# Tribal tattoos in Seattle

> Tribal tattoos use bold, solid black shapes and patterns. The term covers two different things: living traditional tattoo practices such as Samoan tatau, Māori tā moko and Bornean tattooing, and the neo-tribal style that Leo Zulueta popularized in the 1980s and 1990s. Both age extremely well, but traditional designs carry cultural meaning and lineage.

- Also called: tribal tattoo, neo-tribal, Polynesian tattoo, tatau, Borneo tattoo, tribal armband
- Typical Seattle cost (palm-sized): $200–$500 (Simple solid shapes go quickly, about 1–2 hours at palm size. Larger custom work is quoted by the hour.)
- How well it ages (1–5): 5
- Best placements: Upper arm and shoulder, Calf, Back, Chest, Forearm
- Page: https://seattle-tattoo.org/styles/tribal

Many cultures across Polynesia, Southeast Asia and elsewhere have practiced tattooing for centuries. Samoan tatau and Māori tā moko, for example, carry specific meanings, are tied to family and status, and were traditionally applied with hand tools by specialist practitioners. In the 1980s, Leo Zulueta, who had studied Bornean traditional tattooing, developed the neo-tribal style that became hugely influential and, by the 1990s, mainstream.

Neo-tribal designs are solid black, flowing shapes with sharp points, worn as armbands, back pieces and sleeves, without the specific cultural meanings of traditional work. If you're drawn to a culture's traditional designs, seek out a practitioner from that culture, or one trained within it. In the Pacific Northwest, Northwest Coast formline art, with its ovoids and U-forms, belongs to living Indigenous nations, and the same respect applies.

Tribal earns an aging score of 5 out of 5. Solid black shapes with clean edges are about as durable as tattoos get. They stay bold and readable for decades. That durability is also why so many 1990s tribal pieces are now popular cover-up projects: they don't fade on their own, so covering them takes a dark, larger design.

## Defining traits

- Solid black shapes and patterns
- Bold, flowing or angular lines
- High contrast with open skin
- Designed to follow muscles and body lines
- Traditional forms carry cultural meaning

## Studios listing tribal work

- [True Love Tattoo & Art Gallery](https://seattle-tattoo.org/studios/true-love-tattoo-art-gallery) — 421 E Pine St, Seattle, WA 98122 · (206) 227-3572 · https://www.trueloveart.com
- [Sacred Yeti Tattoos](https://seattle-tattoo.org/studios/sacred-yeti-tattoos) — 105 W 6th St, Vancouver, WA 98660 · (503) 461-1944 · https://customtattoosvancouver.com
- [Five Star Tattoo Co](https://seattle-tattoo.org/studios/five-star-tattoo-co) — 715 W Main St Unit 114, Battle Ground, WA 98604 · (360) 687-8081 · https://fivestartattoo.com
- [Rolling Gypsy Tattoo](https://seattle-tattoo.org/studios/rolling-gypsy-tattoo) — 13923 Pacific Ave S, Tacoma, WA 98444 · (253) 212-2098 · https://www.rollingypsytattoo.com
- [Local Roots Ink Studio](https://seattle-tattoo.org/studios/local-roots-ink-studio) — 721 S 219th St, Des Moines, WA 98198 · (206) 212-6126 · https://localrootsink.com
- [Dragon Koi Tattoo](https://seattle-tattoo.org/studios/dragon-koi-tatoo) — 3702 Rucker Ave, Everett, WA 98201 · (425) 626-6641 · https://dragonkoitattoo.com
- [Pacific Tattoo](https://seattle-tattoo.org/studios/pacific-tattoo) — 1014 Bay St, Port Orchard, WA 98366 · (808) 975-6013 · https://thepacifictattoostudio.com
- [Local Boy Tatau](https://seattle-tattoo.org/studios/local-boy-tatau) — 601 Main St Suite 100, Vancouver, WA 98660 · https://www.localboytatau.com

