Kalia Tattoo: A Legacy of Art

Location Info

Kalia Tattoo is a private studio for Polynesian tattoo artistry in Auckland, New Zealand, and Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.

Appointments are by booking only, and the exact address will be provided upon receipt of your deposit.

Monday - Friday 09:00AM - 06:00PM

Saturday - Sunday 10:00am - 7:00PM

About us

Welcome to Kalia Tattoo

I'm Carl Cocker, founder and artist at Kalia Tattoo. Raised in Tonga, Fiji, New Zealand Malaysia and the US. I am a Polynesian tattoo artist dedicated to preserving and sharing the rich cultural heritage of the Pacific Islands. Inspired by the ancient Tongan kalia voyagers, my work combines traditional Polynesian tattoo styles—Tongan, Fijian, Samoan, Maori, Niue, Tokelau, Cook Islands and more—into unique, contemporary designs that honor our shared history.

At Kalia Tattoo, our mission is to connect people with Polynesian Melanesian Pacific Island culture through authentic, meaningful art. This website is a place for you to learn more about my journey, explore the diverse tattoo styles I offer, and start planning your own custom tattoo experience. Thank you for visiting Kalia Tattoo.

23 Years of experience

800+ Happy clients

Carl’s story begins in the islands of Tonga, Fiji, New Zealand and the United States in the 1980s and 1990s 2000s where he was raised.

Immersed in the traditional cultures of these nations, as well as those of Samoa, Rotuma, Niue, Tokelau, the Cook Islands, Solomon Islands, and Papua New Guinea, Carl grew up with an appreciation for the diverse customs and histories that define the Pacific.

Attending school with students from across these island nations, he developed a profound respect for their unique cultural expressions. This early exposure to the interconnectedness of Pacific societies laid the foundation for Carl’s artistic vision—a vision that seeks to unite rather than divide.

But Carl's path to becoming a world-renowned tattoo artist was anything but easy. In 2001, after dropping out of an engineering program in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Carl found himself homeless and uncertain of his future. Rather than give up, he turned to tattooing, a passion he had long nurtured.

In a country where tattooing was still stigmatized, particularly by the Muslim majority, Carl built his career tattooing Chinese Malaysian and Singaporean clients.

This marked the beginning of a career that would eventually span continents and touch the lives of thousands.

By 2006, Carl had established himself as a leading figure in the Polynesian tattoo renaissance. Winning first place at the prestigious Tahiti Tattoo Convention, Carl’s revolutionary approach to tattooing—introducing gray wash shading techniques using brown and white ink—set him apart.

He became the first Tongan to register the domain names Tongan Tattoo and Kalia Tattoo on the world wide web, ensuring that Tongan tattoo art reached a global audience.

However, Carl’s vision went beyond technical innovation. Growing up in Tonga and Fiji, Carl witnessed firsthand the divisions between different Polynesian communities.

As he traveled the world and worked in various countries, he saw these divides deepen—particularly among Tongans, Samoans, Maoris, and other Polynesians involved in motorcycle clubs and street gang rivalries in New Zealand, Australia and the United States in the 1990s and 2000s

These divisions, marked by territorial claims and cultural differences, troubled Carl deeply. Rather than accept the status quo, Carl chose to unite people through his art.

He decided to mold a new fusion of Polynesian tattoo art—one that honored the traditional designs of each tribe and clan, but also wove these designs together into a single, harmonious tapestry.

Carl’s tattoos became a canvas of unity.

He worked closely with Samoan tattoo master Sua Pita Suluape, receiving the honor of a Samoan tatau, and collaborated with Marquesan tattoo masters Simeon Huuti and Tihoti.

He also trained with Maori tamoko master Inia Taylor III, pioneering a fusion of Tongan and Maori art by introducing white highlights into Maori tattoos—an unprecedented innovation.

Inia founded the first Polynesian owned tattoo shop in New Zealand along with Samoan tatau master Paulo Suluape in 1998, before he was murdered by his Samoan wife in 1999.

Carl’s goal was clear: to create a new cultural narrative, one that would help Polynesian communities see the beauty in their shared heritage.

His creative art-work revitalized lesser-known Polynesian tattoo traditions from Niue, Rotuma, Uvea, Futuna, Tokelau, and the Cook Islands, reintroducing these styles to a global audience.

Just as the ancient Tongan kalia voyagers connected the islands of the Pacific, Carl’s work sought to connect the hearts, minds, and souls of his people through a shared artistic expression.

He became the first artist to tattoo a Tongan design on an All Black rugby player, the late Sione Lauaki, and has since tattooed numerous other rugby legends, including Kevin Mealamu, Luke McAlister, Jerome Kaino, and ‘Ofa Tuungafasi.

His clients also include NRL great Taniela Tuiaki, Fuifui Moimoi, Australian-Tongan professional rugby league sisters Natasha and Tiana Penitani who plays for Tonga Women Rugby League and Australian Women Jilaroos rugby league national team.

WWE wrestlers Umaga and Rikishi, and New Zealand hip-hop icons Savage, Devolo, and Mareko of Dawn Raid Entertainment.

Even UB40 lead singer Ali Campbell, in 2005, sought Carl’s talent in a private session, avoiding the attention of fans and trusting Carl to capture his vision in the comfort of a garage studio.

Carl’s commitment to unity also extends to his embrace of Indo-Fijian culture. Recognizing the economic and cultural contributions of Indo-Fijians to Pacific Island society, Carl proudly tattooed many Indo-Fijians in New Zealand, despite backlash from those who did not see them as part of the Polynesian community.

For Carl, art has always been about inclusion, about honoring every facet of Pacific Islander identity.

In 2013, he and his family survived a near-fatal fishing accident, swimming for two hours in the cold New Zealand ocean before being rescued.

In 2017, a fire destroyed his home, but the Polynesian community—and even non-Polynesians—rallied around him, donating funds to help him rebuild.

These experiences only deepened his commitment to using his art as a force for healing and unity.

He designed Polynesian art for a New Zealand race car and created a limited-edition cologne inspired by Polynesian patterns.

His fitness brand, Team Dymond, created in honor of his deceased son, has inspired Pacific Islanders to compete in New Zealand bodybuilding competitions for over a decade.

Through Team Dymond, Carl has helped Tongans and Samoans address health issues like diabetes and heart disease, providing guidance on nutrition and fitness for a community that faces significant health challenges.

Carl’s journey has not been without danger. In Australia, he faced threats from a violent motorcycle gang, but through calm diplomacy, he was able to deescalate the situation.

Early in his career, he tattooed Chinese gang members in Malaysia and later saw firsthand the territorial and racial divides among Polynesians in the U.S. and New Zealand.

He sought to bridge these divides by creating a new artistic language—one that celebrated the unique designs of each Polynesian culture while emphasizing the common threads that connect them.

His studio, Kalia Tattoo, is more than just a place for tattoos—it is a cultural hub where art meets history, where tradition meets innovation, and where unity is celebrated.

Through his deep understanding of the cultures he grew up with—Tongan, Fijian, Samoan, Rotuman, and others—Carl has become a beacon of hope and unity, using his art to connect the past with the present and inspire future generations.