C.I.: Reason #1

The #1 reason we went to Rarotonga, in case you missed the previous entry:
We were in search of Ti Pepeko, tattoo artist.

Wait! you say; is this the Nancie I know? And did she just use "tattoo" and "artist" in the same sentence?!

Yes, and yes.

Background: like many people, we associated tattoos with macho dudes or young people expressing their individuality the way we pierced ears and wore long hair. Though we knew sailors had a long tradition of tattooing and it's an integral part of some world cultures, the designs we saw in the U.S. usually ranged from uninteresting to unappealing; no educated professional in our age bracket would think of having one.

Then we watched the crew of the Picton Castle arrive home after their 14-month circumnavigation. Regardless of who they were when they left, they returned true "Able Bodied Seamen": strong, healthy--and tattooed.  The designs were distinctive and looked terrific! We instantly realized the difference between buying a tattoo and earning one; these people had done the work, overcome the challenges, immersed in the cultures. Their lives had been etched by their experiences, so there was no reason why their bodies shouldn't be etched as well.

Many people on the Picton Castle had theirs done by a shaman on Rarotonga, which is the Picton's home port--including Katelinn. The stars on her back, of both navigational and personal significance, are as beautiful as any art print. We were hooked.

When we arrived in the Marquesas, tattooing was pervasive; most Marquesans have at least some designs on their arms, legs or necks, and many are tattooed over much of their bodies. The distinctive style was very attractive, and many cruisers got a tattoo there. We, however, were determined to wait until Rarotonga, to be tattooed by the same person who had done Katelinn's. We were carrying on a family tradition!

Now it's done; the ink is a badge of honor, and we are proud to have them.

Ti, a Maori originally from New Zealand, is in demand as a traditional navigator--i.e. using stars, sun and swells, not GPS. We were fortunate he was at home, not sailing a vaka between Rarotonga and New Zealand!. We learned a lot from him while he was working (and in case you're wondering, Yes: it did hurt).

Art didn't have an exact design in mind, but knew he wanted the Southern Cross (again, with both navigational and personal significance) and the two bright stars that lead the eye toward that constellation. He also drew the five lines of the musical staff sweeping into the Southern Cross from the southeast, like the trade winds. Ti always talks to people about their designs, to get a sense of how the design will reflect the person; when Art said the most important things to him are family, music and sailing, Ti felt there wasn't enough to represent music, so he added the treble clef. (Where is family? The two stars that lead to the constellation represent Katelinn and Camden.)

My design derives from basics of music theory, drawing lines between important chord relationships in something called the Circle of Fifths--and the resulting pattern looks like a sun, or a star, or a Kansas sunflower. I knew I wanted that design as soon as I saw it, relating so perfectly to both music and the outdoors. On a deeper level, it symbolizes  Harmony--fundamental, meaningful connections between all things. And I wanted it where I could see it, so it's on my left wrist: close to my violin, facing me when I play, connecting hand and heart.