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MOKO
5
The Art of Maori Tattoo D.R. Simmons
Ta Moko
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2019 with funding from Kahle/Austin Foundation
https://archive.org/details/tamokoartofmaoriOOOOsimm
Ta Moko The Art of Maori Tattoo j.
D.R. Simmons
REED
©4ia ubrary
‘XX sss
By the same author The Great New Zealand Myth (1976) The Art of the Pacific (1980) (with Brian Brake and James McNeish) “Catalogue of Maori Artefacts in the Museums of Canada and the United States of America” (1982) (.Bulletin of the Auckland Institute and Museum, no. 12: 1-421) Whakairo: Maori Tribal Art (1985)
Edited by D. R. Simmons Customs and Habits of the New Zealanders 1838-42 by Father Catherin Servant (1972) Maori History and Place Names of Hawkes Bay by J. D. H. Buchanan (1973)
Published by Reed Books, a division of Reed Publishing (NZ) Ltd, 39 Rawene Rd, Birkenhead, Auckland. Associated companies, branches and representatives throughout the world. This book is copyright. Except for the purpose of fair reviewing, no part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. Infringers of copyright render themselves liable to prosecution. ISBN 0 7900 0568 9 © 1986 D.R. Simmons The author asserts his moral rights in the work. First published 1986 Revised edition 1997 Reprinted 2003,2004 Printed in Singapore
He karakia kia hiki te tapu Te Karakia a Mauitikitiki a Taranga
Ahu e huruhuru maku e Te Rangi Ahu e huruhuru wai e Te Rangi Ahu e huruhuru papa e Te Rangi Ahu e te puna maku e Te Rangi Ahu e wai mana e panekereru Te Rangi
Contents ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
9
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS INTRODUCTION
Part I
11
19
A brief description of Maori tattooing A review of earlier authorities The tools and methods
22
23
Design fields and motifs
24
Part II Male tattooing in the late eighteenth century The record of Cook’s voyages, 1769-73 Tattooing during Cook’s voyages
32
42
De Surville’s record in Doubtless Bay in 1769
43
Du Fresne’s record for the Bay of Islands in 1772
44
Governor King’s record in 1793 for North Cape and the Bay of Islands
46
The Duff dried heads of 1796-8 and a possible Cook head Regional variation in the eighteenth century
46
48
Part III Male moko in the first half of the nineteenth century A new fashion in the North, 1793-1824 Regional variation in tattooing, 1824-6 Augustus Earle in the Bay of Islands, 1827
50 57 63
Regional variation in male moko in the early nineteenth century Later records of male tattoo in the nineteenth century The portraits of Angas, 1844 The Salem portraits
71
82
Later portraits: photographs and the studies of Robley Lindauer’s portraits Goldie’s portraits
68
87
89 97
Part IV Female moko Eighteenth-century records of Cook and de Surville
100
Regional variation in female moko in the eighteenth century 7
67
TA MOKO Early nineteenth-century records: Savage, Cruise, Bellingshausen, Duperrey, d’Urville and Earle
102
Mid-nineteenth-century records: Polack, Bidwill, Angas and Shortland
107
Later nineteenth-century female moko: Merrett, Robley, Lindauer and Goldie
112
Twentieth-century chisel moko
120
Needle tattoo of the twentieth century
Part V
121
Discussion The place of moko in Maori society Te tuhi moko Male moko styles Female moko styles
126
129 144 148
I he decline of male moko
150
1 he development of female moko
151
Appendix: Te Rangikaheke’s manuscript on tattooing BIBLIOGRAPHY INDEX
173
177
8
156
Ack n owledgemen ts Te Riria is properly styled Ko Te Arikinui Taiopuru Ko Te Riria V of Kohuiarau. He is the source of much of the knowledge in this book. The commentaries on moko contained in the captions are derived from the know¬ ledge of “Te tuhi moko”.
Sutherland portraits Hocken Library, Dunedin Auckland Institute and Museum — Goldie portraits, Merret drawings, R.ooley drawings Auckland City Art Gallery — Lindauer portraits
Illustrations have been researched and sup¬ plied by:
Service Historique de la Marine, Paris — Jules Le Jeune sketches
The British Library — Capt. Cook drawings by Parkinson et al.
Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington — Earle paintings
The National Library of Australia — Hodges drawings, Robley drawings, Earle drawings (Rex Nan Kivell Collection)
Bibliotheque Nationale, Paris, de Sainson and Crozet sketches
State Library of South Australia, Rex Nan Kivell Collection — drawings of Earle,
I wish also to acknowledge the assistance of Gerald Moonen, Harry Sangl, Peter Gossage, Virginia Bennett, my wife and the staff of the Ethnology Department of Auckland Museum in providing illustrations and preparing the manuscript for publication.
Angas South Australian Museum, Rex Nan Kivell Collection, Angas drawings State Library of New South Wales (Mitchell Library) — Cotton (Renata Kawepo)
D. R. Simmons
Peabody Museum, Salem, Mass. —
9
List of illustrations 1. Design fields of the face (after Angas
1847b). 2. The motifs employed in the design fields of the face (after Hamilton 1896). Drawn by Virginia Bennett.
25
5. Female brow moko (after Hamilton 1896). Drawn by Virginia Bennett.
27
National Museum of New Zealand, Oldman 121.
