Tatau: Sāmoan Tattoo, New Zealand Art, Global Culture
The story of Sāmoan tattoo art and the work of Su‘a Sulu‘ape Paulo II.
Sean Mallon
Dr Sean Mallon, of Sāmoan (Mulivai, Safata) and Irish descent, is Senior Curator Pacific Cultures at Te Papa Tongarewa.
Sean’s publications include articles and books on the history of Pacific peoples in New Zealand, Sāmoan tattooing, Pacific arts and museology.. They include Tangata o le Moana: The story of New Zealand and the people of the Pacific (Te Papa Press, 2012) and Art in Oceania: A new history (2012), which was awarded the Authors’ Club’s Art Book Prize. In 2019, Tatau: a history of Sāmoan tattooing co-authored with Sebastien Galliot won an Ockham Award for Illustrated Non-Fiction (2019), awards for Best Art Writing by a NZ Māori or Pasifika and Best Anthology in the Art Association of Australia and New Zealand awards, and the design category of Ka Palapala Po‘okela Awards (Hawaii).
Sean served as a Council member of the Journal of the Polynesian Society (2008-2020), and is currently on the editorial boards of ATE Journal of Māori Art, the Museum History Journal and the Journal of Polynesian Archaeology and Research.
Sean Mallon. Photo by Yoan Jolly. Te Papa
Books
Tatau: A History of Sāmoan Tattooing
A beautifully designed and richly illustrated retelling of the unique and powerful history of Sāmoan tattooing, from 3,000 years ago to modern practices.
Tangata o le Moana: New Zealand and the People of the Pacific
Discover a millennium of exploration, encounter, and cultural exchange in this beautifully illustrated history of Pacific peoples in New Zealand.
Pacific Art Niu Sila: The Pacific Dimension of Contemporary New Zealand Arts
Pacific Art Niu Sila is essential reading for all those interested in the contemporary arts of both New Zealand and the Pacific.
Speaking in Colour: Conversations with artists of Pacific Island heritage
Speaking in Colour is a breakthrough art book, in which ten artists of Pacific Island descent talk candidly about their lives and work.
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Tatau: Author biographies and 10 questions
The Ten-Question Q&A with the authors of ‘Tatau: Samoan Tattoo, New Zealand Art, Global Culture’.
Tatau: author biographies and interview
Sean Mallon and Sébastien Galliot, co-authors of Tatau: A History of Sāmoan Tattooing, discuss their work with Te Papa Press