New Zealand's Deputy Prime Minister with roots in Vailele has honoured her Samoan heritage by getting tattooed with Samoa's traditional tatau on Tuesday. 

Deputy Prime Minister Carmel Sepuloni shared the exciting news of her malofie journey on a social media post she did last week. 

“After many years of knowing I would one day take the step to do my malu...I met with the tufuga Liaifaiva Levi, to talk through the process and lock down the date,” Sepuloni said. “The 4th July will be the special day.”

The Deputy PM has links to both Tonga and Samoa through her father Fa’atali’i Kamisi Sepuloni’s side and they are from the village of Vailele. 

In an interview with Coconet TV, Sepuloni shared that the 'malu' or the traditional tatau for Samoan ladies was the "only tattoo" she had ever wanted. 

"It's the only tatau I have ever wanted- I've never had any other tattoos because I've wanted the malu first. I've waited my whole life for this, and for the right time for this," she said. "This is a journey of discovery and identity. I'm so humbled by all the people that came out to support me in this journey, I look at this as part of being the support I need to do my role and the stars have aligned beautifully in this time of Matariki to make this happen". 

Coconet TV reported that Sepuloni received the au and her malu from the renowned Samoan tattooist (Tufuga) Li'aifaiva Imo Lavea and was surrounded by her family, friends, and colleagues from New Zealand's Labor Party.

"The markings are for the feagaiga, the highest role we had in old Samoa, and the role that we see you inhabiting is of the feagaiga in the modern day - it's very fitting you wear these marks in our second Samoa here in Auckland.

"We gift you the laei of Liaifaiva which is based on the design of the Mau movement, the time in history that the whole of Samoa came together."

Sepuloni is not the only Samoan Member of Parliament for the New Zealand Government to carry the traditional tatau in recent years. She joins fellow Pasefika MP and former Minister for Pacific Peoples, Aupito William Sio who has the traditional Samoan tatau reserved only for men - the pe’a.

New Zealand's Labour Pasifika caucus on Wednesday congratulated Deputy Prime Minister Sepuloni for receiving "the marks of her ancestors."

"Our Labour Pāsifika Caucus was honoured to be invited and had the privilege of sharing this sacred moment with her family," the statement from the party's caucus reads. "We wish our Deputy Prime Minister well and are excited to see her on her new journey."