The Next Generation

The Next Generation: Carrying the Torch of Kākau Uhi

The survival of kākau uhi isn't guaranteed by historical records or museum artifacts. It depends on living practitioners passing the knowledge to a new generation. Suluape Keone Nunes has dedicated a significant part of his life to this transmission, ensuring the torch he worked so hard to relight won't be extinguished.

The Kumu-Haumāna Model: A Firewall for Culture

The relationship between a kumu (teacher) and a haumāna (student) in the world of traditional tattooing is a lifelong commitment of service, observation, and humility. An apprentice may spend years—sometimes over a decade—assisting their master, stretching skin, preparing the space, and simply watching, before they're ever allowed to hold the tools themselves. This incredibly long and demanding process isn't an accident. It's a feature, not a bug.

It protects the art form from the whims of commercialization and the dilution that would inevitably come with easy accessibility. This explains why one can't simply find a traditional practitioner in a directory and book an appointment. The relationship must be earned, and the privilege of learning is granted, not sold.

Practitioner Profile: Keliʻi Mākua

Keliʻi Mākua stands as a powerful example of this commitment. After studying as an apprentice under Suluape Keone Nunes for over two decades, he was given the title of Kahuna Kā Uhi in a historic ʻūniki (graduation) ceremony—the first time such an honor had been formally bestowed in over 200 years. This event marked a monumental step in the re-establishment of the traditional lineage on Hawaiian soil.

Mākua is known for his deep understanding of the rituals and ceremonies that connect the physical application of the tattoo to the spiritual realm. He continues to practice and teach, carrying forward the specific traditions passed to him by Nunes, ensuring the continuity of this sacred work.

Practitioner Profile: Kamaliʻikūpono Hanohano

The story of Kamaliʻikūpono Hanohano illustrates the power of this tradition to inspire the next generation. As a high school student, he was so moved by his art teacher's uhi—which had been done by Nunes—that he sought out the master himself. This initial encounter set him on a path of dedicated apprenticeship.

After a decade of rigorous tutelage under Nunes, Hanohano completed his ʻūniki and is now recognized as a practitioner who sits "at the helm of Pāuhi in Keone's stead," carrying on the work of his teacher's school. Hanohano's work is particularly notable for its focus on what he calls the "ecology" of the practice—from the harvesting of native plants to make the tools to conducting workshops that educate the Native Hawaiian community on the profound impact of kākau uhi on indigenous identity.

Other Voices in the Revival

While Nunes and his direct apprentices are central to the revival of the hand-tapping tradition, other figures have played crucial roles. Anthropologist and tattoo practitioner Tricia Allen, through her extensive academic research and publications like "Tattoo Traditions of Hawaii," has been instrumental in documenting and preserving the historical knowledge of the art form, providing an invaluable scholarly foundation for the cultural practice.

Artists like Aisea Toetuʻu, a master of various Polynesian styles who once assisted Nunes by stretching skin, represent the broader, vibrant community of Polynesian tattoo artists in Hawaiʻi who contribute to the rich cultural dialogue surrounding the art. Together, these practitioners, scholars, and apprentices form a dedicated network ensuring that kākau uhi is not just a relic of the past, but a living, evolving, and thriving tradition.