Maori Tribal tattoos

What Do the Maori Tribal Designs Entail?

The Maori who are the original makers of the Maori tribal tattoo are a group of people who live in New Zealand. Although they are included in the heritage of the Polynesia, they have come up with a different cultural heritage which as made historians differentiate them from other Polynesian tribes. The same can be said of their tattoos. This is because the Maori tribes have their own identity when compared against other Polynesians.

Their curved shapes and spirals male a very complicated pattern that belongs to the Maori only. According to popular legend the Maori tribal tattoo was a result of what a youthful warrior learnt from the underworld’s king after getting the heart of his daughter back.

As far as the Maori are concerned the Maori tribal tattoo is included in the special rituals that celebrate a special or particular event that occurred in the life of a tribesman.

A Maori tattoo at man's upper back. A tribesman was given a tattoo when he got o adolescent from childhood and continued getting more with every significant event of their life. Prior to the person getting the tattoo they would be required to fast. During the celebration there would be chanting and music because it was not only meant for the person but was also meant for the whole tribe.

Both women and men of the Maori tribe can be given the tattoo to show strength and courage and they would then get a specific status within the tribe. For the men the tattoos were done all over their face while for the women they were done only on the lips, cheeks although for some the tattoos were done on the neck. The tribal Maori tattoos are famous for their face tattoos. However there ate those that are only meant for the body and particularly the buttocks and legs. The body designs would really look like the face designs only with a tiny difference of the spirals and the curves, the face tattoos would be distinct as well.

The Maori tattoo on girl's left arm.

Maori tribal tattoo on man's half sleeve. Presently, the Maori design is being revived after it almost became extinct at the later stages of the nineteenth century. Much of its importance has bee lost ever since the white settlers got to England but it is being revived slowly and this includes the ancient manner of having the tattoos done. However, tribal tattoos today are being done more on the body than on the face. Today modern equipment is used and not the old approach. Despite the modernization of the tattoos, there remains one part that has been kept as tradition. This is keeping the tattoo as unique as possible because it was what will be used to identify a person. If one copies another person’s tattoo they will be insulting them. Go on therefore and get a unique Maori tribal tattoo.