Tattoo of the Son of the Earth——Maori Totem
The Maori people are the sons of the earth and the aborigines of New Zealand. More than a thousand years ago, they came here from the mysterious hometown of Hawaki, Polynesia. Today, Maori make up 14% of New Zealand's total population, and their history, language and tradition are at the centre of New Zealand's unique personality.
The Maori people are famous in the world for some reasons, because they are world-famous cannibals! Of course, there are no more people eating for more than 200 years, but modern Maori people are still very proud of the valour of their ancestors.
The Maori people were brave and aggressive. Their war dances jumped up and down, while their eyes burst and their tongues extended. They hoped to scare and deter the enemy with horrible grimace. This can also be seen on some wood carvings in Maori.
The early Maori people had difficulty in distinguishing their status because of their shabby clothing and covering with only linen fabric. Tattoos are a smart way for them to identify themselves. The content, quantity and color of the totem pattern also became an important symbol for judging their status.
The totem is a story written on the face, not only symbolizing the sacred identity of the tattooer, but also showing the tribe and family history to which it belongs. The different patterns on the left and right faces also represent different ancestors of the patrilineal and maternal lines.
There are two types of Maori tattoos. Ta Moko's traditional tattoo art is usually stabbed on the face, and its purpose and use are very sacred. The other is Kirituhi, which refers to the artistic decoration on the skin and has no sacred meaning. .
Tattoo patterns and sculptural patterns have a close symbolic meaning. Previously, they had to be performed by tattoo experts from clergy in the clan, but now they are done by tattoo artists. Tattoos are one of the "treasures" for the Maori people. Therefore, the design of each tattoo is an intellectual property right, and each tattoo has special meaning to the victim himself, contains information of his ancestors, tribe, and There is a connection between family and tribe, and their place in these social structures. Therefore, tattoos are not only an art form, but also a historical record.
In the Maori tattoos, there has never been the same facial tattoo pattern. This tattoo is gender-differentiated.
In ancient times, tattoos on Maori men's faces were seen as a sign of adulthood and sense of achievement, but also an obvious flattering decoration.
In general, the face tattoo of the Maori male extends from the forehead to the position of the throat, much like a mask. This tattoo can make the edges and corners of the face more prominent, making up for the lack of the face. Samurai tattooed such a face Tattoos are more masculine; monks or speakers are more resourceful. Because the Maori tattoo is a painful and severe art activity, coupled with the original Maori tattoo skills, this makes the tattoo regarded as a mark of the brave. The more tattoo lines on the face, the more Tattoos became more brave.
Maori women's face tattoos usually start from the middle of the forehead, extend to the nostrils, and then move down to the upper and lower lips, and the tattoo pattern on the chin will also extend to the position of the throat.
Most Maori women choose to have a tattoo on their chin. This tattoo style has been used throughout the colonial period. I have seen such a person. She was born in the 1950s, and still has such a tattoo on her chin.
Maori women have a long tradition of facial tattoos. Although they were disgusted by missionaries, slandered by immigrants, eyes despised by strangers and malicious comments in the process of inheritance, they still used this tattoo customs have been passed on.
Traditionally, Maori women are only allowed to line their lips, around their chins or nostrils, and are said to prevent skin wrinkling and stay young. Generally speaking, Maori women believe that their blue lips are "symbols of feminine beauty", a custom that has been preserved until the 1980s.
A formal Maori tattoo follows a certain procedure.
First, you need to understand the meaning, design, and shape of the tattoo, and then you need to get support from your family and elders when making decisions.
Each tattoo pattern is unique, just like a life resume, it records a person's occupation, status in the tribe, and can also record his family, even his life's achievements and achievements, as if printed on a paragraph Personal history on the skin is a symbol of status and achievement.
Initially, when a Maori with Moko died, his skull was preserved. This is the legendary Mokomokai.
To make Mokomokai, first remove the brain and eyes, and then all the holes in the skull are sealed with linen fiber and glue. In order to prevent head rot, these "dead heads" are also steamed or cooked, and then smoked under the bonfire and exposed to the sun. These heads are then preserved by the family and will only be taken out during major religious rituals. Mokomokai was also important during the tribal wars. The heads of the defeated tribal chiefs will be made into Mokomokai, the trophy of the winner. Tribes also often reach settlements by returning or exchanging Mokomokai.
This custom changed later. During the Musketeer War, Mokomokai became a very important commercial trade item. Many Maori clans traded all the Mokomokai in their clan for guns. Some tribes invaded other tribes in order to obtain more Mokomokai, while others painted faces of slaves and prisoners in the tribe just to produce more Mokomokai. At this time, the quality of Mokomokai was uneven, and of course, the Maori people have already abandoned this Kind of tradition.
The Maori nose-touching ceremony is still preserved to this day. The host and the guest must touch the nose tip to the nose two or three times or more. The number and time of nose touches often indicate the level of the courtesy specification. The more times they meet, the longer the time, which means the higher the courtesy; otherwise, the courtesy low. It's just this sniff that Voldemort probably doesn't like very much.
In New Zealand, there is another group that is very passionate about tattooing, and that is the gangster.
Strictly speaking, non-Maori people are not allowed to wear Maori tattoos, but in this era of highly developed economic civilization, nothing is impossible.
Rihanna has a Maori tattoo on her hand. It is said that she was traveling in New Zealand and was very interested in the local Maori tattoo. She made one for herself. Of course, the tattoo on her right hand has changed.
The tattoo on Muhammad Tyson's face is also a Maori facial tattoo. Of course, Tyson is not a Maori.
There are also many people in China who like Maori tattoos. Those patterns we usually see can only become Kirituhi, not Ta Moko.
During the COVID-19, we provide disposable face masks and KN95 face masks, expedited delivery within 2-3 days.
50 Pcs Disposable Face Masks：https://wormholetattoosupply.com/products/50-pcs-disposable-face-masks/
KN95 Mouth Mask：https://wormholetattoosupply.com/products/kn95-mouth-mask-anti-pollution-military-grade-anti-dust-face-mouth-mask-particulate-respirator/
If you want to see more blogs, please click here: Wormhole Tattoo
