MEET KITI

Mālō e Lelei and Hello,

My name is Kiti Vailea and I am from the Kingdom of Tonga, a small Polynesian nation with a population of roughly 100,000 people. I am the youngest of 10 children. Growing up I never imagined to live in the U.S., but in 2014 I met my wife, Kelly, and I moved here to California with her in 2015. We have been blessed with 3 beautiful children since then. 

I started tattooing in Tonga after buying my first tattoo machine while on a trip to New Zealand in 2012. Polynesian art has always been a part of my life; through dancing, tapa painting, and carving. For me, however, there was no better way of sharing my culture than by doing Polynesian tattoos.

I have been building on my technique for over 12 years. My favorite part about tattooing has been meeting different people and creating a tattoo design based on their individual story. Polynesian tattoos are special to me because it is a part of who I am and because I love the meaning behind each and every unique design. 

In June of 2024, Kelly and I started our own private studio - Friendly Island Tattoo- in San Diego, California. We are excited to embark on this journey together. My goal as an artist is to help, inspire, and connect with others by sharing my art - one tattoo at a time. 

Malo ‘Aupito!

Kiti