The traditional male chest tattoo on Tikopika was called fatafata. The design consisted mainly of triangles and rectangles neatly arranged in horizontal and vertical columns, which combined to form splendid geometric patterns. Other motifs featured on men and women alike, such as stylised ferns, zigzag patterns and representations of wooden headrests. Elegant fish or bird designs were tattooed at corners of the mouth and eyes, creating the illusion of animals swimming or flying towards the middle of the face. Other common designs were stylised representations of everyday objects such as spears, or of animals like frigate birds and the sea hogs (porpoises) that swam in the bays lining the coast.