Maori Tattoo Designs

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(Free-Press-Release.com) November 5, 2010 -- Maori Tattoo Designs

The Maori are an indigenous people native to New Zealand. They have a distinct culture and are believed to be the first settlers coming there from East Polynesia. These Polynesian people settled the land and later became known as the Maori. Their culture includes a unique emphasis on sport and performance art. Along with these activities, Maori Tattoo Designs of the face and body is another cultural practice. This practice is called moko and actually started with carving permanent designs into the skin. However, needles began to be used in the 19th century to replace actual chisels or burned sticks.

Moko is thought to have been brought from Polynesia with the Maori when they settled. Higher status individuals almost always wore the moko tattoos and lacking such marks meant that a person was probably part of a lower social order grouping. Men and women were given moko designs on different parts of their bodies. For men, the designated area for moko was the face and thighs. Women wore moko on their lips and chins. The moko ritual is associated with stepping stones throughout life for the Maori. Adulthood and other important stages in life are often marked with moko tattooing. Moko tattooists were viewed as sacred individuals in the society of the Maori. These artists were called tapu. The tapu are held in high esteem in traditional culture.

Maori tattoo designs have seen resurgence in today’s culture. They are growing in popularity among people of Maori descent as a celebration of culture and heritage. A strong cultural identity is associated with these tattoo designs. Receiving moko reflects a certain pride for Maori people, yet non-Maori people also practice the art. This idea is somewhat of a controversy, as the practice is considered sacred to the Maori and is a personal familial process. Moko is strongly identified as a Maori tradition and copying tattoo patterns from this culture may be viewed as insulting. However, others view the practice by non-Maoris as flattering to another culture. Whether the moko is practiced in admiration of the beauty of the tattoo designs or by Maori people themselves, there is no doubt that this distinct type of body art is steeped in cultural heritage.

Facial tattoos are most strongly associated with Maori tattoo designs. There are many types of moko designs and these vary by meaning. These include but are not limited to:

* Koru – fern spiral shape
* Haehae lines – linear elements of moko
* Positive and negative components – compliment each other

Koru is one such design that looks like spiraling lines or fern fronds. A double head koru spiral set is associated with the warrior. Koru is the dominant element in Maori tattoo designs. Haehae lines are also a dominant feature of moko. These lines often symbolize battle wounds and tell stories based on different numbers of lines on the face. Positive and negative space is emphasized in moko.

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