Maori Tattooing

by Horatio Gordon Robley

Originally published in 1896, this classic of ethnography was assembled by a skilled illustrator who first encountered Maori tattoo art during his military service in New Zealand. Maori tattooing (moko) consists of a complex design of marks, made in ink and incised into the skin, that communicate the bearer's genealogy, tribal affiliation, and spirituality. This well-illustrated volume summarizes all previous accounts of moko and encompasses many of Robley's own observations. He relates how moko first became known to Europeans and discusses the distinctions between men and women's moko, patterns and designs, moko in legend and song, and the practice of mokomokai: the preservation of the heads of Maori ancestors. Features 180 black-and-white illustrations.

Genres: History, Art, Cultural, Historical

240 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1998

Reviews

[Bruce Graham · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you think you're tough, and get off on horror and grit lit-this might test your stomach. Robley told it how he saw it. The author had no reason to exaggerate or deceive. At the end of his tale, he has this to say: 'Should my book be considered "whai mana" or a "standard work" on this particular element in Maori life and history I shall be more than satisfied'. There is a four page bibliography totaling roughly a hundred books appended to the book I read, which was originally published in 1896.
Maori tattooing begins with a mystery. Abel Tasman, who named New Zealand and arrived there in 1642, didn't mention it. Odd, because he noticed it in Tonga, which is where he was before New Zealand. Perhaps having four of his men murdered and eaten put him off his game a bit.
James Cook, who arrived more than a century later, and despite deaths on both sides, Maori tattoos were noticed. Given that faces were tattooed, it's difficult to see how they were not noticed.
Tattoo, a Samoan word, comes into English from Cook. Tatau is an onomatopoeic word meaning 'to tap'. Imagine your face being gouged with a chisel and dyed, that's what original tattooing was like. Having your face carved and sculpted. Blood and agony were par for the course.
Only the thunder guys with big 'mana' (natural power) wore full facial tattoos. And beheading guys decorated thus was a big step up. Eating their eyes was about as great as it got. Raping their wives and enslaving their children were rewards.
Then things started getting really grisly. Rather than go into detail, I'll just say that trading tattooed heads became a major business. Which the British stopped, about the time that they stopped suttee in India.

[Sonanova · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was useful, if only because it was very light reading and had some very basic second and even first hand info about Maori tattooing in the 1860s. It bothered me that his premise was to save knowlege on tattooing that he believed would be extinct by the end of the century (it obviously isn't). Of course, he was a product of his time and while he does lament the situation involving the trade in mokomokai he was not only an active participant, but one of the most avid collectors in Europe. I found the prospect of reading such insensitive and biased info distasteful, but he kept it simple enough so that I easily overcame this misgiving.

[Mallee Stanley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book covers every aspect of Maori tattooing in a precise manner. It only falls short in that the author believed moko didn't happen much before Cook's arrival because their were no "written" records. This was/is a culture that can trace its roots back 4 000 years but we can forgive Robley since the book was first published in 1896.

[Pastel Witch · Rating 5 out of 5]

While this book seems a bit outdated in terms of the language used when talking about the Māori people, it offers a lot of useful knowledge and includes first hand accounts and beautiful illustrations. It is a great base to start learning about the history and spirituality of ta moko.

[Peter · Rating 3 out of 5]

many illustrations and anecdotal information.

[Carly · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fantastic overview of a lost/exploited art.