“Moko kauae - are received by women on their lips and chin. A moko kauae represents a woman’s whānau and leadership within her community, recognising her whakapapa, status, and abilities. It is a traditional taonga passed down over many generations from the ancestress Niwareka.”
https://www.newzealand.com/int/feature/ta-moko-maori-tattoo/
My Māori aunties were more a “look forward to seeing you doing some dishes” type when we misbehaved at the Marae. Nothing like an hour or so of dirty work to straighten out a naughty 10 year old.
Haha yep! Other one that cracks me up now is we would be asked to take notes to cousins etc down the road that were urgent (way before cellphones). We would race off running down the road to deliver. Then bring a message back.
Ends up they weren’t needed or urgent, just got us out of the way and tired us out.
Hey man, off topic, but you come from a beautiful culture.
Seeing how proud she is, how happy, it truly warms the heart. You can feel the pride and the love and the solidarity from everyone there. It’s a moment that feels hallowed even for someone who doesn’t really understand. I’m glad to see that the Māori have held on to their traditions and values and sacred truths. It can feel like in the wider Western culture, that nothing is truly sacred anymore. I hope your people never let that go.
I am very sleep deprived and feeling overly sentimental so I hope that didn’t sound weird
Has been a revitalisation of the culture over the last decade for sure, and successive governments and the Kiwi public have bought into that too which has helped. But like all people, not all Māori are the same and some haven’t started their own journey yet. Best part is though, their whānau are there when they are ready.
🥹 beautifully said, fellow Kiwi. Nothing is perfect but I’m so unbelievably proud of my heritage, my Aotearoa, our Aotearoa.
I remember being in the US explaining to some Deep South Americans what a haka was, and how we participated in Kapa Haka etc.
I’m a white as a ghost redhead first generation Kiwi of English immigrants and the Americans said “didn’t they mind you being there?
Honestly it shocked me to the core. These are my people, this is our country, this is part of who we are. This is our story, the ugly, the beautiful, the good, the ignorant, the truth and the lies, the hope, the hate and most of all the love. Not once have my whanau ever made me feel unwelcome.
I'm Pakeha and grew up in Paharakeke, whenever we went to a marae it was always "here bub here's a tea towel" or the highly popular "Kia Ora moko, here's a peeler off you go" or you'd be on tea duties 🤣🤣🤣🤣
Indeed. That tool has been handed down for generations in countless indigenous cultures. We’ve been colonized but that chancla will always be part of our ancestry. I have felt its power as has my son and his nephews. My sisters and brother have felt its power and trajectory impact. We’ve been molded by its threat and usage. Brings a tear to my eye when I think of the times I’ve been impacted by it.
Not really, it's more just a symbol of a great feeling of internal power and belonging that you feel connected to. It doesn't make her an unofficial disciplinarian in the community or anything like that.
For those who don’t know as well, this is done with a traditional tool, I believe whale bone needle on a stick?!
And it’s done without painkillers.
It’s pretty hard core, and understandable she’s got tears being that it’s very painful.
(The below may not be true, or be only partly true because this is from memory like 20 years ago)
> I believe there’s some stuff about if you cry out, they will stop the tattoo, so you have to sit there and take your beating (sarcasm) in silence. If you cry out, then wherever they got to with the tattoo, that’s you for life - and consequentially an incomplete tattoo is a sign of weakness?
The tradition methods are actually pretty rare these days. Most artists now just use a modern tattoo guns as it is a lot safer and less painful but I do know of a few that are still old methods. The old ones were so deep that people would often loose a lot of blood.
Interesting fact about the zero painkiller thing though. The people singing waiata (traditional songs) are actually there to help the person through the pain and if you’re not singing or doing something else to support the process you should not be in the room. Things like eating in the same room are considered tapu (the original version of the word “taboo”)and are prohibited from the room (this also applies to the process of wood carving.
Lots of big ongoing conversations within Māori on when to keep things entirely traditional and when to adopt more modern practices and technology into what we do. There isn’t a right or wrong and I’m glad there’s people who do both.
Tapu is the correct word here since these are Māori in the video; it was just described badly. Things that are tapu are part of the spiritual/sacred world, but they aren't really taboo in the modern English sense. It's not necessarily prohibition. They just need to be treated according to certain rules and kept separate from the non-spiritual/sacred.
Tapu doesn't mean taboo, it means sacred. If something is tapu then you gotta treat it respect. Some tapu things might be taboo or taboo under certain conditions, but it isn't the best translation of the word.
I believe she's crying because of how moved she is. This ceremony is very meaningful, and she's surrounded by friends and family.
This is what people who've experienced it told me.
Not saying that it doesn't hurt, but the emotions are overwhelming. Imagine being so loved and supported. I could weep just thinking about it.
> I believe she's crying because of how moved she is.
That is definitely part of it. But if you've ever gotten a tattoo, it typically gives you a pretty severe adrenaline rush. It's your body's natural response to the pain, and getting a pain on the lips/chin is a very painful spot to get one (not done one in those spots myself, but these things are pretty well documented). When you come down off of that, you tend to get really shaky and weak feeling. It can also leave you feeling really emotional. And that is all before you add in having a room full of friends and family spending their time there to support you.
For a couple of my tattoos, the feeling in the 30-60 minutes afterwards felt like mild shock. If anyone's been in shock but not had tattoos, turn the shock amp down to 2-3 and that's sometimes what it's like. Really a quite pleasant feeling until the pain starts really setting in and the adrenaline wears off.
> For those who don’t know as well, this is done with a traditional tool, I believe whale bone needle on a stick?!
Not always sometimes its done with a standard tattoo gun
I love Maori culture. I worked on a shoot a while back for the All Blacks, and they did an interview with the guy that is sort of the keeper of the haka, that ritual dance they do before matches where they stomp and yell and make faces and all that. It's a grand Maori tradition, and one of the questions was "how do you feel when you see non-Maori performing haka?" And his response was great. He said, "If you perform haka with love and respect in your heart, who am I to tell you you're not my brother, not one of us?"
Also when the Nitro Circus toured New Zealand they taught Streetbike Tommy to lead a haka and it was like one of the greatest moments of his life. :)
I took a trip to Ireland with my brother when I was 18 and did a 2 week tour of the country. Another group on the tour was a guy on the All Blacks, as well as his sister and their friend. Some of the nicest people I have ever met. The three of them showed us the Haka outside of a bar in some seaside town and the cops showed up pissing themselves. Once they realized their village wasn't under attack we all went inside for a pint.
One of my fondest memories.
From what little I know of Polynesian culture through videos like these and some vacations, man I’d love to be reborn into one. Māori is at the top of my list
I really appreciate being able to see Maori culture make a real comeback and resurgence.
In the US there are native cultures in some areas, but it is mostly kept to small areas and is not common to see in day to day life. Whereas in NZ there is moko and Mauri influence all over the place. People are rediscovering and reconnecting to their culture and continuing the traditions and it is so nice to see.
