Can women have Ta Moko?
Māori tattoo designs: Tā moko for men and women Women usually wore moko on their lips and chins, or sometimes on the throat. Moko was sometimes applied to other parts of the body, including the forehead, neck, back, stomach and calves. Tā moko could also be applied to the bottom.
Can anyone get a Ta Moko tattoo?
Moko were associated with mana and high social status; however, some very high-status individuals were considered too tapu to acquire moko, and it was also not considered suitable for some tohunga to do so. Men generally received moko on their faces, buttocks (raperape) and thighs (puhoro).
What do Ta Moko tattoos represent?
They have a form of body art, known as moko but more commonly referred to as Maori tattooing. The art form was brought to the Maori from Polynesia and is considered highly sacred. Often this tattoo covered the whole face and was a symbol of rank, social status, power and prestige.
Can anyone wear a moko?
In less than one generation that thinking has been largely discarded, as part of a deliberate “decolonising” of those perceived barriers – and as a result the practice of moko kauae is widespread, with a general consensus that the only eligibility criterion is whakapapa – if you are a Māori woman, you have the right to …
What does a tattoo on a woman’s chin mean?
The first lines tattooed on the chin marked a girl who had come of age and was now an adult. That was celebrated. Tattoos symbolized moments in a woman’s life, reflecting things like marriage and children. More tattoos meant a woman was older and had accomplished more, which was also celebrated.
Do Māori women tattoo their lips?
Traditionally men received moko on their faces, buttocks and thighs. Māori face tattoos are the ultimate expression of Māori identity. Māori believe the head is the most sacred part of the body, so facial tattoos have special significance. Women usually wore moko on their lips and chins, or sometimes on the throat.
What does a chin tattoo mean?
What do dots under eyes mean tattoo?
Dot tattoos beneath the eye have been commonly used in Western culture to symbolize allegiance to gang life. Tattoo’s showcasing three dots beneath the eye have become synonymous with the saying “mi vida loca” or “my crazy life”.
Do chin tattoos hurt?
The forehead, chin, nose, and around the mouth and cheek bone are, relatively, less painful. The cheek and just under the eye lids, however, tend to be pretty painful. Especially because tattoo artists will typically stretch the skin to get the needle in deeper.
Why is Ta Moko important?
Tā moko – the art of Māori tattoo – is a unique expression of cultural heritage and identity. In Māori culture, it reflects the individual’s whakapapa (ancestry) and personal history. In earlier times it was an important signifier of social rank, knowledge, skill and eligibility to marry.
What does it mean to have a ta moko tattoo?
In the past, Ta Moko tattoos traditionally represented particular Maori tribes but for those of different heritage/ancestry – this is not the case. However, the tattoo can have a range of other legitimate meanings, such as your family (physical lives), prosperity, travel, strength, your career path etc.
What does ta moko mean in Maori culture?
The meaning of tā moko, traditional Māori tattoos Tā moko – the art of Māori tattoo – is a unique expression of cultural heritage and identity. In Māori culture, it reflects the individual’s whakapapa (ancestry) and personal history. In earlier times it was an important signifier of social rank, knowledge, skill and eligibility to marry.
What does it mean to have moko on your face?
In Māori culture, it reflects the individual’s whakapapa (ancestry) and personal history. In earlier times it was an important signifier of social rank, knowledge, skill and eligibility to marry. Traditionally men received moko on their faces, buttocks and thighs. Māori face tattoos are the ultimate expression of Māori identity.
Where does ta moko go on the body?
Moko was sometimes applied to other parts of the body, including the forehead, neck, back, stomach and calves. Tā moko could also be applied to the bottom. Aesthetically, the bottom is a very sensual area to look at, and the spirals accentuate the roundness of the buttocks.