46
22. Head collected by Wilson of the Duff. National Museum of New Zealand, Oldman 123.
46
28 29
23. Head collected by Wilson of the Duff.
30
National Museum of New Zealand, Oldman 122.
6. Female chin moko (after Hamilton 1896).
Drawn by Virginia Bennett. 7. “Portrait of a New Zealand Man”. S. Parkinson (BM ADD. MS 23920 f55). British Library.
45
21. Head collected by Wilson of the Duff.
4. Puhoro-style trilateral scroll (after
Hamilton 1896). Drawn by Virginia Bennett.
43
20. Tacouri (Te Kuri). (Crozet 1783: plate 2).
26
3. Buttock and thigh tattoo (after Hamilton
1896). Drawn by Virginia Bennett.
19. Ranginui of Doubtless Bay. Journal of Pottier de L’Horme. Archives Nationals de la Marine, Paris.
47
24. Head, possibly collected by Cook.
National Museum of New Zealand, Oldman 128.
47
8. Pencil drawing of a New Zealand Man.
25. “Tiarrah”. (Savage 1807: frontispiece).
50
S. Parkinson (BM ADD. MS 23920 f56). British Library.
26. Moko signature — Ahoodee o Gunna (The Missionary Register 1816:328).
51
27. Moko signature — Te Morenga. (Nicholas 1817 II: 217).
51
9. “Man of New Zealand”. Crayon, Wm. Hodges (Cape Kidnappers). National Library of Australia.
32
33
34
10. Pencil sketch of chief of Tolaga Bay with
spiral on chest. S. Parkinson (BM ADD. MS 23920 f60). British Library.
35
11. 12. Sketches of bearded men (? Hauraki). S. Parkinson (BM ADD. MS 23920 f67). British Library.
36
13. Small sketch (Northland). S. Parkinson (BM ADD. MS 23920 f67). British Library.
37
14. “Portrait of a New Zealand man” (Otegoongoon, son of the chief of Cape Brett). S. Parkinson (BM ADD. MS 23920 f54a). British Library.
28. Tetoro (Titore). (Cruise 1824:
frontispiece).
52
29. Toui. Original by Le Jeune, Service Historique de la Marine, Paris, and engraving from Duperrey’s Atlas Historique (1826: plate 47).
53
30. Unknown chief. Original by Le Jeune and engraving from Duperrey’s Atlas Historique (1826: plate 47).
53
31. Taiwhanga. Detail of original by Le Jeune
and detail from plate 46, both in Duperrey’s 37
Atlas Historique (1826).
54
32. Hongi and Toui. Drawing by Le Jeune.
54
33. Head carved by Hongi Hika. Auckland
15. “Black stains on the skin called tattoo”. Unknown artist (S. Parkinson). (BM ADD. MS 23920 f66). British Library.
38
16. “Old Man of New Zealand”. Wm. Hodges. National Library of Australia.
40
35. “Fabooha”. Samuel Leigh (1823).
40
36. Chief of Queen Charlotte Sound, 1820.
Museum 44973. Photograph D.R.S. Photograph: Auckland Museum Library. Photograph Auckland Museum Library.
17. Young Man. Wm. Hodges. Dixon
Library, N.S.W.
(Debenham 1945).
18. Portrait of Kahouwera by Webber. Dixon
Library, N.S.W.
42
55
34. Tara or George. Samuel Leigh (1823).
55 55 56
TA MOKO 56
61. Head collected by Wilkes, 1840. (Smithsonian 276197). US National Museum of Natural History. Photograph D.R.S.
56
62. Head collected by Wilkes, 1840.
57
(Smithsonian 276094). US National Museum of Natural History. Photograph D.R.S.
37. Native of South Island. 1820. P. M. Mikhailov, State Russian Museum, Moscow.
38. Native of South Island. 1820. P. M. Mikhailov, State Russian Museum, Moscow.
39. People of Tasman Bay (detail). De Sainson in d’Urville (1830: plate 42).
57
Maungakahia. (Polack 1840 I: frontispiece).
68
57
64. Portrait of Tamaroa, chief of Kaipara. (Polack 1840 I: 67).
68
41. Ikaitaitaki of Tasman Bay (detail). De Sainson in d’Urville (1830: plate 47).
42. People of Tasman Bay (detail). De Sainson in d’Urville (1830: plate 42).
65. Portrait of Te Wainga, priest of 58
Araiteuru. (Polack 1840 1:252).
69
58
66. Signature of Kawiti, chief of Waimate. (Polack 1840 11:50).
69
58
67. Signature of E’Gnogni, chief of Mukou. (Polack 1840 11:49).
69
43. A man of Tasman Bay (detail). De Sainson in d’Urville (1830: plate 47).
44. Tehinoui of Palliser Bay (detail). De Sainson in d’Urville (1830: plate 54).
68. Portrait of Urao-wero, chief of East Cape.
45. Koki-hore of Palliser Bay (detail). De Sainson in d’Urville (1830: plate 54).
46. Man of Te Raouti (detail). De Sainson in d’Urville (1830: plate 53).
(Polack 1840 11:35).
59 59
(Hocken Library M1 + + 808A).
70
60
70. Signature of Tuhawaiki, chief of Otago and Southland. (Hocken Library M1+ + 808B). '
71
60
71. Tamati Waka Nene of Ngapuhi (detail). G. F. Angas (1847a: plate 1 7).
71
61
72. “Pomare, nephew of Pomare, chief of Otuihu”. G. F. Angas (1972: plate 17). Rex Nan Kivell collection. South Australian Museum.