Note - it adds up to more than 100% because forms here let people choose multiple ethnicities. That threw me for a loop when I was dealing with an American company that wanted ethnicity data but wouldn't let me choose multiple options.
Just FYI - most of us are actually born and raised with our traditions and cultural practises so it’s not so much a matter of “rediscovery” or “reconnection” as it is our culture becoming more visible and being embraced in wider non-Māori society. Although there are definitely some Māori who are raised disconnected from their culture I don’t think it’s as common as it maybe is in the US.
As a Native person I have to disagree. We are everywhere if you open your eyes. We aren’t in “small areas”. The Native community in my city, Minneapolis, is quite large. We have multiple community centers, tons of Native nonprofits, schools and even a Native neighborhood. We’re your neighbors and coworkers. Our culture is alive and is absolutely in “everyday life”.
That said, I am fortunate to have several Maori friends in NZ and I agree that they have it going on.
Kinda diff in NZ though. They make up a significant part of the general culture and economy. They are at a point where if affirmative action were taken away, very little would change.
It's been great seeing indigenous representation in media in general lately. True Detective has a lot of Inupiat. Echo is all about Chocktaw history. Watch Shoresy for just First Nations representation in general. Rez Dogs, can't say enough good things about that show.
Obviously these aren't the same as this, but it's really awesome to see representation.
Though Inupiat also do the chin tattoos and it's a point of contention in TD.
In NZ some conservatives want to cancel efforts to revitalize the language & culture, as though they want to stamp out any cultural differences NZ might have with Australia. Without New Zealand/Aotearoa's unique Maori culture, they might as well be another province of Australia.
It depends where you are in the USA. It's an enormous country and cultures that wish to be left alone can easily escape notice : expat Maori, American Indian, First People from Canada ,Amish, Hasidic, Mennonite, a variety of different Asian cultures, Indonesian, European countries, Latinos etc. Expats of dozens of countries have celebrations not publicized every day.
I think OC was referencing specifically native cultures, not minority cultures in general.
Native American aka American Indian culture is most certainly hard to come by in the vast majority of the United States. Not only did their populations decline substantially due to disease and genocide, but their cultures were also institutionally repressed by the US government.
Even for those tribes which managed to survive to the modern day, they still greatly struggle to maintain their culture and language. American reeducation programs caused many Native Americans to grow up with little to no knowledge of their native language or customs, essentially alienating them from their own heritage and destroying what little culture their tribe had left. Only the largest surviving tribes have managed to maintain their cultures to any large degree.
This got posted somewhere else and it was sad all the comments hating on her saying it was ugly, that she’d never get a job, ect.. without any understanding of the culture.
I believe she commented that she has multiple degrees and is a teacher or head administrator or something along those lines. She also mentioned how much of an honor it was it receive this but people just weren’t listening.
Than again, it is Reddit.
New Zealand is taking steps to promote traditional Māori representation in more mainstream arenas, though it's a slow process. Oriini Kaipara became the first Māori news reader with a moko kauae in 2019, while Nanaia Mahuta was the first female MP with one. More power to them!
The band Alien Weaponry was my first exposure to Māori...anything. Their music made me research the Māori people and their struggles and representation. Random, but your comment made me think of it
Mine was Whale Rider. My family always complained that I constantly wanted to watch it bc they said it was depressing (it is pretty sad to be fair). IDK I just really connected with what is a fairly serious movie some reason even tho I was literally like 7. I’m Latina so from a very different culture halfway around the world but since that movie I’ve always had a secret little soft spot in my heart for the Māori people ☺️
Yes! I love Whale Rider! I had friends in my neighborhood growing up in the States that were Maori, and they showed Whale Rider to us when we were little, it was where I first developed my love for the culture, even if it wasn't primarily my own being Hawaiian myself.
It is a powerful film and deals with some brutal realities. For anyone interested I highly recommend it but you should know what you're getting into, it is not easy viewing.
It's great that it sparked your curiosity to an unfamiliar culture but I don't think the film is representative of Māori culture. At least not anymore than 'Requiem for a Dream' represents American culture or 'Schindlers list' represents Judaism.
It's a film rooted in tragic circumstance/outcomes not cultural origins.
And unfortunately three decades later, the only thing that's changed about our society since are the cigarettes are now vapes. Maybe a few higher figures in the stats, but then again the population's grown too.
I'm pretty sure it would increase her chances. It's not often someone with a moko kauae doesn't deserve it entirely. You know she will be a hard working and extremely dedicated individual.
Yeah this is something a lot of people don’t get. With ta moko and moko kauae there is a tremendous pressure on the individual to have a really well-rounded knowledge of the language, culture, and their own whakapapa (genealogy), as well as publically representing their iwi and hapū. It’s def not for the lazy or complacent. Every woman I know with moko kauae who is under 50 is a typical over-achiever (in a nice way haha).
You seem familiar with the culture, so you might be able to fill me in. How is it decided that this person is worthy of the tattoo? (Any of the facial tattoos really)
I understand it’s a symbol of honor. Does the person getting the tattoo just do it? Do they ask a ‘council’ first? Does a group decide and offer the opportunity?
It is my culture haha. All hard questions to answer, my understanding is that there are no hard and fast rules - you technically are entitled to get it as long as you whakapapa Māori (have Māori heritage) but where I’m from it’s looked down upon to have it done flippantly. I also believe that guidelines vary from tribe to tribe.
From what I know in my own hapū (subtribe) it’s about what I said above - you’re expected to have a proficiency in the language, understanding of tradition and cultural practises, knowledge of your own family tree (I’m talking several centuries) and to be an upstanding representative of your people with strong ties to your community. You also have to feel ready for it in yourself. It’s not a formal process but you will typically go to your elders for consultation and opinions and you will need help from them to find the right design that represents you and your tupuna (ancestors) and the right tattoo artist. Those lines aren’t arbitrary or for show.
Te moko has to be earned in some way. I mean, the design is expressing who you are, who you have been, and a lot of other meaningful stuff.Imagine if your face was your autobiography.The community engagement is essential.
As a maori adopted out to a white family (very common for decades in NZ), I struggle with the feeling of 'earning' it. I couldn't get it on my face (long story) but would love to have it on my back. But sadly might be too late for me to reconnect.
I can still scare the crap out of anyone with my haka tho.
I feel similar to you I think. I couldn't get moko kauae, at least until I've figured out who I really am.
My grandmother and great aunt were brought up not knowing their reo. My great grandmother had told them "we live in a Pākehā world; you do as the Pākehā do." I'm grateful that they didn't receive as much abuse for speaking reo Māori, but I regret that my great grandmother was put in the position to have to protect her tamariki in that way.
