He entered the underworld and after many trials and challenges reached his wife’s father. Fraught with grief and regret at the loss of his wife, Mataoroa decided to follow her. Mataoroa mistreated his new wife, though, and she returned to her father in the underworld. The couple got married and Niwareka departed the underworld to be with Mataoroa on earth. The high significance of tattoos in the Maori culture is probably best proven though the fact that there is a whole legend dedicated to how ta moko came about.Īccording to Maori mythology, there was once a young man, Mataoroa, who fell in love with a princess of the underworld, Niwareka. The practice of traditional ta moko hasn’t died out entirely, though, as there are some reports of some groups still engaging in tattooing using the chisel method. Nowadays, some Maori people continue the tradition of wearing facial tattoos, although these are more often done using modern tattoo guns. Rather than being smooth like after a modern tattoo, therefore, the skin would be textured, as well as dyed, in accordance with the pattern. Naturally, this process was incredibly painful and was therefore often done in stages, allowing the skin to heal in between ‘sessions’.ĭue to the use of chisels rather than needles, the Maori tattoo method results in grooves in the surface of the skin, where the cuts have healed. Lighter colors were achieved through the use of burnt kauri gum and from caterpillars and other insects. Black pigments were derived from burnt wood. Pigments were mixed with animal fat to achieve a smooth, liquid consistency. The punctures and cuts to the skin were then dyed with a variety of inks crafted from natural materials. Tattooists used both smooth and serrated chisels and blades, depending on the pattern and the effect they were aiming to achieve. The chisels would be struck with a mallet to puncture the skin, and knives would be used to create longer cuts. Rather than using needles, the Maori used chisels and knives, usually made out of shark teeth, sharpened albatross bones, stones, and according to some sources, iron. Traditional Maori tattoos were performed using a different – and much more painful – technique than that we adopt today. Women usually have tattoos on their chin and lips. Either the pattern itself is tattooed, or the design blacks out the background to create a negative-space pattern.Īpart from tattooing the face, men also often wear tattoos on their thighs, arms, and buttocks. These traditional facial tattoos involve the use of curved shapes and spiraling patterns. Since the head is believed to be the most sacred part of the body by the Maori, ta moko was most often done on the face. The traditional Maori tattoo practice is known as ta moko. The process of a person receiving a tattoo involved a series of rituals – particularly prior to the arrival and interference of Europeans. Tattooing is an integral part of the Maori culture. Still, the Maori and their culture have survived the many changes, and today there around 730,000 Maori people in New Zealand, and over 150,000 elsewhere in the world, primarily in Australia. This resulted in a dramatic fall in the Maori population. Initially the two cultures co-existed peacefully, and the Maori adopted many elements of Western society.Īs is usually the way, though, conflict happened eventually, mostly over land ownership disputes – leading to land confiscations, social upheaval, and a number of epidemics. The Maori’s life in New Zealand changed with the arrival of Europeans in the 17 th century. This means that the mythology, language, practices, and art is distinctly different from those of other Polynesian peoples. The Maori originated from eastern Polynesia and arrived in New Zealand in the first half of the 14 th century, sometime between 13.īecause the Maori have spent their first few centuries in New Zealand in isolation from other Polynesian tribes, their culture has developed independently. The area is often referred to as the Polynesian Triangle – marked on a map by connecting Hawaii, Easter Island, and New Zealand. Polynesia, meanwhile, is the collection of over a thousand islands spread over the central and southern Pacific Ocean. The Maori people are the indigenous Polynesian people of New Zealand. In this article, we’re going to take a closer look at Maori tattoos – everything from the significance of body markings for the Maori people to the designs inspired by Maori tattoo art. The complex patterns and meanings behind Maori tattoos have been a source of inspiration for tattoo artists the world over. Like most of the indigenous people of Oceania, the Maori consider tattoos to be an important part of their cultural identity and practice.
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