Avoid These Common Maori Tattoo Faults
Choosing Maori Tattoo Designs
The love of the ta moko tattoo.
The Tahitian word “tatau” was where the word “tattoo” was believed to have been derived from. The word “tattow” was what Captain James Cook in the early 1769 uttered when he witnessed for the first time tattooing in Tahiti.
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Mataora and Niwareka
According to the Maori mythology, tattooing commenced with a love affair between a young man by the name of Mataora (which means “Face of Vitality”) and a young princess of the underworld by the name of Niwareka.
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However, Niwareka ran back to “Uetonga”, her father’s realm, when Mataora beat her one day.
Mataora, filled with guilt and heartbreak followed after his princess. After many trials, and after overcoming numerous obstacles, Mataora eventually arrived at the realm of “Uetonga”, but with his face paint messed and dirty after his voyage. Niwareka’s family taunted and mocked Mataora for his bedraggled appearance. In his very humbled state, Mataora begged Niwareka for forgiveness, which she eventually accepted. Niwareka’s father then offered to teach Mataora the art of tattooing, and at the same time Mataora also leant the art of Taniko – the plaiting of cloak borders in many colors.
When Mataora and Niwareka returned together to the human world, they brought with them the arts of Ta moko and Taniko.
It was a process and a product – Ta Moko.
From Eastern Polynesian culture, tattooing was brought to New Zealand as per archaeological evidence.
In some early Eastern Polynesian sites and in archaeological sites in New Zealand, tattooing bone chisels were found. There is no evidence that the Moriori people practice tattooing, but the Maori people did.
Some Maori can still trace their families using these tattoos Amongst the maori of today live a few maori chiefs or maori leaders that would actually be able to tell you which tribe a certain maori tattoo belongs too, when it was done and the history of that tribeSome of these tattoos go back 2000 years, yes that right all through just looking at the design and finishing of the tattoo they will be able to tell certain maoris families origins.You see all Maori tattoos have a story and tell a story.
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