From simple designs to matching ink, there are plenty of tattoos that you can choose from to represent the familial bond that the word Ohana refers to.
I absolutely love doing Ohana tattoos for my clients as I am really close to my family. In fact, my siblings and I have matching tattoos. So, it is always lovely to hear my clients' stories about their real or found families as they are getting inked.
In this post, I will show you the different ohana tattoo ideas available to you so that you can choose which one suits you best!
Here are the top ohana tattoo concepts that you can choose from:
Do you want to keep your ohana tattoo as minimalistic as possible? If so, you should go with a simple word tattoo design idea for your ohana tattoo.
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In this case, you simply have the word inked on you. This kind of ohana tattoo is ideal if you want a very small tattoo as well.
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Now, for such an ohana tattoo the main thing to consider here is the font.
If you want a more elegant ohana tattoo, then you can get the word tattoo done in cursive script.
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In case you would prefer a more whimsical ohana tattoo, then you should look for a script that is similar to comic sans.
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Of course, ohana means different things to different people. If you lean on family for solidarity and strength, then you may want a solid and no-nonsense ohana tattoo. Here, this script should work well for you:
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What could be better than combining an ohana tattoo with a heart tattoo? After all, you are getting an ohana tattoo as a representation of how much you love your family or the people closest to you.
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If you want a simple or small ohana tattoo, then go with an ohana tattoo with a small heart right above the word tattoo. Or, you can choose to make the heart a bit bigger on your ohana tattoo.
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I love this tattoo as the heart consists of two fingerprints merged together. This can be a great idea if you want to get your parents' input for your tattoo.
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This is also another adorable idea - you have a different colored heart for each family member. What I love about this tattoo idea is that it is small but still incredibly meaningful.
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If you are like a lot of people, you probably associate the hibiscus flower with Hawaii because the flower grows on the many islands.
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In reality, the hibiscus flower has a much more significant meaning within the Hawaiian community. So, by including a flower in your ohana tattoo, you are making your ohana tattoo more meaningful.
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The flower is meant to be a welcoming symbol. It can be a way to welcome people into your home or into your life. Due to this, an ohana tattoo with a hibiscus can be a great option for a new family that you have created for yourself.
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This flower can also be associated with positive change. So, if your family is a positive symbol in your life or if they support your transformation, then the flower goes well with your ohana tattoo.
The flower also works well if you would like more traditional ohana tattoos.
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While hibiscus flowers may be beautiful, they may not convey the right meaning for your ohana tattoo.
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Keep in mind that each flower has its own meaning. So, if you want to add a special kind of significance to your tattoo, then you should use that corresponding flower in your design.
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A particular kind of flower can also work for anyone who is dedicating their ohana family to a particular person. You can use their birth month flower or their favorite blossom in your tattoo as a tribute to them!
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You may want to include an arrow with your ohana tattoo. Not only does the arrow make for a lovely design, but it can also be quite meaningful.
It can symbolize the role that your friends or family play in your life. The arrow could signify that they are the ones that guide you, ensuring that your path remains straight and true.
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The arrow could signify that they are constantly by your side, helping you navigate life.
If you didn't grow up in Hawaii, odds are that you heard the word Ohana from the movie Lilo and Stitch.
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The story is about a young Hawaiian girl who befriends an alien creature and the adventures that they have along the way. The movie is heavily rooted in the concept of family and one of the most popular lines goes like this:
Ohana means family and family means nobody gets left behind or forgotten.
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One of the interesting things is that movie proves that family is more than just about your immediate family members. Rather, it is about those who are adopted into your family too.
It is also a good reminder that family sticks together!
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What I love about these ohana tattoo designs is that there are so many options for you to choose from!
If you want, you can keep your ohana tattoo idea simple. Here, you can simply have an outline of Stich alongside your ohana tattoo.
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If you would like something a bit bolder, then you can get a colorful Stitch tattoo alongside your ohana tattoo.
Once again, you have a few options to choose from with these ohana tattoo designs. You can stick to the original colors or even create a watercolor design for your ohana tattoo.
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As your ohana tattoo is related to your friends or family, you may want to add other personal details to your ohana tattoo.
