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Moko; or Maori Tattooing

Chapter II — Moko Men

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Chapter II
Moko Men

[Note added by NZETC as annotator:]

Description: Fig. 13.—Tracing from a thigh-skin in the possession of the Author. (Reduced to two-thirds of life size.) This unique specimen was discovered in a London saddlers shop by Major General Robley in 1894.

This image is not available for public viewing as it depicts either mokamokai (preserved heads) or human remains. The reasons for non-display are detailed in the policy regarding display of images of mokamokai. If you would like to comment on this decision you can contact NZETC.

Some reference has already been made to the uncertainty attaching to the object with which moko was practised by the men of the Maori race; but some further speculations on this page break
Fig. 14.—A well-chiselled head, with deep incision.

Fig. 14.—A well-chiselled head, with deep incision.

page 22 subject suggest themselves. Not only to become more terrible in war, when fighting was carried on at close quarters, but to
Fig. 15.—From life by the Author, showing good nose-marking. Te Kuha, also known as Te Mea (i.e. Mair) see p.91 Died at Rotorua June 1901, during the Royal Visit.

Fig. 15.—From life by the Author, showing good nose-marking.
Te Kuha, also known as Te Mea (i.e. Mair) see p.91 Died at Rotorua
June 1901, during the Royal Visit.

appear more distinguished and attractive to the female sex, must certainly be included. The great chiefs had their faces and bodies covered with designs of extreme delicacy and beauty; and all the page 23 men, except the slaves, were more or less decorated with blue-black; and the fact that slaves were excluded from the art is significant of the views of their masters. It has been said that the tattooing on the bodies was for the purpose of identification in case the head was cut off by the enemy in battle. Moko was a
Fig. 16.—Thigh-tattooing. (From Dumont D'Urville's “Voyages.”)

Fig. 16.—Thigh-tattooing.
(From Dumont D'Urville's “Voyages.”)

sign of distinction; it told off the noble and freeman from the slave.

Maning, a famous writer on old Maori life before the remembrance of it had quite passed away, thus describes a war party: “As I have said, the men were all stripped for action, but I also notice that the appearance of nakedness is completely taken away by the tattooing, the colour of the skin, and the arms and equipments…. The men, in fact, look much better than when page 24 dressed in their Maori clothing. Every man almost without exception is covered with tattooing from the knees to the waist; the face is also covered with dark spiral lines.”

Mr. Edward Tregear remarks that the tattooing of a slave's face was only a vile practice introduced for the horrible purpose of selling the dried head.

Fig. 17.—Body-tattooing. From original rawing for Captain Cook's “Voyages” in the British Museum. Additional Manuscripts Room.)

Fig. 17.—Body-tattooing.
From original rawing for Captain Cook's “Voyages” in the British Museum. Additional Manuscripts Room.)

In 1814 the first three native magistrates were appointed, and being chiefs were also “men of mark.”

Rutherford, whom I shall have other occasion to mention, states that in the part of the country where he was detained in captivity page 25 in 1816 the men were usually tattooed on the face, hips, and body, sometimes as low down as the knee; but that none were allowed to be decorated on the forehead, upper lip, and chin, except the
Fig. 18.—Thigh-tattooing.

Fig. 18.—Thigh-tattooing.

great ones of the tribe. Priests, it seems, were either exempt or forbidden the tattoo.

Mr. Wakefield expressly states that this was so with regard to the tangata tapu, or sacred personages; and Mr. Savage (1807) records that the pantaloons are in general very highly embroidered, page 26 of which they are not a little vain; and that the tohungas, or priests, had only a small patch of moko over the right eye.

Of course it was a source of pride to the owner, and in Crozet's voyages (1771–72) it is stated that there were marks on the hands, and noted that the chiefs were very pleased to show the tattooing

[Note added by NZETC as annotator:]

Description: Fig. 19.—Warrior fallen in the fern. showing rape on buttocks (from a drawing by the Author, 1864.) Rawiri Tuaia, killed at Gate Pa.29.4.1864..

