Tattoosday Goes to Hawai'i - All in the Family, Part 2 (Keali'i's Sleeves)

Mind you, readers, that the last time I saw my nephew Keali'i, he was not yet into the his teens or, if he was, he had just started. So when I saw him for the first time in nearly twenty years, I was stunned. There, in the blindingly bright Kāneʻohe sunlight, where once I had remembered a boy, stood a man.

My first glimpse of his tattoos was at a time when I wasn't thinking much about ink - a sad occasion that gives everyone a bit of perspective, in the bright shadows between the living and the dead.

It wasn't until later that evening, as small glasses with clear liquor were raised in honor of a departed husband, father, and grandfather, when the talk of tattoos began.

I had known Keali'i had ink, but I never realized how much. He has two full sleeves and he kindly shares them here.

His left arm is distinguished by a black and gray depiction of a skeletal warrior king presiding over a dark domain. Skulls are prevalent in the flowing piece that runs the full length of the arm:

The depiction of the great Hawaiian king, Kamehameha the Great, is a popular element in many tattoos for people honoring the history of Hawai'i.

The traditional warrior helmet on the skeleton signifies that this is an undead Kamehameha, a twist on the cultural and historical icon that makes the dark side of Keali'i so unique.


Keali'i's right arm contrasts the left with an explosion of color:

My nephew's full Hawaiian name is Keali'i 'O ka Moana, which translates to "Chief of the Ocean". And he lives up to this moniker, being an avid fan of surfing, diving, and fishing. Embracing his love of the sea, Keali'i adorned this side of his body with the bright vibrant colors of the ocean reefs, with multi-hued corals, anemones, and other sea life, including a fish and an octopus.

Unfortunately, the bottoms of Keali'i's arms are darker than the tops, a fact that he grudgingly accepts as the cost of being in the sun so much, combined with having naturally darker skin to begin with.

His artist, Billy Whitney from 808 Tattoo Studio, has scolded him, Keali'i told me, but he swears up and down he can't help it.

Regardless of the visibility of some of this work, it's still wonderfully done and was great to see in person after hearing so long about his great tattoos.

I want to say a big mahalo to my nephew, Keali'i, for sharing his sleeves with us here on Tattoosday!

Previously in the "Tattoosday Goes to Hawai'i - All in the Family" series:

Part 1, A Preface.

Tattoosday Goes to Hawai'i - All in the Family, Part 1 (A Preface)

Although my recent trip to Hawai'i at the end of April was a bit of a whirlwind, one of the best things about it was reconnecting with a side of the family with whom I hadn't had contact in a long time.

Living in New York and raising a family is expensive enough, but making regular trips back home to Hawai'i has become a scarce occurrence and, as a result, my two sisters, and all my nieces and nephews, have grown apart over the years. Our interaction was limited to updates communicated through our parents.

But Fate has other plans, and family ties, although they may fray and weaken with age, still remain intact awaiting the opportunity to reconnect and strengthen in the memory of a loved one.

So, on the last Monday in April, I was at my niece's house, surrounded by family, most of whom I hadn't seen in almost two decades. And we were drinking and toasting "Poppa John"  Ferreira who, in passing, had reunited us here on Oahu. It was surreal to be doing shots with "kids" whose own kids were the same age as they had been when I saw them all last.

And of course, dear readers, I wouldn't be telling you any of this if it were not for their tattoos.

For although that was not why I was in Mililani at my niece Ulu's house that Monday evening, the subject came up, and my family, my distant `ohana, yet `ohana nonetheless, were happy to share their tattoos with me and, by extension, the Tattoosday audience, for your enjoyment.

I should mention that I knew my nieces and nephews had ink. I had even seen a picture of Ulu's amazing cover-up (just wait and see), but this was the first time I got a chance to talk with them about their work.

This first post started as a nod to my nephew Keali'i but, since I've rambled on and on, we'll just make this a preface, and direct you below (or here) to see his tattoos.

Thanks in advance to Keali'i, Lehua, Ikaika, Ulu and her husband Travis for sharing their ink with us here on Tattoosday!