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Tāmoko Māori tattoo. Te Puia, Rotorua. By Matt Crawford. The centuries old tradition of tāmoko (Māori tattoo) is an important custom that is still practised today. Historically, these beautiful tattoos were a bit like a résumé, telling the wearer’s story through visual symbols.
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Maori Tattoo (Ta Moko) - the definite guide to Maori tattoo designs and symbols, including fish hook tattoos, patterns, styles and the meanings behind different tribal tattoos.
Māori brought this method of tattooing with them from Eastern Polynesia. As the art and practice of tāmoko (also known as tā moko) developed in isolation in Aotearoa New Zealand, Māori pioneered the use of smaller, narrower uhi without teeth that cut grooves through the skin.
Tā moko is the permanent marking or "tattoo" as traditionally practised by Māori, the indigenous people of New Zealand. It is one of the five main Polynesian tattoo styles (the other four are Marquesan , Samoan, Tahitian and Hawaiian).
Māori Ta Moko is more than just a tattoo; it’s a sacred art form deeply rooted in the rich culture and traditions of the Māori people of New Zealand. Ta Moko represents one’s genealogy, social status, and personal achievements, telling a unique story etched into the skin.
In New Zealand, Māori developed techniques to cut deeply into the skin, producing grooved scars. The spiral motifs are distinctively Māori. Moko originated in rituals of mourning for the dead. Women would haehae (cut) themselves with shells or obsidian and put soot in the wounds.
6 cze 2019 · Ta moko is the Maori customary form of a tattooing tradition that extends back thousands of years, and it is still an extremely visible component of contemporary New Zealand culture. Ta moko is related to the tatu of Eastern Polynesia and the tatau of Samoa (settled around 200 CE).
