The maori tattoo designs have a very rich and powerful culture carried with them all the way to the present times. The Maoris were the natives of New Zealand and were known for their intricate facial designs that were known as “moko” or facial tattoos. What makes this design different from the ones we know of today is that the maori tattoo designs are all over the face and not just merely on the shoulder and arms. The people long before used their tattoos as their symbols, their signatures, and their identities everyday up to the coming of the Europeans.
The natives described the birth of the Maori moko through a myth or legend. They preserved the history of their facial tattooing rituals until such time that their land was discovered by the Europeans. Modernization began to unfold and the tradition of the moko began to deteriorate. But we see how strong their culture is with regards to their facial tattoos when the men used the moko of their chief as a way of signing an agreement with the foreigners. Hence, it was known as an artistic form of writing that continued up to the 1800s.
The tradition of the Maori moko died later on in the 1800s due to European influence, but the tradition of tattoo making continues to live on amongst the natives of New Zealand. They continue to tattoo other parts of their bodies as a way of preserving what was their cultural heritage when they were still a native country. Because of how influential the maori tattoo designs were, the country’s modern designs for tattoos still have remnants of the Maori moko and have become a tattoo genre. The design has become the primary source of tribal tattooing in other countries, such as the United States, and is a very popular tattoo design ever since.
Having a Maori tattoo may seem a little over the edge since this means having to endure hours and hours of tattooing on the face, but in the eyes of the hardcore tattoo fans, this design shows just how powerful and bold they are as were the people before when the facial tattoos were their lifestyle. The ideal appearance of maori tattoo designs is usually all over the forehead, the cheeks, and around the mouth and eyes. Curved lines and spirals cover most of the face, which was once used as the Maoris’ official signature when signing documents and agreements when the Europeans came to their lands.
Now getting a Maori tattoo doesn’t have to be done entirely on the face. Tattoo artists have continued to innovate and improvise the design, using it artistically on the arms, shoulders, and at the back, making it a must-have for tattoo fans. What is so interesting and beautiful about the Maori design is the culture and the history it carries up to the present times. Though the tradition died way long ago, the practice still continues and the influence of the design can be seen in modern tattoo designs being done all over the world.
The natives described the birth of the Maori moko through a myth or legend. They preserved the history of their facial tattooing rituals until such time that their land was discovered by the Europeans. Modernization began to unfold and the tradition of the moko began to deteriorate. But we see how strong their culture is with regards to their facial tattoos when the men used the moko of their chief as a way of signing an agreement with the foreigners. Hence, it was known as an artistic form of writing that continued up to the 1800s.
The tradition of the Maori moko died later on in the 1800s due to European influence, but the tradition of tattoo making continues to live on amongst the natives of New Zealand. They continue to tattoo other parts of their bodies as a way of preserving what was their cultural heritage when they were still a native country. Because of how influential the maori tattoo designs were, the country’s modern designs for tattoos still have remnants of the Maori moko and have become a tattoo genre. The design has become the primary source of tribal tattooing in other countries, such as the United States, and is a very popular tattoo design ever since.
Having a Maori tattoo may seem a little over the edge since this means having to endure hours and hours of tattooing on the face, but in the eyes of the hardcore tattoo fans, this design shows just how powerful and bold they are as were the people before when the facial tattoos were their lifestyle. The ideal appearance of maori tattoo designs is usually all over the forehead, the cheeks, and around the mouth and eyes. Curved lines and spirals cover most of the face, which was once used as the Maoris’ official signature when signing documents and agreements when the Europeans came to their lands.
Now getting a Maori tattoo doesn’t have to be done entirely on the face. Tattoo artists have continued to innovate and improvise the design, using it artistically on the arms, shoulders, and at the back, making it a must-have for tattoo fans. What is so interesting and beautiful about the Maori design is the culture and the history it carries up to the present times. Though the tradition died way long ago, the practice still continues and the influence of the design can be seen in modern tattoo designs being done all over the world.
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