Resurgence of Maori Ta Moko Tattoos

In 1907, New Zealand’s British colonial authorities prohibited ta moko and other Indigenous art forms. The ban forced Maori to conceal their traditional facial markings, and the lineage of ritual tattoo artists—known as tohunga ta moko—dwindled. For more than a century, the practice survived only in memory, with younger generations largely unaware of the techniques and symbolism.

New York Times

In February, Mark Kopua, a 64-year-old practitioner in Gisborne on the North Island’s east coast, performed a full-face ta moko on his 56-year-old nephew, Desmond Horomia. Kopua first traced ancestral patterns on Horomia’s arm with a felt-tip marker, then donned rubber gloves and activated a needle gun to begin the permanent ink work. The ceremony was observed by six relatives gathered in Kopua’s modest studio, reflecting a growing community interest in reviving the art. Maori teens and young adults are increasingly documenting their own ta moko rituals on social media, and the facial tattoos—moko kanohi—have begun appearing on television, in public spaces, and even within New Zealand’s Parliament.

New York Times

Kopua, who has been involved in ta moko for more than three decades, acknowledges that the cultural revival is still a learning process.

New York Times

• “I’ve been involved with this for well over 30 years now, but our culture is still relearning because they’ve been immersed and overwhelmed by Western culture,” — Mr. Kopua

New York Times