72
73. “Tara or Irirangi, chief of Ngaitai”. G. F. Angas (1847b: plate 34). Rex Nan Kivell collection, South Australian Museum.
72
48. Man of Houahoua (detail). De Sainson in d’Urville (1830: plate 53).
49. Hauraki warriors (detail). De Sainson in d’Urville (1830: plate 58).
50. Rangi (Rangui) of Ngati Paoa (detail). De Sainson in d’Urville (1830: plate 71).
61
51. Tawhiti of Ngapuhi (detail). De Sainson in d’Urville (1830: plate 70).
62
52. Natai of Bream Bay (detail). De Sainson in d’Urville (1830: plate 63).
53. Pako of Te Reinga (detail). De Sainson in d’Urville (1830: plate 57). 54. Buttock and thigh of Pako of Te Reinga (detail). De Sainson in d’Urville (1830: plate 57).
62
74. “Apihai Te Kawau, chief of Ngati Whatua” (detail). G. F. Angas (1847b: plate 56). Rex Nan Kivell collection, South Australian Museum.
73
63
75. “Potatau or Te Wherowhero, principal chief of the Waikato”. G. F. Angas (1847b: plate 44). Rex Nan Kivell collection, South Australian Museum.
73
64
76. Detail of Potatau Te Wherowhero. G. F. Angas (1847b: plate 44).
73
64
77. “Te Awataia and Te Moanaroa, Waingaroa” (detail). C». F. Angas (1847b: plate 5). Rex Nan Kivell collection, South Australian Museum.
74
62
63
55. Man of New Zealand. A. Earle, 1828. National Library of Australia.
56. King George and family. A. Earle, 1828. National Library of Australia.
57. New Zealand method of tattooing. A. Earle (1828). National Library of Australia.
58. A Maori with a pipe. A. Earle (1828). Rex Nan Kivell collection. State Library of South Australia.
78. “Te Waru chief of the Ngati Apakura
65
tribe, Waipa; and Te Pakaru or Haupokia of Ngati Maniapoto in Council at Ahuahu” (detail). G. F. Angas (1847b: plate 44). Rex Nan Kivell collection, South Australian Museum.
59. A chief from Taranaki. A. Earle (1828). Rex Nan Kivell collection. State Library of South Australia.
65
60. Moko of Te Pehi Kupe drawn by himself, 1828. (Craik 1830). Rex Nan Kivell collection. National Library of Australia.
70
69. Signature of Korako, chief of Otago.
47. Chief of Houahoua (detail). De Sainson in d’Urville (1830: plate 53).
66
63. Portrait of Tangieri, a chief of
40. Eaghi Taghi of Tasman Bay (detail). De Sainson in d’Urville (1830: plate 47).
66
79. “Te Taepa a chief of Te Kaitutae a branch of the Nga Timanoki tribe at
66 12
75
The Art of Maori Tattoo Koruakopopopo, Waikato” (detail). G. F. Angas (1972: plate 25). Rex Nan Kivell collection, South Australian Museum.
75
80. “Te Paki a chief of the Ngaungau tribe Waikato”. G. F. Angas (1972: plate 27). Rex Nan Kivell collection, South Australian Museum.
76
81
93. "Nohorua or Tom Street of Ngati Toa, elder brother of Te Rauparaha.” Detail of lithograph by G. F. Angas (1847a: plate 19).
81
“Te Rauparaha, Principal chief of Ngati Toa tribe Cooks Str” (detail). G. F. Angas (1972: plate 3). Rex Nan Kivell collection, South Australian Museum.
81
95. “Abraham Taupo Nga Ti Awa”. G. F. Angas (1972: plate 10). Rex Nan Kivell collection, South Australian Museum.
82
94
81. “Kahawai or Pungarehu, principal chief of Nga Ti Hinetu at Ngahuruhuru Otawhao, Waikato” (detail). G. F. Angas (1847b: plate 51). Rex Nan Kivell collection, South Australian Museum.
“Kutia, wife of Te Rauparaha Otaki”. G. F. Angas (1972: plate 4). Rex Nan Kivell collection, South Australian Museum.
°
82. “Muriwhenua of Aotea” (detail). G. F. Angas (1847b: plate 51). Rex Nan Kivell collection, South Australian Museum.
96. Aitu of Te Ati Awa. G. F. Angas (1972:
83. ‘‘Te Uepehi, uncle of Te Pakaru,
plate 14). Rex Nan Kivell collection, South Australian Museum.
82
principal chief of Ngati Maniapoto, Kawhia” (detail). G. F. Angas (1972: plate 31). Rex Nan Kivell collection, South Australian Museum.
97. Te Rangihaeata as drawn by Charles Heaphy in 1843. Auckland Museum Library PD56(57).
83
98. “Panni of Queen Charlotte Sound”, by an unknown artist before 1843. Peabody Museum, Salem, Mass.
83
7?
84. “Ngaporutu a chief of the Ngati Maniapoto tribe at Whakatumutumu” (detail). G. F. Angas (1847a: plate 37). Rex Nan Kivell collection. South Australian Museum.
99. “Rupene of Wakapauwaka”, by an ww
unknown artist. Peabody Museum, Salem, Mass.