For instance, if you want to commemorate the birthdays of your siblings or children, then you can get the year that they were born in. If you want to add even more detail to your ohana tattoo, then you can add the full date.
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If your ohana tattoo is meant to be a memorial to a loved one that has passed away, then you can include the year on your ohana tattoo. If you want, you can also add the birth year to your ohana tattoo too.
Getting names inked alongside your ohana tattoo is a great option for parents. It can be a beautiful reminder of your children. This kind of ohana tattoo can also make your kids feel really special.
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While this kind of ohana tattoo is most common for parents, there aren't any hard or fast rules here. For instance, this works just as well for siblings, friends, and other loved ones too!
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If you would like to add a bit more detail to this kind of Ohana family, you may want to think about adding dates as well.
If you love the saying from the Lilo and Stitch movie, then this is a tattoo design that you should consider for yourself.
For this kind of ohana tattoo, you can get the text right next to your Stitch tattoo. Of course, if you want, you can simply have the phrase inked on you instead.
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Of course, with the ohana tattoo designs involving ohana means family, you may need to discuss the layout with your tattoo artist.
This is because these ohana tattoo designs will take up a bit more space and you will need to consider the orientation a bit more carefully.
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If English isn't your first language, you don't have to feel left out. Here are some Ohana tattoos done in a different language. As you can see, they are just as beautiful!
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Considering that ohana is the Hawaiian word for family, you may want to think about getting a family-oriented tattoo.
So, what would this kind of tattoo look like?
Well, here, you can include images of your own family besides your ohana tattoo. Of course, this can sound like a pretty complex tattoo idea so you can get the silhouette of your family instead.
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And, if you want an even cuter version of this tattoo, you can choose adorable animals to take the place of family members. Everything from bunnies to birds would work here!
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Since the word ohana means family, then it only makes sense for you to get matching tattoos with your friends or family.
Ohana is the perfect word tattoo idea for matching tattoos. And, as I mentioned, ohana tattoo designs aren't just meant for family - they are great for friends too.
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As with the single Ohana tattoos, there are plenty of tattoo design concepts to choose from here.
You can keep it simple and just only get the word. Or, another tattoo idea would be to add a bit of embellishment like a heart or flower.
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Keep in mind that matching tattoos doesn't necessarily mean that your tattoo design has to be identical for each person.
You can also get complimentary tattoos. This way, you can tell that one tattoo idea is connected to the other.
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Such a tattoo works if you have close friends or family members that are quite different to one another. This way, each person can get an Ohana tattoo that suits their style or personality. This can make the tattoo even more meaningful and special.
If you did grow up in Hawaii or love the idea of the island, then your ohana tattoo can feature an island vibe in it.
For a more complex tattoo, you can get a full island landscape.
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If you don't want something quite so intricate, then you can include various elements that you typically associate with Hawaii. This could include a palm tree or a wave.
On the surface, it can seem like the definition of ohana is pretty straightforward. And, sure, if I were to translate the word, it would translate to family.
However, according to Hawaiian culture, ohana means so much more. And, so, your ohana tattoo can have a far deeper meaning than you may have realized.
For one thing, in Hawaii, family bonds tend to be a lot stronger. This is because it is pretty common for several generations of family as well as extended family to grow up in the same house or close to each other.
This means that you spend much of your life around these individuals. And, so aunts and uncles can be as close to you as parents, and cousins are often seen as siblings.
Also, until fairly recently, most people didn't venture too far from home. Even when people left to go to college or pursue other job opportunities, it was likely that you came back to the place where you grew up.
And, so ohana, in this context includes extended family as well.
Now, in Hawaiian culture, ohana isn't just meant for people of the same bloodline or those related to you by marriage. It can also be used to identify those in your inner circle, the people that you have chosen to call family.
As a result, your ohana tattoo doesn't just have to relate to a real family. It could consist of friends who have been by your side every step of the way.
Ohana is also used to describe your tribe or community. Once again, it is about the people that you have chosen to surround yourself with and who you are quite close with.
In this sense, an ohana tattoo is so much more than just a representation of family. An ohana tattoo represents love, loyalty, and commitment to one another.
If you were looking for ohana tattoo designs, you are probably blown away by just how many design choices are available to you. On the upside, this means that you can easily find a tattoo that is just right for you!