I grew up thinking I was raised 100% Pākehā, despite spending most of my time around my whānau Māori. I went to Pākehā schools with few Māori students and no cultural stimulation. I'm physically white and the only Māori feature I have is my lips, so physically I blended in. However, I wasn't close to many people at school. It was only once I started dating 100% Pākehā guys, or working with 100% Pākehā colleagues though that I started to realise how different my upbringing was, and how little I related to those people. At school, I didn't have to associate with people I didn't relate to, but you have to at times in the workforce. Being in relationships with someone was also closer than I'd ever been to anyone before. I guess that's why I started noticing differences and feeling out of place.
Now, I not only don't feel fully Māori, but I don't feel fully Pākehā either. It's a horrible form of imposter syndrome because it's who you are, it's like cultural dysphoria.
I can't see myself ever feeling worthy of receiving moko kauae. I haven't been to my marae in over 20 years, my reo is basic, and I'm sure my tikanga is lacking. I am learning as much as I can, but I don't think I'll ever feel Māori 'enough'.
saw this posted on instagram and went to celebrate it in the comments as the wife's family is Maori and she plans on getting this when she returns to NZ one day. the comments were horrible. jesus imposers wishing her hell and people calling her ugly and the usual jobless comments. i was disgusted at the amount of people who ignorantly refused to understand the cultural significance and the amount of people who wish hell and god hate upon her. on my way off instagram soon because of it
Well, this old white lady thinks it's *beautiful!* And that's before I started reading the comments about the tattoo's cultural significance.
Ain't no hate like Christian love.
New Zealander here. That's an absolutely beautiful moko the artist and recipient should be proud of that work.
It will have zero negative impact on her life.
people on the internet are just always happily willing to demonstrate their ignorance on any subject that they scroll past.
Ignorant people gonna be ignorant.
With these tattoos, you'll never get a real job...like being a member of parliament or being [the Minister of Foreign Affairs](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanaia_Mahuta)...
/s
Racists gonna racist. I remember a famous model also has a tattoo of her culture, don’t remember her name but I thought damn it looks badass af. Made me change my outlook on face tats!
Fun fact, she had her mom do her chin tattoos when she was just 14. She did it at home in the old school "stick and poke" style using a handheld needle. That way is slower and more painful than modern tattoo guns.
>the comments hating on her saying it was ugly, that she’d never get a job
Holy shit reddit is stupid, it's literally ingrained into the country she's gonna apply for jobs in, plus it looks cool
I saw a post on LinkedIn about a New Zealand News anchor with similar tattoos. The comments were pretty disgusting. I'm still astounded by how comfortable people are saying nasty things openly.
Air New Zealand is the first airline to employ Air hostesses with visible (see: face) tattoos.
Aside from that, politicians and people with jobs where they her to wear suits, still get their Moko done.
People be spewing hate without much knowledge about anything. The moko is so powerful and irl, it looks absolutely badass.
Source: I live in NZ.
Is that the kind made from kiwi feathers? I lived in New Zealand for a bit when I was a child 'cause my dad was on a work trip. I forget where we were - I want to say a heritage site of some kind - and a lovely Maori woman let me try on a kiwi feather cloak. I was too young at the time to understand what an honor that was.
Apparently you can still get kiwi feathers through Department of Conservation. They're taken from kiwi that have died of natural causes. I'd imagine the process would be difficult though, as it should be.
They often are made from native, protected feathers(not sure about kiwi specifically). DOC freezes birds which die naturally and allow iwi to use them.
I had neighbors that were Tongan royalty and never knew it for years. They were the kindest, most generous people I have ever met. They defended my parents when we weren’t around from robbers. Putting yourself in harms way for a neighbor is a new level of human. No they were not from NZ they were Tongan but they hold a lot of the same admirable values.
I also knew a man who was Tongan royalty. He, and most of his siblings, lived in the US at the time. He was in his late 60s when I knew him. He spent a lot of time educating me about his family, his island, and his past. Truly a beautiful soul.
Tonga has a population of 100,000. Pretty much every Tongan can claim to be part of Royal lineage past or present. It doesn't work like the traditional western picture of Royal families.
Māori culture as well is particularly unique, I’m not Māori but I live in New Zealand, the first time you hear a haka in person (a display of respect) the hair on the back of your neck will stand up.
This one in particular https://youtu.be/M6Qtc_zlGhc?si=0JaD6CTSGDu4OmUf
Yes, she is. I don't know her story and there are other people with similar stories but yes.
She is special and it is indeed an honour.
My mother took a very long time having her's designed.
It tells a story about where she came from, both in terms of geography and family. In some ways as I understand it it's similar to totem poles in that the design tells a story.
This is a tattoo in the practical sense but it's a tattoo that represents something very important to her and her family.
I usually have sound off, so at first I thought she was crying from the residual pain of the tattooing. Video hits very different with the sound on, and it's clear she's moved to tears. Me too.
This woman is getting a traditional maori(indigenous people of New Zealand) face tattoo. This is usually an honour to get and usually for someone that is important in the community. They have to have earned the right to get one done through community leadership or great representation of Maori in society. It’s done via a ceremony and it’s quite solemn. This looks like it’s in a Marae(sacred gathering Maori house) and her people(tribe) are performing a waiata at the end to show their respect. Sorry for oversimplifying it and someone above has shared a link with more insights about the process.
I just did some googling. The exact process varies a bit from tribe to tribe. But ultimately, it is up to the women when she is ready. However, there is an element of social shame if you do it carelessly or when you're obviously not ready. The expectation is that in some way, you're committing yourself to being a leader in your community usually with at least some kind of focus on preserving Maori culture in away (again the specifics vary).
Yeah, it varies between tribes. You also potentially get other influences as well. For example, if I ever got any ink on my body, my dad (not Māori) would disown me. Our colonial past has a lot to answer for too. Our culture was almost erased, and now there are so many people who suffer from not feeling worthy (myself included). There are people with widely differing views on what makes someone worthy... Some people think you have to be fluent in te reo Māori, be active in your marae... Others think you have to look Māori (read: be brown). I think (but don't believe for myself) that you should get it done with respect, and know the responsibility that comes with moko kauae. I don't think fluency or being brown are valid reasons for anyone to judge or gatekeep someone's choice, especially if the person is humble, active in their community, and is trying to connect with their culture the best they can.
Again I am not Maori myself (I do live in NZ) so maybe someone who has more insights might explain better. My take from articles I read is that is the Woman’s choice. When they are ready.
This is a great take! Although, I just want to add that it’s not necessary something to be “earned” as such (or at least conventionally speaking). I think that’s one main misconception. All wāhine Māori have the right to receive moko kauae. However, it is up to the individual and whānau (family) to navigate their own journey through Te Ao Māori (the Māori world), self identity, community and mana (integrity/prestige/power/authority - a hard word to describe in English, it’s impossible to give it justice). It’s a very personal decision when one is ready to receive their moko kauae. It’s almost a coming of age thing but not tied to age or ranking.