85. “Ngohi or Fluatari, Ngati Maniapoto tribe, principal chief of Mania” (detail). G. F. Angas (1972: plate 34). Rex Nan Kivell collection, South Australian Museum.
100. Life mask of Tapua Te Whanoa. National Museum of New Zealand. 101. Epa of Rangitihi house from Taheke. Auckland Museum 5152.
yg
86. “Taonui Principal Chief of All Mokau Kiahari Tribe. Oct 17 1844”. G. F. Angas (1972: plate 35). Rex Nan Kivell collection, South Australian Museum.
78
78
79
79
90. “Te Heuheu Mananui or Tukino, Principal chief of all Taupo at le Rapa Taupo Lake” and “Hiwikau or Nga Papa brother of Te Heuheu’ . G. F. Angas (1847b: plate 56). Rex Nan Kivell collection, South Australian Museum.
91. “E Paki Ngati Toa Tribe. Porirua Cooks Strait. Sept. 11 1844” (detail). G. F. Angas (1972: plate 6). Rex Nan Kivell collection, South Australian Museum.
Auckland Museum Library PD41(3).
85
103. Moko by Renata Kawepo, 1843. (W. C. Cotton Journal, vol. IV: 119). State Library of N.S.W.
86
Attributed to Robert Park. Rex Nan Kivell collection, National Library of Australia.
86
105. “Pencil studies of Maori 1843-5”, by Charles Meryon. State Library of New South Wales.
87
106. Matene Te Nga, by H. G. Robley.
89. ‘‘Ko Tauwaki, a chief of Tukanu” (detail). G. F. Angas (1847b: plate 41). Rex Nan Kivell collection, South Australian Museum.
85
104. “Natives of Ahuriri, alive in 1851.”
88. “Tarapipipi, son of the principal Matamata chief. Oct 1844”. G. F. Angas (1972: plate 43). Rex Nan Kivell collection, South Australian Museum.
84
102. Patuone by J. J. Merret, c. 1850.
87. ‘‘Ko Te Waihaki no Ngati Haua with Hoki, Ko Kauwai and Ko Pihaiti”. G. F. Angas (1972: plate 5). Rex Nan Kivell collection, South Australian Museum.
84
National Library of Australia T535 NK 58/ 7. 1894.
88
107. “Paora”, by H. G. Robley about 1864. National Library of Australia T556 NK 58/28.
88
108. Taraia Ngakuti Te Tumuhuia of Ngati 80
Tamatera. Photograph Auckland Museum Library.
88
109. Tukukino of Ngati Tamatera (detail), painted by G. Lindauer after 1876. Auckland City Art Gallery (Cowan 1930:59).
89
110. Te Horeta Te Taniwha of Ngati
80
Whanaunga (detail), by G. Lindauer after
92. “Hamaiti, a chief of Okahuhu” and
13
TA MOKO 128.
1876. Auckland City Art Gallery (Cowan 1930:82).
111. Haora Tipa Te Koinaki (detail), painted by G. Lindauer. Auckland City Art Gallery (Cowan 1930:131).
129.
131.
115. Anehana of Ngati Whatua (detail). G. Lindauer. Auckland City Art Gallery (Cowan 1930:150). 116. Ratene of Ngaiterangi (detail). G. Lindauer. Auckland City Art Gallery (Cowan 1930:150). 117. Tamati Ngapora of Ngati Mahuta (detail). G. Lindauer. Auckland City Art Gallery (Cowan 1930:31).
90
90
91
122. Wiremu Kingi of Ngati Porou (detail). G. Lindauer. Auckland City Art Gallery (Cowan 1930:99). 123. Te Hapuku of Ngati Kahungunu (detail). G. Lindauer. Auckland City Art Gallery (Cowan 1930:101). 124. Renata Kawepo Tamakihikurangi of Ngati Kahungunu (detail). G. Lindauer. Auckland City Art Gallery (Cowan 1930:100).
126. Tamati Pirimona Marino of Ngati Rarua (detail). G. Lindauer. Auckland City Art Gallery (Cowan 1930:137).
103
103
136.
91
92
Woman aged 20 to 22 years. Jules Le Jeune, 1824. Service Historique de la Marine, Paris.
104
137. Woman of Tasman Bay (detail). (D’Urville 1843: plate 54).
104
138.
92
93
94
Woman of Tasman Bay (detail). (D’Urville 1843: plate 54).
105
139. Wife of Tawiti of Ngapuhi (detail). (D’Urville 1843: plate 70).
105
140. “E Kara” of the Bay of Islands (detail). (D’Urville 1843: plate 70).
105
141. E Ana of the Bay of Islands. After Augustus Earle (1832). Drawn by Gerald Moonen.
106
142.
Wife of Te Rangituke of Kawakawa.
94
After Augustus Earle (1832: plate 56). Drawn by Gerald Moonen. 106
94
(Polack 1840:11, frontispiece).
107
95
144. Ko te Kauwai of Ngati Haua (detail). G. F. Angas (1972: plate 8). Rex Nan Kivell collection, South Australian Museum.
108
143.
“Haupatu, a chieftess of Waipoa”
145.
Te Kauremu of Waikato (detail). G. F. Angas (1972: plate 27). Rex Nan Kivell collection, South Australian Museum. 95
146. Mihi, wife of To Nga Porutu (detail). G. F. Angas (1847b: plate 37). Rex Nan
96
Kivell collection, South Australian Museum.
