As an artist and daughter of Samoan ancestry, I often reflect on what it means to live in the space between—between generations, between tradition and personal expression. “Lima e Lua” was born from that reflection. In this painting, two tattooed arms appear together. One bears the tualima, the sacred hand tatau passed down through centuries, symbolizing service, strength, and identity. The other displays cultural motifs placed further up the arm—nontraditional in placement but still deeply rooted in pride and connection.
For some, tatau is about honoring the exact path of our ancestors. For others, it’s about carrying their symbols into new territory, where identity is no less real, even if it looks different. “Lima e Lua” is not about choosing one way over the other. It’s about the conversation between them. It’s about how we hold the past in one hand, while reaching forward with the other.
Samoan women and men have always adapted, redefined, and reclaimed the sacred. Our strength is not only in preserving what was, but in living what is—with purpose.
I offer this piece to those who walk with both hands open: one holding lineage, the other shaping legacy.
– Tanya Masaniai