maori tattoos
You may know that it’s very impressive artwork but how much do you really know about Maori tattoos? Let’s run through a little history of this beautiful and ancient tradition of body art. The Maori tribes are natives of New Zealand. Though, they are part of the Polynesian heritage, they have given themselves a distinct cultural heritage that historians have separated them from the different tribes of Polynesia. For the Maori tribe, the tattoos are part of special rituals celebrating a particular or special event in one tribesman’s life. A tribesman would receive his or her first tattoo as a rite of passage from childhood to adolescence and more would be added whenever there are significant events in his or her life that would need to be celebrated. A tribesman that would was rewarded with a tattoo would fast before he or she was given the Maori tattoo. During the ceremony itself, there would be music and chanting as it is a celebration not only for that particular tribesman but for the whole tribe itself. Maori tattoos are mostly known for their face tattoos. But there are also tattoo designs that are used for the body specifically the legs and the buttocks. The body tattoos would be closely similar to the face tattoos with the small difference of the curves and spirals being bigger and more distinct than the face tattoos would be. The tattoo in the picture is a perfect example of a Maori tattoo.
maori tattoos
There are many styles of maori tattoos out there. These are the markings of the old native population of New Zealand, which is one of the oldest peoples know to man. These maori tattoos were usually designed to tell others which tribe you hailed from and that also might mean you were the enemy to anyone else. So, if you want one of these tattoos do your research first.
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Maori Tattoos