108
108
147.
“Niapo wife of Taonui, principal chief of all Mokau” (detail). G. F. Angas (1972: plate 35). Rex Nan Kivell collection, South Australian Museum.
96
127.
Topine Te Mamuku of Ngati Haua (detail). G. Lindauer. Auckland City Art Gallery (Cowan 1930:103).
102
4). Service Historique de la Marine, Paris.
125.
Ihaka Whanga of Ngati Kahungunu (detail). G. Lindauer (Cowan 1930:98).
133. Wife of a New Zealand chief, Queen Charlotte Sound. Debenham (1945).
135. “Nile Zelandaise de 16 a 18 ans” (detail). Jules Le Jeune (Duperrey 1826: plate
91
121.
Pera Tutoko of Te Aitanga a Mahaki (detail). G. Lindauer. Auckland City Art Gallery (Cowan 1930:143).
101
“Ecao Jeune fille de la Nile Zeiande”. Jules Le Jeune, 1824. Service Historique de la Marine, Paris.
120.
Wi Te Manewha of Ngati Raukawa. G. Lindauer. Auckland City Art Gallery (Cowan 1930:105).
British Library.
134.
119.
Kewene te Haho of Waikato (detail). G. Lindauer. Auckland City Art Gallery (Cowan 1930:106).
100
132. Buttock tattoo in the Bay of Islands. S. Parkinson (BM ADD. MS 23920 f66).
118.
Takerei Te Rauangaanga of Ngati Mahuta (detail). G. Lindauer. Auckland City Art Gallery (Cowan 1930:133).
98
“Very curiously tattooed woman” (after
Robley 1896: fig. 20).
114.
Te Hira Te Kawau of Ngati Whatua (detail). G. Lindauer. Auckland City Art Gallery (Cowan 1930:77).
98
Te Aho o Te Rangi. C. F. Goldie.
130. Woman with tattooed neck. S. Parkinson (BM ADD. MS 23920 f60). British Library. 100
113.
Retimana Te Mania of Te Akitai (detail). G. Lindauer. Auckland City Art Gallery (Cowan 1930:149).
F.
Auckland Museum. 90
112.
Tamati Waka Te Puhi of Ngati Maru (detail), painted by G. Lindauer after 1876. Auckland City Art Gallery (Cowan 1930:131).
Wharekauri Tahuna of Tuhoe. C.
Goldie. Auckland Museum.
89
148. “Ko Te Rau daughter of Ko Tariu Taupo Lake” (detail). G. F. Angas (1972:
97
14
108
The Art of Maori Tattoo plate 7). Rex Nan Kivell collection, South Australian Museum.
109
149. E Wai of Ngati Toa (detail). G. F. Angas (1847b: plate 19). Rex Nan Kivell collection, South Australian Museum. 109 150. Kutia, wife of Te Rauparaha (detail). G. F. Angas (1972:4). Rex Nan Kivell collection, South Australian Museum.
109
111
159. Pare Watene of Ngati Maru (detail). G. Lindauer. Auckland City Art Gallery (Cowan 1930:167).
Peter Gossage.
132
176. The moko of a konini. Drawn by Peter Gossage.
133
177. The moko of a noaia. Drawn by Peter 112
Gossage.
112
178. The moko of a master carver. Drawn by Peter Gossage. 133
113
179. The moko of a master gardener. Drawn by Peter Gossage.
134
180. The moko of a village chief. Drawn by Peter Gossage.
133
134
181. The moko of a fighting chief. Drawn by
113
158. Ana Rupene of Ngati Maru (detail). G. Lindauer. Auckland City Art Gallery (Cowan 1930:166).
132
175. The moko of an ahupiri. Drawn by
157. Genital tattoo recorded by E. Shortland. Robley collection, Auckland Museum Library.
128
174. The moko of an ariki taiopuru. Drawn by Peter Gossage.
156. “Maori Woman”. H. G. Robley. National Library of Australia.
172. Madonna and child. Auckland Museum
110
155. “Maori Woman”. H. G. Robley. National Fibrary of Australia.
123
110
154. “Old woman of the Ngaiterangi tribe 1865”. H. G. Robley. National Fibrary of Australia.
122
171. Te Ao Petera of Tuhoe (detail).
173. The divisions of the male human face according to “Te tuhi moko”, with names and information contained therein. Drawn by Peter Gossage. 131
153. Female moko, drawn by Renata Kawepo Tamakihikurangi (detail). Cotton Journal, vol. IV: 169. State Fibrary of New South Wales.
(detail). H. Sangl.
22.
152. Kiko of Te Ati Awa and Tahuna of Te Ati Awa. After G. F. Angas (1847a). Drawn by Gerald Moonen.
121 122
H. Sangl.
151. “Aetonga” and “Tahuna”. G. F. Angas (1972:12). Rex Nan Kivell collection, South Australian Museum.
unknown. Photograph D.R.S.
169. Waimatao Te Kaawa (detail). H. Sangl. 170. Rama Te Horo Tamihana Rhind
114
Peter Gossage.
134
182. The moko of a carver. Drawn by Peter Gossage.
135
183. The moko of a witchcraft expert. Drawn 114
160. Te Rangi Topeora of Ngati Toa.
by Peter Gossage.
