1 Maori Tattoo Art Theme 6

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Maori Tattoo Art

Stepping Stones

Theme 6

Down Under

page 87

What do you know
about Maori?

You are going to practise your reading skills

You know more about the Maori people

Watch 30 seconds of the following video, in which Maori people act out a Haka.

Watch this video to find out how people think about their own Maori culture.

Write down one word/phrase to express how people feel about their Maori culture

Reading

MAORI TATTOO ART

The Maori are the indigenous people of New Zealand. They originated from Polynesia and have been living in the country since time immemorial. Today, approximately 600,000 people in New Zealand consider themselves Maori. They are the second-largest ethnic group in the country, making up roughly 15% of the total population. There are also over 120,000 Maori

living in Australia. The Maori have a unique culture with

their own language (known as Te Reo Maori), mytholo-

gy and art, including a form of body art that is considered highly sacred. It is known as moko, but more commonly referred to as Maori tattooing. For Maori, tattooing was (and for some, still is) a rite of passage. The tattooing would usually begin during adolescence. Often the tattoo was a symbol of social status and prestige and covered the whole face. 

The Maori have been living in New Zealand for a few centuries.

1. True
2. False

The Maori usually got their first tattoo during infancy. True or False? If false, right down the correct information.

Maori culture is commonly referred to as 'moko'.

1. True
2. False

MAORI TATTOO ART

A person who did not have a high-ranking social status, such as a slave, could not have a face tattoo. Only influential people were allowed to – and could afford to – have tattoos. Priests, who have high status amongst the Maori, were an exception. They, too, were not allowed to get tattooed, because the spilling of their blood was prohibited. Those who had the means to get a tattoo, but did not, were seen as people of lower social status. Also, it was considered highly insulting to be unable to recognise a person’s power and position by his tattoo.

Only important people were allowed to have a tattoo.

1. True
2. False

In Maori culture, people of lower-rank status could only have tattoos in their face. True or false? If false, why?

It was considered offensive not to have a tattoo as a priest. True or false? If false, why?

MAORI TATTOO ART

The Maori facial tattoo was not only seen as a sign of rank, but was also used as a kind of identification card, or passport. For men, their face tattoo showed their accomplishments, ancestry and marital status. Females were not as extensively tattooed as the men. Their upper lips were outlined, usually in dark blue, and the nostrils were often also very finely decorated. Tattooed women were seen as very beautiful and desirable. 

Maori women were only allowed to have their upper lips tattooed

1. True
2. False

MAORI TATTOO ART

Moko traditionally did not involve the use of needles; rather, the Maori used knives and chisels made from shark teeth, sharpened bone or sharp stones. Having a Maori tattoo applied was a very painful experience. First, deep cuts were incised into the skin and then the chisel was dipped into the pigment and tapped into the cuts. Another variation of this process involved dipping the chisel into the jar of pigment and inserting it into the skin by striking the end with a hammer. This manner of tattooing leaves the skin with grooves after healing, instead of the usual smooth surface left after needlepoint tattoos. During the tattooing process, flute music and chants were performed to help soothe the pain.

The Maori were the first to use needles when tattooing.

1. True
2. False

'Moko' involved a tattooing proces that was less painful than you would think. True or false? If false, why?

While tattooing, the Maori sang songs to keep away bad spirits. True or false? If false, why?

MAORI TATTOO ART

By the mid 19th century, full facial moko were applied less often. Since the 1990s, however, Maori tattooing has experienced a resurgence. Nowadays, the tattooing is often done with the use of modern machines. Since tribal tattoo patterns grew in popularity in the late 1990s, more and more non-Maori have been copying designs and incorporating them in their own tattoo art. More traditional Maori art has been making a comeback and people have been inserting their own meanings and themes into the more traditional art work.

Maori-style tattoos have made a comeback in the 20th century.

1. True
2. False

It is impossible to combine Maori tattoo art with modern techniques. True or false? If false, why?

Want to know more about the Maori? 

Press the link on the next slide!

Homework

STUDY: Vocab A + B + C (page 95-96)

DO: Online exercises 2-4 (A+B)

and 8-10 (D)

Read part 2 of Henry Sugar

Read and listen to The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar

!