## Artists listing tribal work

- [Brady](https://seattle-tattoo.org/artists/brady-andromeda-studio) — Tattoo artist · Andromeda Studio (Renton, WA) · Blackwork, Black and Grey, Realism, Geometric, Dotwork, Script and Lettering, Tribal · Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/berracudatattoos
- [Heysus](https://seattle-tattoo.org/artists/heysus-local-boy-tatau) — Tattoo artist · Local Boy Tatau (Vancouver, WA) · Fine Line, American Traditional, Script and Lettering, Tribal, Chicano, Ornamental · Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heysus94
- [Janelle Quibuyen](https://seattle-tattoo.org/artists/janelle-quibuyen) — Owner and tattoo artist · Pink Peony Club (Bremerton, WA) · American Traditional, Tribal · Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/janelle.tattoos
- [Migs](https://seattle-tattoo.org/artists/migs-local-roots-ink-studio) — Owner and tattoo artist · Local Roots Ink Studio (Des Moines, WA) · Black and Grey, Tribal, Color · Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tattoosbymigs
- [Tominda](https://seattle-tattoo.org/artists/tominda-supergenius-tattoo) — Tattoo artist · Supergenius Tattoo (Capitol Hill, Seattle) · Black and Grey, Tribal, Color · Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tominda
- [Jacob Dzul](https://seattle-tattoo.org/artists/jacob-dzul) — Tattoo artist · Dzul Ink Lounge (Belltown, Seattle) · Black and Grey, Script and Lettering, Tribal, Color, Cover-Up
- [Jerry Coggle’Derosa](https://seattle-tattoo.org/artists/jerry-cogglederosa) — Owner and tattoo artist · Ohana Ink (Everett, WA) · Black and Grey, Tribal, Color, Cover-Up
- [Ricky](https://seattle-tattoo.org/artists/ricky-local-boy-tatau) — Tattoo artist · Local Boy Tatau (Vancouver, WA) · Fine Line, American Traditional, Blackwork, Tribal, Ornamental
- [Christine](https://seattle-tattoo.org/artists/christine-sorry-mom-ink-tattoos-and-piercings) — Tattoo artist · Sorry Mom Ink Tattoos and Piercings (Lacey, WA) · American Traditional, Neo-Traditional, Tribal, Cover-Up · Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christinesativatattooskora
- [Sam](https://seattle-tattoo.org/artists/sam-steadfast-art-collective) — Tattoo artist · Steadfast Art Collective (Kirkland, WA) · Black and Grey, Realism, Tribal · Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sam_tattoo
- [Alejandro Dzul](https://seattle-tattoo.org/artists/alejandro-dzul) — Tattoo artist · Dzul Ink Lounge (Belltown, Seattle) · Blackwork, Black and Grey, Realism, Micro-Realism, Dotwork, Script and Lettering, Tribal, Color, Cover-Up
- [Enzo](https://seattle-tattoo.org/artists/enzo-ink-davinci-tattoo-shop) — Tattoo artist · Ink DaVinci Tattoo Shop (Downtown, Seattle) · Fine Line, Blackwork, Black and Grey, Geometric, Minimalist, Tribal, Ornamental, Cover-Up
- [Levon](https://seattle-tattoo.org/artists/levon-five-star-tattoo-co) — Tattoo artist · Five Star Tattoo Co (Battle Ground, WA) · American Traditional, Japanese (Irezumi), Black and Grey, Tribal
- [Sienna Jacobsen](https://seattle-tattoo.org/artists/sienna-jacobsen) — Tattoo artist · Tiger Tattoo (Spokane, WA) · Tribal · Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sienna_jacobsen
- [Liam Dickinson](https://seattle-tattoo.org/artists/liam-dickinson) — Tattoo artist · The Hiding Spot (Bellingham, WA) · Fine Line, American Traditional, Japanese (Irezumi), Black and Grey, Tribal, Cover-Up · Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pharaohs.sparrows

## FAQ

**Is it okay to get a Polynesian or Māori-style tattoo?**
Traditional Polynesian designs such as Samoan tatau and Māori tā moko carry family, status and cultural meaning, so copying them without that context is widely seen as disrespectful. If you're drawn to them, work with a practitioner from that culture or one trained within it, and expect a conversation about meaning and eligibility.

**Can an old tribal tattoo be covered up?**
Yes, but it takes planning because tribal is solid black. Most tribal cover-ups use a larger, darker design such as Japanese work, heavy blackwork or dense florals, sometimes after a few laser sessions to lighten the old ink. Reworking the tribal into a bigger blackwork piece is another option.

## Sources

- [Leo Zulueta](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leo_Zulueta)
- [Tā moko](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T%C4%81_moko)
- [Formline art](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Formline_art)