135
184. The moko of a female taiopuru. Drawn by Virginia Bennett.
137
185. The moko of a wahine tapairu of
G. Lindauer. Auckland City Art Gallery (Cowan 1930:162).
1 15
Kohuiaroa. Drawn by Virginia Bennett.
137
161. Whiripine Ninia of Te Ati Awa. C. F. Goldie. Auckland Museum Library.
116
186. The moko of a woman of the second line. Drawn by Virginia Bennett.
137
187. The moko of somebody. Drawn by
162. Harata Tuhaere of Ngati Whatua. C. F. Goldie. Auckland Museum Library.
Virginia Bennett.
137
163. Profile and shoulders of Kapikapi of Rotorua. C. F. Goldie. Wanganui Art Gallery. 117
188. The daughter of an arikinui taiopuru. Drawn by Virginia Bennett.
137
164. Poutokomanawa figure. Otago Museum
189. The wife of the leader of the noaia.
D10.285.
165. “A Maori woman from the Urewera country”. Photograph byjosiah Martin c.1870.
116
118
119
190. The wife of the chief tohunga. Drawn by Virginia Bennett.
138
Virginia Bennett.
138
120
192. Servants to the ariki taiopuru. Drawn by Virginia Bennett. 138
120
193. (1-18) Female tribal moko. Drawn by Virginia Bennett.
167. Whare Tewai Haronga of Ngati Kahungunu (detail). H. Sangl.
138
191. An expert in weaving. Drawn by
166. Hari Salmon of Tuwharetoa (detail). H. Sangl.
Drawn by Virginia Bennett.
168. Te Riria V of Tuwharetoa. Artist
15
139
TA MOKO 202, 203. Poutokomanawa depicting
194. Sketch of a dried tattooed head, by H. G. Robley. National Library of Australia.
195. Moko signature on a letter acknowledging payment for Owaka. Hocken Library, University of Otago.
140
Iwirakau. Auckland Museum 163.
146 and 147
204. The patterns of female chin moko from the earliest to the latest. 140
196. The Pukeroa gateway standing at
205. Title page of G.NZMMS 89 by Te Rangikaheke. Photograph Auckland Public Library.
Ohinemutu, c.1870. Photograph byjosiah Martin. Auckland Museum Library.
141
206. Facial tattoo to accompany MS pages
197. Drawing by H. G. Robley. American Museum of Natural History, New York.
142
450-1. Names pitau, pumaire, putaringa, rewarewa, tiwhana, whanakinaki-titi. Photograph Auckland Public Library.
198. Drawing by H. G. Robley. American Museum of Natural History, New York.
142
207. Thigh tattoo to accompany MS page
142
208. Thigh tattoo to accompany MS page
452. Photograph Auckland Public Library.
199. Drawing by H. G. Robley. American Museum of Natural History, New York.
200. Drawing by H. G. Robley, American Museum of Natural History, New York.
143
201. Carving. British Museum 1630.
143
16
152
158
161 162
452. Photograph Auckland Public Library.
165
209. Drawing of a buttock tattoo to accompany MS page 452. Photograph Auckland Public Library.
167
List of colour plates 1. Male and female facial tattoo from Te Puawai o te Arawa, depicting ancestors of Te Pokiha Taranui of Ngati Pikiao and carved by Te Wero Taroi in 1868. Auckland Museum 151.
13. Te Rangihaeata of Ngati Toa, by an unknown artist before 1843. Peabody Museum, Salem, Mass. 14. “Piko, Kafia chief’, by an unknov - artist before 1843. Peabody Museum, Salem, Mass.
2. Toui of Kahouwera pa in the Bay of Islands, with another chief. Drawn in 1824. Lithograph by Le Jeune in Duperrey (1826: plate 47).
15 “Tukup Kafia”, by an unknown artist before 1843. Peabody Museum, Salem, Mass.
3. “Habitants de la Nile. Zelande”. Duperrey
16. “Panni of Queen Charlotte Sound”, by an unknown artist before 1843. Peabody Museum, Salem, Mass.
(1826: plate 44).
4. “Habitants de la Nouvelle Zelande”. Duperrey (1826: plate 46). 5. “Costumes de Naturels de Cap Palliser”. D’Urville (1830: plate 41).
17. “Iwikau of Waukapauwaka”, by an unknown artist before 1843. Peabody Museum, Salem, Mass.
6. Portrait of Te Rangituke. Augustus Earle. Turnbull Library, Wellington.
18. Patuone, byj. J. Merrett, c. 1850. Auckland Museum Library. PD41(3).
7. “Portrait of Tupai Cupa [Te Pehi Kupe], with full tattoo on face and wearing European clothes”. John Sylvester, water-colour 21.1 x 15.8 cm. In the Rex Nan Kivell collection, National Library of Australia.
19. Unknown chief, byj. J. Merrett, c. 1850. Auckland Museum Library.
21. Tekoteko from Weraroa pa, Taranaki.
8. “Tara or Irirangi, chief of Ngaitai”. G. F.
Auckland Museum 237.
Angas (1847a: plate 34). Rex Nan Kivell collection, South Australian Museum.
22. Female tekoteko with full facial tattoo. Miklukho Maklay Institute, Leningrad. Photograph D.R.S.
20. Te Aho o te Rangi. C. F. Goldie. Auckland Museum Library.
9. “Hongihongi” by G. F Angas (1847a: plate
11). 10. “Ngaporutu a chief of the Ngati Maniapoto
23. “E ono at Whakatane”. J. J. Merrett.
tribe at Whakatumutumu” (detail). G. F. Angas (1847: plate 37). Rex Nan Kivell collection, South Australian Museum.
