Tattoo is a loanword from the Samoan word "tatau", meaning "to strike". The "Oxford English Dictionary" gives the etymology of tattoo as "In 18th c. tattaow, tattow. From Polynesian (Samoan, Tahitian, Tongan, etc.) tatau. In Marquesan, tatu." Before the importation of the Polynesian word, the practice of tattooing had been described in the West as painting, scarring or staining. The etymology of the body modification term is not to be confused with the origins of the word for the military drumbeat or performance — see "military tattoo". In this case, the English word "tattoo" is derived from the Dutch word "taptoe".
Maulu'ulu adjacent row. Proficient dancers are judged by the expressions of the face (smiling) and head, along with the grace and animation of hand and finger movements and smooth transitioning footwork. The seated and kneeling formations of the Samoan maulu'ulu are the most visible component of the Tongan Ma'ulu'ulu analog genre of Tonga. The Tongan ma'ulu'ulu in its current stylistic performance is more akin to the Samoan Sasa. The Manu Samoa rugby team used to perform a lively version of the ma'ulu'ulu as a pre-game warm-up ritual until 1991 when the siva tau was choreographed (based on the Maori haka made