Tā moko is the permanent marking or tattooing as customarily practised by Māori, the indigenous people of New Zealand. It is one of the five main Polynesian tattoo styles (the other four are Marquesan, Samoan, Tahitian and Hawaiian). [1] Tohunga -tā-moko (tattooists) were considered tapu, or inviolable and sacred. [2]

Tā Moko is primarily for those of Māori blood and descent, while Kirituhi is for those of non Maori heritage. Ta Moko and Kirituhi tell a story; the story of the person wearing the tattoo.

Maori Tattoo (Ta Moko) - the definite guide to Maori tattoo designs and symbols, including fish hook tattoos, patterns, styles and the meanings behind different tribal tattoos.

2024年8月23日 · Maori Kirituhi tattoos hold a deep cultural significance that stems from the rich history of the Maori people. These tattoos are not just pieces of art but symbols of identity, tradition, and spirituality that are deeply ingrained in Maori culture.

Ta Moko, the bodily artform of the indigenous Maori of New Zealand. An artform that traditionally marked status, social standing and now embodies a culture, history and family.

2024年8月21日 · This has led to the development of Kirituhi, a form of tattooing that uses Maori-inspired designs but is distinct from Ta Moko. Kirituhi, which means “skin art” in Maori, uses elements and motifs from Maori art but doesn’t carry the deep personal and genealogical significance of Ta Moko.

2023年7月5日 · Today, Ta Moko has evolved to include Kirituhi, tattoos that have Maori designs but do not carry ancestral significance, making them appropriate for individuals not of Maori descent. Kirituhi honors Maori artistry without appropriating the sacred elements of Ta Moko.

2014年8月19日 · Maori facial tattoos are an ancient tradition that includes deeply set tattoos that often passed through the cheek into the mouth cavity.

The term used for Moko for a non-Maori wearer is Kirituhi. It is the responsibility of the Moko Artist to accept any job and with non-Maori the same applies.

Translated from Māori language Kirituhi means ‘marking the skin’. It is a contemporary tattoo art form based on Tā Moko. This tattoo artform is very unique from the perspective of creation, the tattoo tells a story of the wearer and also a story of the tattoo process itself.