24. Ngeungeu of Ngai Tai (detail). G. F. Angas
11. “Rangitakina a chief of the Bay of Plenty on the East Coast”. Drawn by G. F. Angas, 1844 (1847: plate 24). Rex Nan Kivell collection, South Australian Museum. 12. “Maungakahu, chief of Tongariro near Taupo Lake. Ko Mari his wife” (detail). G. F. Angas (1847: plate 27). Rex Nan Kivell collection, South Australian Museum.
25. Ena Te Papatahi of Hokianga. C. F. Goldie, Auckland City Art Gallery.
Auckland Museum Library PD43(4). (1847: plate 3). Rex Nan Kivell collection, South Australian Museum.
26. Kapikapi of Rotorua. C. F. Goldie. Auckland City Art Gallery.
17
Introduction Tattooing is an art that is practised in many different countries of the world: in Asia, In¬ donesia, North Africa and South America. A related art, in which raised scars are formed on the skin, is practised in Africa, Melanesia and Australia. Nearly all tattooing consists of a needle puncturing the skin and pigment being introduced. The skin heals, but the pig¬ ment stays in place. Ancient Maori tattooing, as seen by European travellers in the late eighteenth century, was something quite dif¬ ferent. The skin was usually carved with a chisel to make grooves. To the Maori, the Ta¬ hitian word tatu, which is used now in many languages to name the art, was unknown. The Maori terms were moko or whakairo. Whakairo means to ornament with a pattern and is the usual term for woodcarving, but it is also applied to tattooing. The relationship of the two art forms is quite close. In island Polynesia tattooing, where it is or was practised, was done with a broad (50 mm) comb, hafted like an adze, which was dipped in pigment, placed on the skin and struck with a wooden mallet stick. Finer-detail patterns were made with narrow (10 mm) combs — whether they were the head-to-toe patterns of the Marquesas; the buttock tattoos of women in the Arioi Society of Tahiti; the buttock, thigh, lower back and stomach tattoos still in fashion with Samoans; or the chest, arm and face tattoos of Tikopia today. These were smooth to the touch and looked like a pattern on silk. Many of the early Europeans in the islands described buttock tattoos as looking like a pair of blue silk tights. Ancient New Zealand Maori tattoo, al¬ though sometimes done with a serrated chisel that functioned like a group of needles, was more usually done with a non-serrated chisel
(10 mm) to make a groove in the skin, with a serrated chisel following to introduce pigment into the cut. After European contact the bone chisels of ancient times were complemented or replaced by metal chisels made in the same shape. The last chisel tattoos done in New Zealand date to before 1925 (King 1972). About 1910 a new technique that used darning needles in groups gradually replaced the older techniques. In recent times electric needles and the tat¬ tooing skills of European professionals have been employed. The fashion of self-tattooing with needles is practised by many young peo¬ ple of Maori, Pacific Island and European de¬ scent to decorate hands, arms, legs and faces with stars, dots, crescents, crosses and words. These motifs are a popular form of the art and are probably more akin to those derived from sailors’ tattoo. No detailed study has been made of these tattooing forms, but casual ob¬ servation suggests that some of the patterns and the reasons for putting them on are de¬ rived from the ancient Maori practice, espe¬ cially among young people of Maori descent. The following study of Maori moko is ar¬ ranged into five parts: Part I is a brief description of tattooing and delineates the design fields and motifs used; Part II looks at male tattooing as recorded by European travellers in the late eighteenth century; Part III records male tattooing in the first half of the nineteenth century; Part IV looks at female tattooing from the late eighteenth century until the present day; Part V looks at the place of the moko in Maori society; information made available by Te Riria is recorded, male and female tattoo
19
TA MOKO styles are described, and the decline of male moko and the rise of female moko in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries are dis¬ cussed. In parts II and IV only contemporary records of first-hand observations are used; general
20
statements or second-hand accounts have not been included. The appendix includes the text and a trans¬ lation of the only extant Maori manuscript describing the tattoo process. It is by Te Rangikaheke of Ngati Rangiwewehi, part of the Arawa confederation of Rotorua.
