Jason Momoa Black Triangles Tattoo Backstory Shark - Refinery29

Skip navigation!ADVERTISEMENTStory from Pop CultureADVERTISEMENTWhy Jason Momoa's Tattoo Makes Him The Perfect AquamanShannon CarlinMarch 27, 2017, 5:30 PM

Mi amor Be home soon baby. Aloha sb

A post shared by Jason Momoa (@prideofgypsies) on Nov 3, 2016 at 2:01pm PDT

Turns out, the reason Jason Momoa is perfectly cast as Aquaman has been written on his forearm the whole time.Momoa's most prominent tattoo — the rows of black triangles that grace his forearm — has an interesting backstory. In a Fresh TV interview, the Hawaiian actor said his bold ink is actually a nod to ʻaumakua, or his family god. In Hawaiian mythology, it's believed that the ʻaumakua is an ancestor who has died and come back in a different form to protect his or her family. Momoa's guardian just so happens to be a shark."It's supposed to take the darkness out and bring in the light," Momoa said of the tattoo, which represents shark's teeth, "but we're still working on that."AdvertisementADVERTISEMENTThe symbolic tattoo is also supposed to protect Momoa when he enters the water. Specifically, sharks should be able to realize that he is one of their own and leave him alone. Kind of makes you wonder if he's actually the real Aquaman and this isn't much of an act at all.Fans got a chance to see Momoa in all his aquatic superhero glory in the latest trailer for the Justice League, out November 17. The movie finds his character teaming up with Batman, Wonder Woman, The Flash, and Cyborg. The trailer's MVP manages to make talking to fish seem pretty cool.Of course, nothing will be quite as insane as his next film The Bad Batch, a cannibal love story hitting Netflix on June 23. Unfortunately, Momoa doesn't have any tattoos that explain why he's perfect for that role. Though, this GIF may sum it up.

Bolder United #JusticeLeague #Aquaman #UniteTheLeague. Aloha j ??

A post shared by Jason Momoa (@prideofgypsies) on Mar 23, 2017 at 12:15pm PDT

AdvertisementADVERTISEMENT EntertainmentFrom Boho Braids To Blonde, Serena Page’s Hair Is As Versatile As...When we met Serena Page on Love Island Season 6, she was rocking the best boho braids I’d ever seen on TV. For six weeks in the villa, she showed us the by Kathleen Newman-B...EntertainmentMaybe Sydney Sweeney Is Exactly Who She Appears To BeThe script of the past seven days of discourse has followed the same structure as it always does. The classic problematic campaign meets backlash, followedby Kathleen Newman-B...EntertainmentJaNa Craig’s Split Proves A Pattern & It’s Black Women Who Pay Th...Love Island Season 6 couple JaNa Craig and Kenny Rodriguez have broken up nearly a year after leaving the villa. As soon as the split was announced,fans imby Taryn FinleyAdvertisementADVERTISEMENTUnbotheredWhy Love Island USA Watch Parties Feel Like A ’90s...An audience of 130 people cheered infectiously at the big screen as they enjoyed cocktails, bar food and conversation with strangers at 275Park in Brooklynby Taryn FinleyUnbotheredDream Con Was A Black Girl Cosplay Fantasy & Megan Thee Stallion ...Megan Thee Stallion was on a mission as she scanned a room full of fans at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston: to find the best cosplaying hoby Taryn Finley¡Súbelo!Cardi B’s Claims Against Offset Reveal How Women Are Harassed Eve...Trigger warning: This article references domestic violence. Grammy Award-winning rapper Cardi B is no stranger to sharing her unfiltered thoughts onlby Zameena MejiaUnbotheredThe Entire Celebrity Interview Ecosystem Is Flawed — It’s Not Jus...Everybody has bad interviews. It’s part of the gig. If you talk to celebrities for a living, eventually one of those chats is going to go sideways. We’by Kathleen Newman-B...Unbothered“What We Deem As Important Is Enough.” Keke Palmer’s NAACP Image ...In December, I wrote that the best performances of the year were Black. The NAACP Image Awards is the only awards show that got the memo. Every year, the Nby Kathleen Newman-B...UnbotheredThe NAACP Image Awards Are The Brightest (& Blackest) Part Of Awa...The NAACP Image Awards show is an essential night of Black excellence, initially debuting in 1967 to “honor outstanding film, television, music, and liteby Alexandra PolkUnbotheredNetflix Brought A Different World Back — But It Never Le...What made A Different World such a cultural and influential staple within our community? Since its recent Netflix debut, I’ve binge-watched the serieby Dontaira TerrellUnbotheredDoechii, Janelle Monae, T-Pain & More. Inside Super Bowl LIX’s We...Doechii believes in the power of manifestation. And if you’re an Eagles fan, after last night’s Super Bowl, you probably do too. The Philadelphia Eagleby Kathleen Newman-B...¡Súbelo!Trevor Noah’s Grammys Jokes Were Aimed at Trump. But They H...In the midst of a wave of state violence against Latine immigrants in the United States, the host of the 67th Annual Grammy Awards Trevor Noah has made theby Nicole FroioAdvertisementADVERTISEMENTADVERTISEMENTADVERTISEMENT