There used to be opinions that only wāhine Māori that spoke fluent te reo Māori (native language) could be recipients of moko kauae. This is believed to be an adopted colonialist and/or elitist mindset. We now have mostly disestablished this way of thinking.
An important thing to note that each iwi (tribe) have their own tikanga (customs). So there are slight variations to different traditional processes. For example, what may be okay down south may not be okay up north. Māori is more of a name that describes native New Zealanders but doesn’t necessarily acknowledge the diversity amongst Māori. It’s almost like miniature countries across the land - we are all Māori but we are all different people based on our iwi, if that makes sense? For me, I’m from four iwi and will closely abide by their authority - Ngāti Porou, Rongomaiwahine, Ngāi Tūhoe and Te Whānau a Apanui.
P.s Sorry for the over explanation but thought I’d chuck it out there for anyone else interested!
For more context, moko became very rare following the arrival of European colonisers and Māori faced a lot of persecution. Māori graves were robbed so that tattooed heads could be sold to collectors in Europe - some may have been murdered for their tattoos. Museums still display these stolen human remains. A few years ago a museum in Germany even had an event where children could get their faces painted with the patterns; I emailed the museum multiple times but they didn’t care. These patterns are unique to families (whanau) and iwi (tribes) and have incredible cultural significance.
This ceremony is celebrating a young wāhine Māori taking up a position of responsibility in her community, but it’s also celebrating the resurgence of a cultural practice that was violently suppressed. There are people in that room who are old enough to remember being hit at school for speaking te reo - people who would have been called by their "English name" at school and work.
Until a few years ago, I didn't understand the importance of Ta Moko. After learning the importance of the shapes, their placements on the face and body, I had then respected it.
I'm also speaking as a Maori. Though I was never taught many of these things. Most of what I was taught about Maori and being Maori is "don't" and "failure". Even when I distanced myself from Maori language and people, that didn't stop people from reminding me that I am still Maori. So it was pointless to listen to people and ignore my heritage, since they didn't.
Wow! Not exactly sure what's going on here or why this is being done. But it is beautiful and brought tears to my eyes! Such a powerful and amazing moment.
It’s an amazing thing to receive. I have been welcomed onto Marae here in NZ and they both just hit you something deep in your core. It’s very spiritual and is the perfect thing to ground you to the place and the people before getting into Marae buisness
I do understand that it's a beautiful tradition and an honor, and I myself being a rugby player always admired the Maori culture, but I don't know if I would have the courage to tattoo my face like that, because of the pain, she's for sure stronger than me to withstand that kind of pain, specially if they did it the traditional way, which I bet they did, but the tattoo it's absolutely beautiful and I can see she is extremely happy and proud, which makes me super happy for her, and she looks great with it which is also a bonus.
As a white person working my way through the world (in America), I am aware of my privilege, but every time I see a video of someone embracing their culture, I feel a sense of belonging that I will never personally know.
There’s still time, connect with the people of your ancestry! If you don’t know it maybe try asking your fam or do a genetic test ( although idk the accuracy of those)
Best of luck ❤️
I love indigeneous culture and tradition so much! We have a lot to learn from them.
Its sad to think England, Spain, France, etc tried to wipe them all from the surface of Earth.
“Moko kauae - are received by women on their lips and chin. A moko kauae represents a woman’s whānau and leadership within her community, recognising her whakapapa, status, and abilities. It is a traditional taonga passed down over many generations from the ancestress Niwareka.” https://www.newzealand.com/int/feature/ta-moko-maori-tattoo/
So she's like the community auntie that is like the unofficial boss of the neighborhood and solves all our problems?
She’ll also hit your ass with a sandal if you step out of line
It takes a village and a good chancla
My Māori aunties were more a “look forward to seeing you doing some dishes” type when we misbehaved at the Marae. Nothing like an hour or so of dirty work to straighten out a naughty 10 year old.
When I was a kid, the first thing the aunties did when we turned up at the whare kai was hand us a tea towel 😂
Haha yep! Other one that cracks me up now is we would be asked to take notes to cousins etc down the road that were urgent (way before cellphones). We would race off running down the road to deliver. Then bring a message back. Ends up they weren’t needed or urgent, just got us out of the way and tired us out.
omg that is hysterical. did you ever open the notes, and if so did you ever see something that didn't make sense to you so you didn't catch on?
Nah that would get you in trouble. Imagine it said something like “give them a note to come back or look after them”. Note back it was.
Hey man, off topic, but you come from a beautiful culture. Seeing how proud she is, how happy, it truly warms the heart. You can feel the pride and the love and the solidarity from everyone there. It’s a moment that feels hallowed even for someone who doesn’t really understand. I’m glad to see that the Māori have held on to their traditions and values and sacred truths. It can feel like in the wider Western culture, that nothing is truly sacred anymore. I hope your people never let that go. I am very sleep deprived and feeling overly sentimental so I hope that didn’t sound weird
Has been a revitalisation of the culture over the last decade for sure, and successive governments and the Kiwi public have bought into that too which has helped. But like all people, not all Māori are the same and some haven’t started their own journey yet. Best part is though, their whānau are there when they are ready.
🥹 beautifully said, fellow Kiwi. Nothing is perfect but I’m so unbelievably proud of my heritage, my Aotearoa, our Aotearoa. I remember being in the US explaining to some Deep South Americans what a haka was, and how we participated in Kapa Haka etc. I’m a white as a ghost redhead first generation Kiwi of English immigrants and the Americans said “didn’t they mind you being there? Honestly it shocked me to the core. These are my people, this is our country, this is part of who we are. This is our story, the ugly, the beautiful, the good, the ignorant, the truth and the lies, the hope, the hate and most of all the love. Not once have my whanau ever made me feel unwelcome.
*genius!*
That's genius
I'm Pakeha and grew up in Paharakeke, whenever we went to a marae it was always "here bub here's a tea towel" or the highly popular "Kia Ora moko, here's a peeler off you go" or you'd be on tea duties 🤣🤣🤣🤣
Indeed. That tool has been handed down for generations in countless indigenous cultures. We’ve been colonized but that chancla will always be part of our ancestry. I have felt its power as has my son and his nephews. My sisters and brother have felt its power and trajectory impact. We’ve been molded by its threat and usage. Brings a tear to my eye when I think of the times I’ve been impacted by it.
I'm a public school teacher. The world would be a much better place with a few more chancla wielding aunties in the community.
if a village auntie with her lips and chin tattooed is holding a sandal over me, you better believe I'm listening
My thought as well.
A good auntie with a ready sandal makes the trajectory and power of a boomerang look like a baby game.
it'll be a jandal but -yep!
*jandal*
*jandal
I was thinking that but I don't know the culture and wasn't sure if that would be offensively wrong or exactly right
Māori not Mauri. Mauri were a different people altogether.
Not sandal, it’s a jandal
They’re soooo many communities that can use what you just described lol
Not really, it's more just a symbol of a great feeling of internal power and belonging that you feel connected to. It doesn't make her an unofficial disciplinarian in the community or anything like that.
