Maori tattoos

Maori tattoos, The Maori are a ethnic tribe in New Zealand. Tattoos occupy a very important place in their tradition with deep meanings associated with it. Maori tattoos are an integral part of Maori tribes in New Zealand and their tattoos are not to be taken lightly. Maori tattoos have intricate spirals and curved shapes that make up the whole tattoo is awesome and every tattoo symbolizes something that a part drawing, same position represents an important fact. There is a long history connected with maori tattoos who was sincerely believed and handed down from generation to generation.

It is believed that once upon a time there was a fierce warrior known as Mataora who fell in love with a Princess known as Niwareka. He was evil and she left him to return to his father's Kingdom. Mataora realized his mistake and promised to bring her back and win his heart again. In his journey to the Kingdom, he faced many difficulties when he finally reached his destination was a messy and bedraggled State and was humiliated by the family of Niwareka. But he did not lose the House and begged pardon of Niwareka and she happily agree after seeing a drastic change in him. His father then taught him the art of maori tattoos from carry to his land. This is believed to be Maori tattoos origins.

Usually, maori tattoos were inked into your skin with needles, the instrument used for tattooing were small chisels that have left the skin in grooves. The tattooists venerated as tattoo and were considered a spiritual and sacred ceremony. Tattoos represent the State of a person and there have been several designs and placements for men than for women. It was believed that when people die, they recognized each other with these tattoos in their afterlife, and thus was an important ritual to undertake. The men received their tattoos on their face, thighs and buttocks,

In the past there have been eight common correlation of maori tattoos meaning and position of the body, were the following:

Uma (before marriage)-located on the temples

Ngakaipikirau (rank)-located in the center of the forehead

Ngunga (position)-Located around the eyebrows

Uirere (hapu rank)-located at the eyes and the nose area

Raurau (signature)-Located under your nose

Taiohou (work)-Located on the cheeks

Taitoto (country of birth)-located on the jaws

Wairua (mana)-located on the Chin

A person who does not have any tattoos was considered as a non-social position and was looked down upon.