This image is not available for public viewing as it depicts either mokamokai (preserved heads) or human remains. The reasons for non-display are detailed in the policy regarding display of images of mokamokai. If you would like to comment on this decision you can contact NZETC.

on their bodies. He notes that the moko on the faces was very diverse, but that on the buttocks it always seems to be the same— a neat spiral line, of which the first or starting point is at the centre of the most fleshy part, then successively embraces the whole circumferences. To have fine tattooed faces was the great ambition among men both to render themselves attractive to the ladies and conspicuous in war. The decorative art of a people page 27 reflects their character; and the fierceness of the Maori moko undoubtedly corresponded to fierceness in their nature. For even if killed by the enemy, whilst the heads of the untattooed were treated with indignity and kicked on one side, those which were conspicuous by their beautiful moko were carefully cut off—stuck
Fig. 20.—A Native Preacher.

Fig. 20.—A Native Preacher.

on the turuturu, a pole with a cross on it, and preserved; all of which was highly gratifying to the survivors, and the spirits of their late possessor. One sketch depicts this practice.
To set off moko to advantage it was necessary to give up all idea of a beard and the wearing of hair on the face which was not considered in the light of an ornament. Consequently it was necessary page 28 for the men to submit to the pain of pulling out the hair by the roots. The great object of chiefs was to excite fear amongst their enemies by every possible means—the doing so almost insured
Fig. 21.—A Chief' tattooing: a full face of the portrait given as frontispiece. Tomika Te Mutu.

Fig. 21.—A Chief' tattooing: a full face of the portrait given as frontispiece.
Tomi[unclear: k]a Te Mutu.

success. He rendered his countenance as terrible as possible in the older days with charcoal and red ochre: the face being marked with fines of the former, and the head and person smeared over with the latter. And to give him a permanent dignity the tattoo was invented.

The deep tortuous lines of moko add fierceness to features strongly marked and give hardness and rigour to those muscles which are acted upon by the softer passions.

page 29

In former days a pair of mussel shells were employed, but since the acquaintance with Europeans large tweezers have taken their place, and were generally hanging from the garment or neck; and whenever the gentleman could find no other employment he indefatigably occupied himself with them.

To allow the beard to grow was regarded as a sign of old age and proof that the wearer had ceased to care for his appearance; a person with a beard was addressed as E weki, which is a salutation equivalent to old man. “But this,” says the Rev. Mr. Taylor, a missionary in New Zealand for more than thirty years (his book printed 1870), “is no longer the case; since the
Fig. 22.—A young Chief fully tattooed, bayoneted in left eyebrow. (From a drawing by the Author, 1864.) Te Kani killed at Gate Pa.

Fig. 22.—A young Chief fully tattooed, bayoneted in left eyebrow.
(From a drawing by the Author, 1864.)
Te Kani killed at Gate Pa.

tattoo was given up the beard has been adopted in its place, and that of the natives rivals the most luxuriant one of the Europeans.”
That the face should be unmarked with moko rendered a man page 30 liable to the term “Papatea,” or plain-face; anyhow he looked a tutua or poor nobody. It will be seen that the New
Fig. 23.—An aged Chief wearing hair over moko. Patuone.

Fig. 23.—An aged Chief wearing hair over moko.
Patuone.

Zealanders attached to the word “plain” a meaning in relation to human appearance far more literal than the use of the term by Europeans.

In 1864–66 when staying in the delightful New Zealand country, I took several sketches of natives showing moko on the face covered with hair, for though the practice of moko was then fairly vigorous, yet the growth of beard and moustache was common among the natives, with the exception of the older men. The older men being well tattooed never used to wear hair on the face.

page 31
Fig. 24.—Type of Maori. Taraia, see p.143.

Fig. 24.—Type of Maori. Taraia, see p.143.

Figs. 25, 26.—Two Heads. Anehana of ade.

Figs. 25, 26.—Two Heads.
An[unclear: e]hana of [gap — reason: illegible]ad[unclear: e].

The war dance, of which I give an illustration, as showing tattooing on face and body, involved constant thrusting out page 32 of the tongue, and so much distortion of the features that the blue lines of the moko formed a quivering network. The time or cadence of the dance was marked by striking the palm of the left hand against the thigh.

Fig. 27.—Moko in the War-dance. Hoete Paetirori, an old Arawa warrior.

Fig. 27.—Moko in the War-dance.
Ho[unclear: ete] Paetirori, an old
Arawa warrior.