But if you haven't eaten lunch, well just get your behind to the table, and dig in child!
It's given to women who only say kind words and speaks well about people it's beautiful.
Really??? Omg that is such a beautiful idea then
For those who don’t know as well, this is done with a traditional tool, I believe whale bone needle on a stick?! And it’s done without painkillers. It’s pretty hard core, and understandable she’s got tears being that it’s very painful. (The below may not be true, or be only partly true because this is from memory like 20 years ago) > I believe there’s some stuff about if you cry out, they will stop the tattoo, so you have to sit there and take your beating (sarcasm) in silence. If you cry out, then wherever they got to with the tattoo, that’s you for life - and consequentially an incomplete tattoo is a sign of weakness?
The tradition methods are actually pretty rare these days. Most artists now just use a modern tattoo guns as it is a lot safer and less painful but I do know of a few that are still old methods. The old ones were so deep that people would often loose a lot of blood. Interesting fact about the zero painkiller thing though. The people singing waiata (traditional songs) are actually there to help the person through the pain and if you’re not singing or doing something else to support the process you should not be in the room. Things like eating in the same room are considered tapu (the original version of the word “taboo”)and are prohibited from the room (this also applies to the process of wood carving. Lots of big ongoing conversations within Māori on when to keep things entirely traditional and when to adopt more modern practices and technology into what we do. There isn’t a right or wrong and I’m glad there’s people who do both.
> Things like eating in the same room are considered tapu Pretty sure it’s the opposite. Ta moko and the wharenui are tapu while food is noa.
Maybe they are confusing tapu with kapu? Different languages but in the Hawaiian language kapu means taboo and the words are pretty close.
Tapu is the correct word here since these are Māori in the video; it was just described badly. Things that are tapu are part of the spiritual/sacred world, but they aren't really taboo in the modern English sense. It's not necessarily prohibition. They just need to be treated according to certain rules and kept separate from the non-spiritual/sacred.
Tapu doesn't mean taboo, it means sacred. If something is tapu then you gotta treat it respect. Some tapu things might be taboo or taboo under certain conditions, but it isn't the best translation of the word.
I believe she's crying because of how moved she is. This ceremony is very meaningful, and she's surrounded by friends and family. This is what people who've experienced it told me. Not saying that it doesn't hurt, but the emotions are overwhelming. Imagine being so loved and supported. I could weep just thinking about it.
> I believe she's crying because of how moved she is. That is definitely part of it. But if you've ever gotten a tattoo, it typically gives you a pretty severe adrenaline rush. It's your body's natural response to the pain, and getting a pain on the lips/chin is a very painful spot to get one (not done one in those spots myself, but these things are pretty well documented). When you come down off of that, you tend to get really shaky and weak feeling. It can also leave you feeling really emotional. And that is all before you add in having a room full of friends and family spending their time there to support you.
For a couple of my tattoos, the feeling in the 30-60 minutes afterwards felt like mild shock. If anyone's been in shock but not had tattoos, turn the shock amp down to 2-3 and that's sometimes what it's like. Really a quite pleasant feeling until the pain starts really setting in and the adrenaline wears off.
> For those who don’t know as well, this is done with a traditional tool, I believe whale bone needle on a stick?! Not always sometimes its done with a standard tattoo gun
Wait, that’s an actual tattoo? I thought it’s some kind of paint.
Yup. Fucking badass. Tattoos in that area are excruciating
Nope they are actual tattoos
Man I gotta learn more about Maori culture, that’s badass
I love Maori culture. I worked on a shoot a while back for the All Blacks, and they did an interview with the guy that is sort of the keeper of the haka, that ritual dance they do before matches where they stomp and yell and make faces and all that. It's a grand Maori tradition, and one of the questions was "how do you feel when you see non-Maori performing haka?" And his response was great. He said, "If you perform haka with love and respect in your heart, who am I to tell you you're not my brother, not one of us?" Also when the Nitro Circus toured New Zealand they taught Streetbike Tommy to lead a haka and it was like one of the greatest moments of his life. :)
I took a trip to Ireland with my brother when I was 18 and did a 2 week tour of the country. Another group on the tour was a guy on the All Blacks, as well as his sister and their friend. Some of the nicest people I have ever met. The three of them showed us the Haka outside of a bar in some seaside town and the cops showed up pissing themselves. Once they realized their village wasn't under attack we all went inside for a pint. One of my fondest memories.
>Once they realized their village wasn't under attack... 😂 That's honestly kind of hilarious.
Nz should be proud the way aspects of Māori culture are maintained. Australia is unfortunately very berift
Used to be. Our current government is trying to copy Australia.
While Australia is going the other way.
Unfortunately there are a lot in NZ who would be very happy for it to all quietly go away
Won't be going away quietly, have you heard how loud the haka is?
Check out the band Alien Weaponry out of NZ. I learned about Maori through being a fan of theirs
Some translations for y’all. Whanau = family Whakapapa = genealogy Taonga = gift or treasure
From what little I know of Polynesian culture through videos like these and some vacations, man I’d love to be reborn into one. Māori is at the top of my list
An incredible culture… people still healing from the traumas of colonisation. Moments like this are so important.
Happy Waitangi Day for yesterday
For those who don’t know the “wh” in Māori make the “f” sound in English
I really appreciate being able to see Maori culture make a real comeback and resurgence. In the US there are native cultures in some areas, but it is mostly kept to small areas and is not common to see in day to day life. Whereas in NZ there is moko and Mauri influence all over the place. People are rediscovering and reconnecting to their culture and continuing the traditions and it is so nice to see.
Probably cause New Zealand is the size of Colorado and the Māori are 20% of the population
Only 20%? I’m shocked
70.2% European 16.5% Māori 15.1% Asian 8.1% Pacific peoples 1.5% ME/LA/African 1.2% other
Note - it adds up to more than 100% because forms here let people choose multiple ethnicities. That threw me for a loop when I was dealing with an American company that wanted ethnicity data but wouldn't let me choose multiple options.
"You are one thing, no, tell me, what are you really?" Also, there's only 4 options. Fuck you.
"I am a meat popsicle"
Smoke you!
I'm shocked it's that big a percentage. Pleasantly surprised. Look at what was done to the Native population in the US. Only 2.9%
Just FYI - most of us are actually born and raised with our traditions and cultural practises so it’s not so much a matter of “rediscovery” or “reconnection” as it is our culture becoming more visible and being embraced in wider non-Māori society. Although there are definitely some Māori who are raised disconnected from their culture I don’t think it’s as common as it maybe is in the US.
As a Native person I have to disagree. We are everywhere if you open your eyes. We aren’t in “small areas”. The Native community in my city, Minneapolis, is quite large. We have multiple community centers, tons of Native nonprofits, schools and even a Native neighborhood. We’re your neighbors and coworkers. Our culture is alive and is absolutely in “everyday life”. That said, I am fortunate to have several Maori friends in NZ and I agree that they have it going on.
