Turtle as a tattoo symbol may seem outlandish and peculiar and one may even wonder as to why this symbol is used as a tattoo design. However, there are several meanings and symbolism associated to it. Firstly, turtles represent slow but steady movement towards the goal in life. As the turtle has the ability of retreat in the shell when necessary, it also teaches human beings to escape from the world when necessary. Secondly, the turtle symbolizes different meanings in different cultures, it is very popular and can be safely incorporated as a tattoo design.
In the ancient culture it was said that a turtle is symbolic to carrying the earth on its back.
In western cultures, turtles are seen as symbols of patience and wisdom.
These animals are slow, yet very steady, and are seen as a symbol of perseverance as well.
They are also said to be symbols of fertility, as they lay a very large number of eggs.The shell of the turtle is hard and is a symbol of protection and strength.Since the turtle is able to escape the world in the comfort of its shell, a number of people identify themselves with this amphibian. Long life is another symbolization associated with turtles.
The two most common turtle to Hawaii are the green turtle known in Hawaiian as the Honu, and the Hawksbill turtle known as the Ea. Today both speices of the turtle are endangered and now protected In years past these poor creatures were killed for their meat and nearly brought to extinction. However, things are much better for these ancient animals today since they are a protected species.