Ta Moko Facts for Kids

"Ta Moko" is the special name for traditional tattoo art of the Māori people. The Māori are the native people of New Zealand. These tattoos often covered the whole face. They showed a person's importance, social standing, power, and respect within their community.

Ta Moko is like a visual story. It connects the person wearing it to their "whakapapa." Whakapapa means your family tree or your ancestors. It's all about your family history, not about religion. Ta Moko helped people feel connected to where they came from. People thought these tattoos were beautiful. They also looked strong and fierce, which could scare enemies. A Māori facial tattoo was like an "ID card" for a person.

Photoportrait of a Maori man.

What is Ta Moko?
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What is Ta Moko?

These amazing tattoos often looked like animals or cool geometric shapes. One very popular design was the "tortoise."

How Ta Moko Was Made

The way Ta Moko was created left scars on the skin. Traditional tools for making Ta Moko included chisels made from albatross bone. They also used black ink. Creating a Māori tattoo took a very long time. People usually started getting tattoos in their teenage years. They would continue the process into adulthood. It could take many years to finish a full Ta Moko.

The traditional way of getting a Ta Moko was very challenging. The tattoo artist would carefully make cuts in the skin. They used a mallet and a tool made from a turtle shell or albatross bone. This process took a long time and was very difficult for the person receiving the tattoo.

Picture of Tame Iti taken in Wellington.

Tattoos for Men and Women

Boys often started getting tattoos around their teenage years. We do not know exactly when women began their tattooing process.

Men could have tattoos almost anywhere on their bodies. Women, however, usually had tattoos on specific areas. These areas included their foreheads, necks, lips, chins, and backs.

Woman Maori at the turn of the century.

Ta Moko as a Life Story

The number of tattoos a person had depended on several things. It was based on their age and what they had achieved in their life. It also showed their place within the tribe. For the Māori people, these tattoos were like a personal diary. They were a written record of all the important events and places a person had experienced. Each line and curve told a part of their life story.