The Marquesans are distinguished by the sophistication of their tattoos. The 'mata', both 'face' and 'eyes', is a very important symbol in the art of the Marquesan tattoo. It is associated with the Gods and ancestors and tells the story of the genealogy and of the origins. The Marquesans have reclaimed this ancestral skill thanks to the writings of Karl von den Steinen ​​who listed all the motifs in 1897.