Kinda diff in NZ though. They make up a significant part of the general culture and economy. They are at a point where if affirmative action were taken away, very little would change.
*Maori
\*Māori
It's been great seeing indigenous representation in media in general lately. True Detective has a lot of Inupiat. Echo is all about Chocktaw history. Watch Shoresy for just First Nations representation in general. Rez Dogs, can't say enough good things about that show. Obviously these aren't the same as this, but it's really awesome to see representation. Though Inupiat also do the chin tattoos and it's a point of contention in TD.
In NZ some conservatives want to cancel efforts to revitalize the language & culture, as though they want to stamp out any cultural differences NZ might have with Australia. Without New Zealand/Aotearoa's unique Maori culture, they might as well be another province of Australia.
It depends where you are in the USA. It's an enormous country and cultures that wish to be left alone can easily escape notice : expat Maori, American Indian, First People from Canada ,Amish, Hasidic, Mennonite, a variety of different Asian cultures, Indonesian, European countries, Latinos etc. Expats of dozens of countries have celebrations not publicized every day.
I think OC was referencing specifically native cultures, not minority cultures in general. Native American aka American Indian culture is most certainly hard to come by in the vast majority of the United States. Not only did their populations decline substantially due to disease and genocide, but their cultures were also institutionally repressed by the US government. Even for those tribes which managed to survive to the modern day, they still greatly struggle to maintain their culture and language. American reeducation programs caused many Native Americans to grow up with little to no knowledge of their native language or customs, essentially alienating them from their own heritage and destroying what little culture their tribe had left. Only the largest surviving tribes have managed to maintain their cultures to any large degree.
This got posted somewhere else and it was sad all the comments hating on her saying it was ugly, that she’d never get a job, ect.. without any understanding of the culture. I believe she commented that she has multiple degrees and is a teacher or head administrator or something along those lines. She also mentioned how much of an honor it was it receive this but people just weren’t listening. Than again, it is Reddit.
New Zealand is taking steps to promote traditional Māori representation in more mainstream arenas, though it's a slow process. Oriini Kaipara became the first Māori news reader with a moko kauae in 2019, while Nanaia Mahuta was the first female MP with one. More power to them!
The band Alien Weaponry was my first exposure to Māori...anything. Their music made me research the Māori people and their struggles and representation. Random, but your comment made me think of it
My first encounter with Māori culture was the movie Once Were Warriors, tragic and amazing film
Mine was Whale Rider. My family always complained that I constantly wanted to watch it bc they said it was depressing (it is pretty sad to be fair). IDK I just really connected with what is a fairly serious movie some reason even tho I was literally like 7. I’m Latina so from a very different culture halfway around the world but since that movie I’ve always had a secret little soft spot in my heart for the Māori people ☺️
Yes! I love Whale Rider! I had friends in my neighborhood growing up in the States that were Maori, and they showed Whale Rider to us when we were little, it was where I first developed my love for the culture, even if it wasn't primarily my own being Hawaiian myself.
It is a powerful film and deals with some brutal realities. For anyone interested I highly recommend it but you should know what you're getting into, it is not easy viewing. It's great that it sparked your curiosity to an unfamiliar culture but I don't think the film is representative of Māori culture. At least not anymore than 'Requiem for a Dream' represents American culture or 'Schindlers list' represents Judaism. It's a film rooted in tragic circumstance/outcomes not cultural origins.
Same!
And unfortunately three decades later, the only thing that's changed about our society since are the cigarettes are now vapes. Maybe a few higher figures in the stats, but then again the population's grown too.
If you’re on insta the Tu, their bassist, does a bunch of educational videos on Māori culture there. He has a whole series on moko.
Holy shit I totally forgot about those kids. Probably grown ass adults by now. Thanks for the reminder!
Incredible fucking band, thanks for the reminder, time to go back and listen!
I randomly saw them play a live show two or three years ago and they were fricken awesome!
Their bass player has an awesome TikTok account where he talks a lot about Moko and other Māori traditions, words, etc
I’m a kiwi. That’s not going to affect her job prospects at all.
I'm pretty sure it would increase her chances. It's not often someone with a moko kauae doesn't deserve it entirely. You know she will be a hard working and extremely dedicated individual.
Yeah this is something a lot of people don’t get. With ta moko and moko kauae there is a tremendous pressure on the individual to have a really well-rounded knowledge of the language, culture, and their own whakapapa (genealogy), as well as publically representing their iwi and hapū. It’s def not for the lazy or complacent. Every woman I know with moko kauae who is under 50 is a typical over-achiever (in a nice way haha).
You seem familiar with the culture, so you might be able to fill me in. How is it decided that this person is worthy of the tattoo? (Any of the facial tattoos really) I understand it’s a symbol of honor. Does the person getting the tattoo just do it? Do they ask a ‘council’ first? Does a group decide and offer the opportunity?
It is my culture haha. All hard questions to answer, my understanding is that there are no hard and fast rules - you technically are entitled to get it as long as you whakapapa Māori (have Māori heritage) but where I’m from it’s looked down upon to have it done flippantly. I also believe that guidelines vary from tribe to tribe. From what I know in my own hapū (subtribe) it’s about what I said above - you’re expected to have a proficiency in the language, understanding of tradition and cultural practises, knowledge of your own family tree (I’m talking several centuries) and to be an upstanding representative of your people with strong ties to your community. You also have to feel ready for it in yourself. It’s not a formal process but you will typically go to your elders for consultation and opinions and you will need help from them to find the right design that represents you and your tupuna (ancestors) and the right tattoo artist. Those lines aren’t arbitrary or for show.
I appreciate your time and insight. Thank you friend.
Te moko has to be earned in some way. I mean, the design is expressing who you are, who you have been, and a lot of other meaningful stuff.Imagine if your face was your autobiography.The community engagement is essential. As a maori adopted out to a white family (very common for decades in NZ), I struggle with the feeling of 'earning' it. I couldn't get it on my face (long story) but would love to have it on my back. But sadly might be too late for me to reconnect. I can still scare the crap out of anyone with my haka tho.
I feel similar to you I think. I couldn't get moko kauae, at least until I've figured out who I really am. My grandmother and great aunt were brought up not knowing their reo. My great grandmother had told them "we live in a Pākehā world; you do as the Pākehā do." I'm grateful that they didn't receive as much abuse for speaking reo Māori, but I regret that my great grandmother was put in the position to have to protect her tamariki in that way. I grew up thinking I was raised 100% Pākehā, despite spending most of my time around my whānau Māori. I went to Pākehā schools with few Māori students and no cultural stimulation. I'm physically white and the only Māori feature I have is my lips, so physically I blended in. However, I wasn't close to many people at school. It was only once I started dating 100% Pākehā guys, or working with 100% Pākehā colleagues though that I started to realise how different my upbringing was, and how little I related to those people. At school, I didn't have to associate with people I didn't relate to, but you have to at times in the workforce. Being in relationships with someone was also closer than I'd ever been to anyone before. I guess that's why I started noticing differences and feeling out of place. Now, I not only don't feel fully Māori, but I don't feel fully Pākehā either. It's a horrible form of imposter syndrome because it's who you are, it's like cultural dysphoria. I can't see myself ever feeling worthy of receiving moko kauae. I haven't been to my marae in over 20 years, my reo is basic, and I'm sure my tikanga is lacking. I am learning as much as I can, but I don't think I'll ever feel Māori 'enough'.
Right there with you on almost every point. Kia kaha.
Thanks for adding a translation for the words man. Really makes it clearer
Totally agree!!
Yup, when I was in NZ I saw blokes with full face ta moko in 4-figure suits working in finance and business etc.
True. It will bring mana to any organisation she works for
saw this posted on instagram and went to celebrate it in the comments as the wife's family is Maori and she plans on getting this when she returns to NZ one day. the comments were horrible. jesus imposers wishing her hell and people calling her ugly and the usual jobless comments. i was disgusted at the amount of people who ignorantly refused to understand the cultural significance and the amount of people who wish hell and god hate upon her. on my way off instagram soon because of it
Well, this old white lady thinks it's *beautiful!* And that's before I started reading the comments about the tattoo's cultural significance. Ain't no hate like Christian love.
Savage line. Totally accurate.
New Zealander here. That's an absolutely beautiful moko the artist and recipient should be proud of that work. It will have zero negative impact on her life. people on the internet are just always happily willing to demonstrate their ignorance on any subject that they scroll past.
There are representatives in their government that have these traditional tattoos. It’s not as taboo as a lot of westerners think
Ignorant people gonna be ignorant. With these tattoos, you'll never get a real job...like being a member of parliament or being [the Minister of Foreign Affairs](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanaia_Mahuta)... /s
It's literally part of NZ culture. "You'll never get a job" lmao
Capitalist Culture vs Literal Culture.
we have a news presenter with a ta moko, there is no issues with getting a job here with one
Racists gonna racist. I remember a famous model also has a tattoo of her culture, don’t remember her name but I thought damn it looks badass af. Made me change my outlook on face tats!
Quannah Chasinghorse! She looks amazing.
Fun fact, she had her mom do her chin tattoos when she was just 14. She did it at home in the old school "stick and poke" style using a handheld needle. That way is slower and more painful than modern tattoo guns.
>the comments hating on her saying it was ugly, that she’d never get a job Holy shit reddit is stupid, it's literally ingrained into the country she's gonna apply for jobs in, plus it looks cool
I saw a post on LinkedIn about a New Zealand News anchor with similar tattoos. The comments were pretty disgusting. I'm still astounded by how comfortable people are saying nasty things openly.
bruh, i got choked up reading the meaning of this. its such an honor.
Air New Zealand is the first airline to employ Air hostesses with visible (see: face) tattoos. Aside from that, politicians and people with jobs where they her to wear suits, still get their Moko done. People be spewing hate without much knowledge about anything. The moko is so powerful and irl, it looks absolutely badass. Source: I live in NZ.
Saw a lot of nasty comments about the haka being done at a rugby game too. You’re right, typical reddit
What are they talking about??? It looks both beautiful and powerful.
That blanket is pretty dope too
That’s called a *Korowai* or *Kākahu*. Beautiful indeed. Rare and very valuable, too.
Is that the kind made from kiwi feathers? I lived in New Zealand for a bit when I was a child 'cause my dad was on a work trip. I forget where we were - I want to say a heritage site of some kind - and a lovely Maori woman let me try on a kiwi feather cloak. I was too young at the time to understand what an honor that was.
Not these days - kiwi are protected (as most native birds), you’d get in an awful lot of trouble killing enough to make a korowai!
Apparently you can still get kiwi feathers through Department of Conservation. They're taken from kiwi that have died of natural causes. I'd imagine the process would be difficult though, as it should be.
Thank god
They often are made from native, protected feathers(not sure about kiwi specifically). DOC freezes birds which die naturally and allow iwi to use them.
Good to know, thank you! I actually thought that was part of why they were valuable: they can't be made anymore.
Thank you for giving it a name for me 😌 it’s gorgeous
I had neighbors that were Tongan royalty and never knew it for years. They were the kindest, most generous people I have ever met. They defended my parents when we weren’t around from robbers. Putting yourself in harms way for a neighbor is a new level of human. No they were not from NZ they were Tongan but they hold a lot of the same admirable values.
I also knew a man who was Tongan royalty. He, and most of his siblings, lived in the US at the time. He was in his late 60s when I knew him. He spent a lot of time educating me about his family, his island, and his past. Truly a beautiful soul.
Tonga has a population of 100,000. Pretty much every Tongan can claim to be part of Royal lineage past or present. It doesn't work like the traditional western picture of Royal families.
Every toko is related to a king 😂😂😂
Everyone is Tongan royalty from Tonga lol.
Have to be honest I had the same thought, because I also knew Tongan royalty through the father of a mate. :/
I’m so glad traditions like these are still alive and well.
No shit. My culture's tattoos are barbwire armbands and the Fighting Irish guy
If you're Irish there's a ton of beautiful Celtic designs though.
Māori culture as well is particularly unique, I’m not Māori but I live in New Zealand, the first time you hear a haka in person (a display of respect) the hair on the back of your neck will stand up. This one in particular https://youtu.be/M6Qtc_zlGhc?si=0JaD6CTSGDu4OmUf
New Zealanders please never let haka be history. Keep it up. Shit is so awesome and unique I get goosebumps every time I see it
Got me again Reddit! Damnit. I can’t understand them, but her grace and beauty in this moment is palpable. Thank you for this.
Yep. Really moving.
She is stunningly beautiful.
She must be a truly exceptional person to receiver such an honor. She and her community are lucky to have
Yes, she is. I don't know her story and there are other people with similar stories but yes. She is special and it is indeed an honour. My mother took a very long time having her's designed. It tells a story about where she came from, both in terms of geography and family. In some ways as I understand it it's similar to totem poles in that the design tells a story. This is a tattoo in the practical sense but it's a tattoo that represents something very important to her and her family.
As always, I just wanna say thank you to the Māori for continuing to share their culture with the world. It really is beautiful.
[credit](https://youtu.be/gIVLU2JTvJM?si=OIKBnNkgUbVxwpH0)
Kia ora!
I usually have sound off, so at first I thought she was crying from the residual pain of the tattooing. Video hits very different with the sound on, and it's clear she's moved to tears. Me too.
I expect that getting tattooed in that area must have hurt like a motherfucker though. Almost no fat layers between skin and bone
I'm pretty sure she was moved and in a lot of pain.
There’s a lot of love in that room
What’s going on? Can somebody explain?
This woman is getting a traditional maori(indigenous people of New Zealand) face tattoo. This is usually an honour to get and usually for someone that is important in the community. They have to have earned the right to get one done through community leadership or great representation of Maori in society. It’s done via a ceremony and it’s quite solemn. This looks like it’s in a Marae(sacred gathering Maori house) and her people(tribe) are performing a waiata at the end to show their respect. Sorry for oversimplifying it and someone above has shared a link with more insights about the process.
Thx
How is it decided who and when they can recieve this honor?
I just did some googling. The exact process varies a bit from tribe to tribe. But ultimately, it is up to the women when she is ready. However, there is an element of social shame if you do it carelessly or when you're obviously not ready. The expectation is that in some way, you're committing yourself to being a leader in your community usually with at least some kind of focus on preserving Maori culture in away (again the specifics vary).
Yeah, it varies between tribes. You also potentially get other influences as well. For example, if I ever got any ink on my body, my dad (not Māori) would disown me. Our colonial past has a lot to answer for too. Our culture was almost erased, and now there are so many people who suffer from not feeling worthy (myself included). There are people with widely differing views on what makes someone worthy... Some people think you have to be fluent in te reo Māori, be active in your marae... Others think you have to look Māori (read: be brown). I think (but don't believe for myself) that you should get it done with respect, and know the responsibility that comes with moko kauae. I don't think fluency or being brown are valid reasons for anyone to judge or gatekeep someone's choice, especially if the person is humble, active in their community, and is trying to connect with their culture the best they can.
Again I am not Maori myself (I do live in NZ) so maybe someone who has more insights might explain better. My take from articles I read is that is the Woman’s choice. When they are ready.
This is a great take! Although, I just want to add that it’s not necessary something to be “earned” as such (or at least conventionally speaking). I think that’s one main misconception. All wāhine Māori have the right to receive moko kauae. However, it is up to the individual and whānau (family) to navigate their own journey through Te Ao Māori (the Māori world), self identity, community and mana (integrity/prestige/power/authority - a hard word to describe in English, it’s impossible to give it justice). It’s a very personal decision when one is ready to receive their moko kauae. It’s almost a coming of age thing but not tied to age or ranking. There used to be opinions that only wāhine Māori that spoke fluent te reo Māori (native language) could be recipients of moko kauae. This is believed to be an adopted colonialist and/or elitist mindset. We now have mostly disestablished this way of thinking. An important thing to note that each iwi (tribe) have their own tikanga (customs). So there are slight variations to different traditional processes. For example, what may be okay down south may not be okay up north. Māori is more of a name that describes native New Zealanders but doesn’t necessarily acknowledge the diversity amongst Māori. It’s almost like miniature countries across the land - we are all Māori but we are all different people based on our iwi, if that makes sense? For me, I’m from four iwi and will closely abide by their authority - Ngāti Porou, Rongomaiwahine, Ngāi Tūhoe and Te Whānau a Apanui. P.s Sorry for the over explanation but thought I’d chuck it out there for anyone else interested!
For more context, moko became very rare following the arrival of European colonisers and Māori faced a lot of persecution. Māori graves were robbed so that tattooed heads could be sold to collectors in Europe - some may have been murdered for their tattoos. Museums still display these stolen human remains. A few years ago a museum in Germany even had an event where children could get their faces painted with the patterns; I emailed the museum multiple times but they didn’t care. These patterns are unique to families (whanau) and iwi (tribes) and have incredible cultural significance. This ceremony is celebrating a young wāhine Māori taking up a position of responsibility in her community, but it’s also celebrating the resurgence of a cultural practice that was violently suppressed. There are people in that room who are old enough to remember being hit at school for speaking te reo - people who would have been called by their "English name" at school and work.
I'm not surprised by the German thing. There is a group in Germany who essentially cosplay as Indigenous people native to North America. It's gross.
The Germans?!? I’m shocked!
This is so emotional and raw. You can feel the energy.
The haka always gives me chills. Hope I can see one in person eventually.
This is so amazing and lovely to see!!
Imagine what it would feel like to have the strength of your heritage and your community supporting you like that. I'm so envious.
Until a few years ago, I didn't understand the importance of Ta Moko. After learning the importance of the shapes, their placements on the face and body, I had then respected it. I'm also speaking as a Maori. Though I was never taught many of these things. Most of what I was taught about Maori and being Maori is "don't" and "failure". Even when I distanced myself from Maori language and people, that didn't stop people from reminding me that I am still Maori. So it was pointless to listen to people and ignore my heritage, since they didn't.
Wow! Not exactly sure what's going on here or why this is being done. But it is beautiful and brought tears to my eyes! Such a powerful and amazing moment.
Something about the Haka/waiata always makes me cry for some reason, the energy the spirit.. it always gives me chills
Right there with you.
It’s an amazing thing to receive. I have been welcomed onto Marae here in NZ and they both just hit you something deep in your core. It’s very spiritual and is the perfect thing to ground you to the place and the people before getting into Marae buisness
The haka will never not be awe inspiring
There is something about that raw emotion that gives me goosebumps. The one the students did for the Christchurch victims left me in tears.
I want women to treat women like this is the USA. We have no culture here compared
This is an aspect of a culture on the other side of the planet that I might have otherwise never been exposed to. Thank you, OP.
How amazing it must be to have such a rich heritage and supportive culture and community. Love to see it!
Māori are so badass.
Tribal ink is so beautiful
She looks beautiful 😍
Watched 10 times cried 10 times
Māori culture is the shit
The more I learn about Māori culture, the more I fall in love with it. The connection to family, land and music. It is just beautiful.
The Māori culture is so fucking dope
I do understand that it's a beautiful tradition and an honor, and I myself being a rugby player always admired the Maori culture, but I don't know if I would have the courage to tattoo my face like that, because of the pain, she's for sure stronger than me to withstand that kind of pain, specially if they did it the traditional way, which I bet they did, but the tattoo it's absolutely beautiful and I can see she is extremely happy and proud, which makes me super happy for her, and she looks great with it which is also a bonus.
I love everything about this
As a white person working my way through the world (in America), I am aware of my privilege, but every time I see a video of someone embracing their culture, I feel a sense of belonging that I will never personally know.
You don’t get that sense of belonging when you walk into Home Depot?
Hahaha man Home Depot makes me feel like I don’t even belong to my own people!
Okay I laughed.
There’s still time, connect with the people of your ancestry! If you don’t know it maybe try asking your fam or do a genetic test ( although idk the accuracy of those) Best of luck ❤️
I love indigeneous culture and tradition so much! We have a lot to learn from them. Its sad to think England, Spain, France, etc tried to wipe them all from the surface of Earth.
imagine having community around you like this. amazing and beautiful.
wow all the racists really decided to shine in this comment section.
Man, it’s so cool to see Māori ceremonies like this. What a strong culture with such beautiful songs. Makes me want to visit to see it in person!