the chest. Emanating from the circular tiki head are patterns of varying design, which help to provide texture and background for the central tiki head depiction.

This tiki tattoo concept for guys is a favorite for anyone who wants a lot of popping colors in their tattoo. It is quite a unique design, especially because it features a lot of light-blue tones which is somewhat rare given that most colored tiki tattoos use mostly red tones for the tiki eyes and detailing. This one uses light-blue for the eyes of the tiki head, and there is also light-blue used in the detailing around the tiki head. It also has red and pink flowers in the foreground, and green palm tree leaves in the upper background area.

Any guy who is interested in getting a tiki tattoo on their forearm is going to love this design, since it is featured prominently on the underside of the forearm. It uses a circular tiki head design in the center of the tattoo, and around the main tiki head there are rings of patterning to accent the overall design. This is a relatively smaller design, fitting neatly on the inner forearm and using only black ink with no color spots.

Some guys prefer to get their tiki tattoo done on their legs instead of the upper body, and this design is perfect for those individuals. The design goes on the calf and lower leg area of the body, extending down onto the foot as well. It uses all black ink and intricate patterning to create a tiki-themed texture that spans down toward the foot and connects to a kind of lizard looking design on the top of the foot.

This tiki tattoo design for men is one of the larger concepts overall, and it spans the entirety of the upper back area. This tattoo uses a large, centrally placed tiki head that is in the shape of a vertical oval. With large eyes and a grin made from abstract texturing, the tiki head is bisected vertically down the middle by a triangle-line design. Expanding out from the tiki head is more abstract patterning, and the entire design is composed of black ink with no coloration.

Using the upper-arm and shoulder area, this tiki tattoo concept is ideal for guys who want a fairly large tiki tattoo with only black ink used. This design features a tiki face with large and rounded eyes, and an austere facial expression suggesting peace and serenity. Around the central tiki face is complex patterning that extends down the upper-arm area, adding texture and volume to the design.

This tiki themed tattoo design is a fantastic one to consider for any guy who wants their tiki tattoo to be located on their shoulder and upper-arm. This tattoo is one that uses all black ink, and uses expanding rows of varying patterns to create the tiki/tribal look. There is also a small graphic representation of a tiki-man figure, helping to make clear the tiki theme of this men's tattoo concept.

For a somewhat minimalist, and yet still intricately designed men's tiki tattoo concept, this one could be the perfect option. Using one centrally located and vertically designed tiki depiction centered on the upper back area, there is a tiki face integrated in the middle of it with patterning extending out along this vertical design. On either side of the central tiki design, there are two curling and vertically spanning lines that also use detailed texture and patterning to add symmetry and volume to the design. The entire design is done in black ink and no coloration is used.

Using think, bold black ink and no coloration, this tiki tattoo concept for guys is designed to go on the shoulder and upper-arm area. Featuring a rounded tiki face on the shoulder, and another tiki face lower on the upper arm, this tattoo puts more focus on the actual tiki heads instead of only texture and patterning. There is also pattern texture used as well, separating the tiki heads on the shoulder and lower down on the upper-arm region.

This tiki tattoo concept for guys is going to be a great one to consider for those individuals who want more clearly defined design features and a more minimalistic theme. It uses a circular tiki head at the top of the design, with triangles ringing the design almost as though it is a depiction of the sun around the tiki head. The design extends down and tapers off, bringing more texture into the all-black ink design with no coloration used.