The Maori Tribe

In ancient times, male facial moko (Face Tatttoos) was considered a mark of adulthood and achievement. Usually the faces of men were marked from forehead to throat, creating a mask-like effect which enhanced the bone structure, softened or strengthened the features, and confirmed the virility of the warrior or the wisdom of the shaman.

Each line attests to the man's courage - taking moko is a painful and exacting process, and the Maori technique particularly so. Unlike the other Pacific peoples who used comb-like instruments that tapped the ink into the skin, the Maori used scalpel-sharp chisels, which cut and scarred, gouging a raised pattern on the cheeks, forehead, eyelids, and chin.

In Maori and Polynesian culture, facial tattoos signalled the wearer was of high birth. Men of undistinguished ancestry were tattooed from waist to knee. Double-headed fern fronds - such as in the chest tattoo pictured above - often denoted a warrior. Tattooists made marks on skin with chisels, usually made from bone.

No two facial moko are ever alike. It is usually gendered - a woman's facial adornment is restricted to a panel from the central forehead (rarely done today), nostrils and below to the rich darkening of the upper and lower lips, and a design on the chin continuing into the throat.

This man from the Maori tribe would most likely have been a very strong Warrior and/or Leader.

They have very curvy, detailed designs which must take a lot of time and skill using only a Chisel and Ink!

This is a photo of a Maori Mans Arm. Again, it contains high detail and the use of very fine lines.

This man's design still has the curvy lines but they are much thicker and less detailed. They seem to use flicks at the end of their lines quite often.

This man from the Maori Tribe has only tattoos on his chin and has had his whole lips tattooed in black ink. The lines are still very fine and detailed.