Tevita Sione Vaka'uta aka Master Toa is Master Traditional Tattoo Artist & Cultural Navigator at Polynesian Cultural Arts Institute (Founder) & Pacific Voyaging Alliance.
I am Master Toa (b. 1975, Tonga), master tattoo artist & cultural navigator. I founded Polynesian Arts Institute to revive Pacific tatau & voyaging with proven expertise.
Education
PhD in Cultural Anthropology, University of California Berkeley (2008)
MA in Pacific Islander Studies, University of Hawaii at Manoa (2004)
BA in Art History, Auckland University, New Zealand (2001)
Knows About: Traditional Polynesian tattooing (pe'a, malu, tatau), hand-tapping techniques, cultural symbolism in body art, traditional navigation methods, canoe construction, Pacific voyaging traditions, ceremonial practices, oral storytelling, cultural protocols
Awards
Pacific Islander Cultural Heritage Master Artist Award (2022)
Traditional Arts Fellowship, National Endowment for the Arts (2019)
Tonga Cultural Ambassador Recognition (2017)
Master Navigator Certification, Pacific Voyaging Society (2015)
Contact:
Address: 1425 Ala Moana Boulevard, Honolulu, Hawaii, 96814
Mobile: +1 (949) 632-7810
Email: [email protected]
My social Network: