why do so many Maori people get tattoos? What do they symbolize…?
Wednesday, March 10th, 2010 at
12:33 pm
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Tagged with: many • Maori • People • symbolize... • Tattoos • they


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I do believe it’s a heritage tale, they have been marking their family and tribal journeys since time immemorial.
Ta Moko normally it tells a story of family and where they come from (tribe)
And other popular tatoos maoris have are the names or there tribes, wakas (canoes) and Hapu (sub-Tribe)
Maori tattoos have been practiced for over a thousand years, and have not only withstood time and but also colonization by Europeans.
Ta moko (literally meaning to strike or tap) was used as a form of identification, rank, genealogy, tribal history, eligibility to marry, and marks of beauty or ferocity.
Ta moko weren’t merely tattooed upon their wearers; they were finely chiseled into the skin using instruments made of bone and wood.
Ta moko are most recognizably done on the face, although other parts of the body are also tattooed.
Traditionally women were only allowed to be tattooed on their lips or chin and sometimes their nostrils.
While men however usually had their whole face tattooed according to rank.
Now Ta Moko is also known as Kiri tuhi which you may see people of not only Maori decent but many nationalities wear.
Look at Robbie Williams and Mike Tyson they have their own Kiri tuhi.
Hope this helps
That sounds abit racist lol that like me saying why do white people have so many beauty spots? lol.
ANYWHO, firstly maori arent the only ones who get tattoos, white people get them too but to answer your question, most maori ta moko (tattoo) represent their life, their family and their ancestors. It may look like a bunch of weird scribbles but if someone explained it to you its really fascinating. Some lines represent the ancestors who came here from Hawaikii (where we came from), other lines are the waka (canoe) that we came in, others are our iwi (tribe) which we belong to, others are our maunga (mountain) and some are things like manaias which are supposed to protect us. Another thing with maori tattoos is if its your mums family you are getting done then that is on your left side and if its your dad then your right. My partner is half maori and half white and because his dad is “pakeha” he cant get any maori tattoos on the right side and women cant get tattoos below their waist. Its alot of technical maori stuff to go through but i guess like your peoples old stories they are wonderful to hear about and people just choose to have them on their body cos it means so much. I hope i helped you understand a little better
Lots of love and laughter and empowerment from Pacific Curls (fiddle/ukulele and Maori traditional instruments) on again Sunday at #womad
Landon needs to come off. To many injuries right now.
why do so many Maori people get tattoos? What do they symbolize…?
Stupid question.. its like saying why do Maori do the Haka amd what does it symbolize?
Maybe we should be asking the following questions.
Why do so many chinies eat rice?
Why do so many russians drink vodka?
Why do so many Americans love Elvis?
Comon !
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