Choosing Maori Tattoo Designs
Dont Make These Mistakes When Choosing A Maori Tattoo Design
The love of the ta moko tattoo.
The word “tattoo” was believed to have come from the Tahitian word “tatau”. Captain James Cook used the word “tattow” when he witnessed tattooing for the first time in Tahiti, in the early 1769.
What you need to know about 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.
Ta is what the process was called, and Moko was the product itself.
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.
certain Maori can still trace their families using these tattoos some chiefs can look at a Maori tattoo design, read it like a book, they do this by feeling the texture, looking at the design and the precision that went into getting the tattoo and will be able to trace back some of these Maori family trees. The are designs that date back over a 2,000 year period in maori history, these chiefs have the skill and ability by looking at the design would be able to tell how far this tattoo dates back to or this particular design origins There is a story in each maori tattoo that you see, each one tells a little bit about this maoris tribe and is unique like a finger print to each tribe
If you looking for expert advice and the historical implications of tattoos, then you should check out what jennifer has to say! If you would like to find out more about jennifer jackson and the tattoos she writes about Click Here To See Tattoo Pitstop
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