Marks of Distinction

The commitment and Kuleana of the maka uhi, the Hawaiian facial tattoo

Viviane Faver

"When you look at somebody with a facial tattoo, you cannot help but stare," says Kyle Nakanelua. Three black lines run down the left side of his face across his eyelid to his chin. Two of the lines zigzag in a pattern reminiscent of water or electric currents, and when he smiles, they eddy around his mouth. The retired Maui fire captain is accustomed to people avoiding his gaze or openly gawking. "I'm OK with that," he says. "When I talk to people, I want to look into their face, too. I want to see their eyes, their wailua [spirit]. I want to know who I'm talking to." Nakanelua's markings signify a potent evolution —for him personally, but also his indigenous culture. He came of age in the 1970s during what's…

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Scoopvizion (Digital) - 1 Issue, March 2024

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