The age of eligibility to get a tattoo, was 12 years, as this age is considered a transition from childhood to adulthood. Every achievement was felicitated with a tattoo. The more number of achievements, the more would be the tattoos. In Polynesian culture, having several tattoos on the body was a matter of prestige. These tattoos were not only made on men, but also on the womenfolk of the tribes. However, the parts of the body for tattooing women was limited to the arms, chin, lips, and palms.
Read more at Buzzle: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/polynesian-tattoo-meanings.html