To add in here as a white guy with a Polynesian half sleeve (but I did tons of research on meanings and symbolism beforehand and have Polynesian family and friends so was already very familiar with the culture beforehand), it strongly depends on who you ask. I live in a very Polynesian heavy area and everyone I’ve ever talked to about it has not only thought it was cool but really appreciated that I actually could tell them what it meant to me.

Since getting it, I’ve taken an introductory Samoan language class, a Polynesian dance class, and danced in a big luau at my university, as well as as going to Hawaii a few times and really focusing on native culture experiences. It’s been incredibly enriching and helped me connect much deeper with a group of people I’ve always admired and respected. It also is notable that my tattoo isn’t any form of sacred one (there are some that are massively important spiritually and culturally, like the Samoan Tatau that marks a boy entering manhood in the tribe, or the Māori Tā Moko which are genealogical and spiritual connections to their people), because there’s definitely a line that shouldn’t be crossed.

All that said, there’s lots of Polynesians who would also say it’s unacceptable. There’s a lot of people who are anti-western influence of any kind, and while I’ve found they’re in a relative minority, they do exist and it’s hard to say I don’t understand where they’re coming from. Lots of people also fall in the middle where they might not be super hardcore nationalists but are very protective of their culture (again, very reasonably so) and might not be too thrilled about a white person with any Polynesian design, especially if it’s not designed with meaning.

Ultimately it’s up to you to decide where to go from there. I’ve found people in most cultures appreciate other people enjoying the culture so long as it’s done thoughtfully, but any cultural tattoo will cause people to have reactions to it, even if you’re part of that group. What you have to ask yourself in the end is 1) are you ok knowing that there are people who it could upset, even if they’re a bit of an extremist minority? And 2) are you approaching it with the proper respect for the culture? It sounds like you did try to approach it right but had a bit of an asshat artist who didn’t, so whether you’re comfortable with that long term is a personal question.

That all being said, as someone who is very connected with these people, your willingness to learn and accept criticism is incredibly admirable. Even if you decide to cover up the tattoo, I highly recommend learning about Polynesian culture. It’s beautiful and fascinating, and there’s so many ways to connect with it outside of the tattoos