Thursday, December 26, 2024

Tattoo Thursday

A Samoan woman is calling for greater acceptance and awareness around cultural tattoos after she was terminated from her workplace due to her tualima, a traditional hand tattoo. Samoan-American Tracy Sialega-Fili worked with Hawaiian Airlines for nearly four years but was terminated this month after getting the tatau in May to honour her father, who has been seriously ill.

The tualima is an important part of Samoan culture, signalling lineage and family. For the Samoan diaspora, it holds an even more special meaning - a reaffirmation of identity and a tribute to one's ancestral homeland.

"The tualima is basically a tatau that we get," she told Pacific Beat. "It holds a lot of significance, a lot of importance. It could represent anything as far as your journey, your ancestors, where you came from. "Mine in particular speaks on the journey my dad takes with his medical struggles, his health struggles, as well as my journey in taking care of him throughout his entire journey with his health."
The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: At The Pump & Munch up on time and under budget at The Other McCain.













No comments:

Post a Comment