Immortalize your legacy on skin. Let’s create your own, one-of-a-kind Hawaii tattoo piece at the legendary Skin Design Tattoos, Hawaii, today; text (702)-297-6079 or reach out here.
Growing up the way I did, it was hard to find my roots. My childhood was a turbulent one; I didn’t know stability. When I was still young, my immediate family and I were forced to flee Cambodia and become refugees, leaving behind our family and culture. We lost so much to the war.
I was lost for a long time. From France to the gangs of Southern California, I didn’t know myself—let alone connect with my culture.
Tattooing saved me. Gave me a second chance, gave me my family. Gave me Skin Design Tattoos. Gave me everything.
I owe so much to this artform, to the tattoo community. We have shops all across the country—from Vegas to New York—but the one closest to my heart is closest to the place I now call home: Honolulu, Hawaii.
There’s a lot of history that goes behind that. Hawaii tattoos have become a symbol of identity and community for many of my clients, and I’m so grateful to be a part of it.
The Origin of Hawaii Tattoos
“Uhi,” traditional Hawaiian tattoos, almost became a lost art. They’re done with tools most artists today wouldn’t recognize. They call upon ancient techniques: intricate designs are tapped into the skin with a sharpened albatross bone tool, “mōlī,” and ink made from candlenut, or “kukui,” soot.
Today, not all Hawaii tattoos utilize such a traditional method. Most don’t. But I can’t help but resonate with so much of the practice.
Just like how traditional, Hawaiian tattoos nearly became an extinct artform, there’s so much I don’t know about my own history, my own culture, after the Cambodian genocide. Hawaiian people have lost so much, too, from colonization, disease, and the loss of lands.
Culture is so fragile. Telling stories, through words or through the art we wear on our skin, is so important.
And uhi takes on a more spiritual, meditative approach to tattoos—something I relate to as an artist of my own.
Tattooing, for me, is a way to connect with clients. When I tattoo people, there’s this feeling. This energy, this vibe. It’s not just creating the artwork; it’s kind of like giving a piece of my power to them. So often, we connect on this deeper level. It’s this profound, shared experience.
I see tattooing as a way to center myself. I’m able to focus my creative energy, tune out distractions, and find a sense of purpose.
And like Hawaii tattoos, it helps me connect deeper with my spirituality, too. It reminds me that God gave me this gift to share with the world, to create a better life for the people around me.
Hawaii Tattoos: A Blend of Culture and Innovation
In my own shops, I often use a mix of traditional, or “outdated” tattoo methods with more modernized approaches, too. It’s what sets SDT apart.
When I hosted a competition for a free tattoo and flew the winner to my own Hawaii tattoo SDT studio, I ended up using bigger mags and bringing out the coil machine—another method of tattooing that’s almost been erased over time.
It’s so important that we hold onto pieces of our culture, blending them with new, innovative techniques. It helps us preserve our heritage and protect it for generations to come.
The Evolution of Hawaii Tattoos
More modernized Hawaii tattoos have a distinctive aesthetic. Hawaiian tattoo designs today incorporate a lot of elements from Polynesian culture.
With Hawaii tattoos, you’ll see a lot of geometric patterns and symbolism, natural elements (the sun, moon, stars, and the ocean), mythological beings, symbolic animals (like turtles (honu), sharks (mano), and birds), floral motifs, and tribal designs (bold, black lines forming abstract patterns that often represent family lineage and cultural identity).
Another thing you’ll consistently see in Hawaii tattoos is a steady use of black ink—similar to my own style of tattooing: Black and gray realism.
You can view more black and gray realism pieces from my portfolio here.
Let’s collaborate on your next Hawaii tattoo piece. You can schedule a consultation by texting (702)-297-6079 or reaching out here.
Creating Hawaii Tattoos, Connecting With Hawaiian Culture
There’s so much history when it comes to Hawaii tattoos, too. So many Hawaiian folklore stories to draw from, tales of gods, goddesses, mythical creatures.
When I did a tattoo collabo on one of my close friends and client, Allan, in Kauai, we really wanted to pay homage to Hawaii. One of the trickiest parts of his back-piece was his design—there are so many rich, cultural stories to choose from; it was hard to narrow it down.
I knew I wanted to incorporate Maui in his Hawaiian tattoo, the island he was born and raised on. I thought to myself, ‘What better way is there to do that than through Maui, the demigod?’
Creating a cohesive design, when it comes to Hawaii tattoos, is never easy. Maui, especially, has such an incredible backstory—how could I decide on just one event?
Hawaii Tattoos: My Experience Honoring Maui
Maui is a legend for good reason.
He lassoed the sun, slowing its journey across the sky to lengthen the days, providing people with more time to gather food and develop their communities.
With a simple fish hook, he fished the Hawaiian Islands from the seafloor, forming the lands Allan and I are both blessed enough to call home.
He captured fire, bringing light and warmth to all of humanity. He controlled winds to help Hawaiians develop agriculture—he even tricked death.
But what really stood out to me was the image of Maui as a warrior, locked in combat with a supernatural eel. The scene freezes the moment of victory, as Maui strikes the creature with his spear.
It was such an honor to create such a bold piece of art on a client I respect so deeply.
To this day, that tattoo experience feels surreal to me.
It was such a defining moment for the Skin Design family—getting to tattoo alongside one SDT’s emerging young artists in Kauai, an island known as the ‘sacred garden island,’ and create such a powerful connection with our client.
I would love to have another Hawaii tattoos experience like that, to share it with my Skin Design team and with the clients I serve.
With so many projects on the horizon—my upcoming book, mentoring my apprentices, the tattoo academy—I just hope I can keep creating art, continue to build upon the SDT empire, and keep giving back to the industry that’s given me so much. There’s so much left for me to do, and I know my time is not limitless.
At 53, I can’t help but feel this sense of urgency.
When 2025 rolls around, I don’t know how much time I’ll have to leave the island, to travel to the mainland to tattoo. I’m hopeful for the chance to tattoo as many clients as I can before the New Year.
I’m making time for my clients now, while I still can. Even if that means working 14+ hours in the studio from now until January. Making the most out of every second, every day.
Whether you’re looking for Hawaiian tattoos, black and gray realism, or an anesthesia tattoo collaboration, let’s make it happen: https://skindesigntattoos.com/tattoo-consultation/
Here’s to Hawaii, here’s to tattoos, and here’s to the art we’ll create! Let’s gooooo!