Pa rt I
A brief description of Maori tattooing
TA MOKO
vided us with the information and sources if we care to use them. Ling Roth’s long paper in the Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute (1901) is much more ambitious in scope. It is not only a sur¬ vey, but also an attempt to investigate the ori¬ gin of moko in New Zealand through the use of comparative ethnology. In common with other scholars from the eighteenth century until the 1920s, he argues the two-strata theory of the origins of the Maori. “European eye¬ witnesses . . . added to the cranial and linguis¬ tic evidence, the three together must be ac¬ cepted as proving a Melanesian element to have once existed in New Zealand” (1901:54). He goes on to suggest Maori moko scrolls are derived from similar decoration in Melanesia. “These resemblances may possibly be coinci¬ dences due to the extreme variability to which the scroll or connected coil lends itself, but I doubt it” (1901:60). Ling Roth did localise the records to differ¬ ent regions:
A review of earlier authorities Horatio Robley, in the foreword to Moko, states: “My main object is to present a series of illustrations of the art of moko or tattooing, as practised by the Maoris. It is fast vanishing, and a record of it by one who has studied the subject for many years may be worth publi¬ cation.” He succeeded in this so well that since 1896 his record has been the standard work on the subject. Robley’s detailed study of moko and the patterns employed may never be equalled. The major criticism of his work is one that can be levelled at many scholars of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Although Rob¬ ley ’s survey goes back to the records of Cook then proceeds forward in time, the informa¬ tion is not separated regionally and chrono¬ logically but presented as a corpus. He does mention that “Mr. W. Colenso of Napier, a great authority, says of Parkinson’s portrait of a chief, that it bears a style of tattooing which has long been extinct and of which he only saw a few specimens some forty years ago” (Robley 1896:8). However, Robley does not attempt to use the information given by Par¬ kinson about the portrait — “Otegoongoon son of the chief of Cape Brett” (Parkinson 1784:plate XXI) — or to question where Col¬ enso saw the tattoos. This must have been dur¬ ing the years before 1842, when Colenso was a missionary in the Bay of Islands. He certainly would not have seen such a style of tattoo on the East Coast. The same criticism can be made of the as¬ sociation suggested between spiral face tattoo and buttock and thigh tattoo. In 1864-6 Rob¬ ley saw many warriors tattooed in this way so he naturally assumed that a complete male tat¬ too included both of these elements. Anybody who had less tattoo was either of a low rank or had not had his tattoo completed. The same sort of criticism can be made of Robley’s work on female moko. The development of female chin tattoo in the nineteenth century completely escaped his attention. However, none of these shortcom¬ ings invalidate Robley’s work. He has pro¬
for the records of Cook and Banks show that in different localities different patterns prevailed. If we were shown that in localities where the Melanesian element existed the spiral was orig¬ inally more prominent either as moko or other decorative design than elsewhere we could fairly conclude that the spiral in New Zealand was of pre-Polynesian or Melanesian origin. But so far as I can find while spirals were met with by Europeans in early times in the moko at the Bay of Islands and Poverty Bay in the North Island and on Bank’s Peninsula in the Middle Island, there is as yet nothing to show that the Maories in these parts were more or less pure Polynesians than elsewhere. (1901:61)
Ling Roth’s overall opinion, based on his wide knowledge of Polynesian and world tattoo, was that: In their straight line stages Maori moko and tatu had probably close connection with other Poly¬ nesian designs, and possibly closest with those of Hawai’i, but through the adoption of the Mel¬ anesian circinate coil, they obtained a series of designs quite different from that of any other people. (1901:63)
Maori moko and Maori life and culture were subjects of absorbing interest to Ling Roth and his contemporaries, who were thoroughly
22
The Art of Maori Tattoo
embroiled in the arguments for and against the two-strata theory of the settlement of the Pacific. Ling Roth was a considerable scholar and director of the Bankfield Museum in Hal¬ ifax, and has a number of important works to his credit. In common with other scholars of his time, he was more concerned with deri¬ vation than with emphasising the area and time differences he has so ably pinpointed. The origin of tattooing was debated in the context of the origin of spirals in Maori art. Eminent scholars such as A. C. Haddon, J. R. Edge-Partington in England, Joest in Ger¬ many, and many others joined in the debate as to whether the Maori had a Melanesian ele¬ ment or not. A. C. Haddon, in the discussion that followed Ling Roth’s paper (1901:64), stated that he still believed that the influence of body contours was potent in retaining and emphasising the scroll design, even if it was not actually responsible for its origin. Michael King, in his important study of female moko in the twentieth century, and in his later articles on moko (1972, 1975a, 1975b), foreshadows many of the conclusions reached in the present study. It is strange that, except for Michael King, no one has at¬ tempted to really document moko since Robley in 1896. King’s records of tattooed women are not just pictorial records but an important sociological document of an art form and the conventions surrounding it. Without his work the delineation of twentieth-century tattoo would not have been possible, as many of the old women whose words and moko he re¬ corded have now gone to Te Reinga, the home
other features of Maori culture were revived (such as fighting in the 1860s and carving in the 1930s). Moko also persisted more inten¬ sively and for a longer period of time in areas where the Pai-Marire and Ringatu religions were strong after the turn of the century (in the Waikato, East Coast and Ureweras)” (King 1972). King correctly characterises male moko as a badge in that it was widely believed to des¬ ignate membership of a particular group and an individual’s standing within that group. It could be evidence of his tribe, his rank and his masculinity (1972, 1975a:438). Moko and fighting went together and were revived in the 1840s and 1860s during pe¬ riods of war with Europeans. After the wars moko was not revived; it had already been debased by the trade in heads. King presumed that female tattoo had always included the chin and concludes that the role of women did not undergo the same upheaval as that of men (1975a:439).
The tools and methods In 1904 Elsdon Best (1904:167) described a kit of tattooing chisels made and named by Te Tuhi Pihopa, a member of the Tuhoe or Urewera tribe, who tattooed females. These implements were probably the same as those used prior to 1865 for male moko. Uhi whaka tataramoa. This is the first implement used. It is used to “clear the way”, to cut the skin in preparation for the uhi, which implants the pigment. This uhi has a plain face. Uhi puru. This implement, as its name implies, is used in order to insert the colouring pigment, the face of the uhi being dipped into the same before each insertion, or stroke. It depends much on the fluid (wai whakatairangi) used to mix the colouring material (kauri), as to whether the pig¬ ment “takes” at once, or not. The term kamu is used to denote the absorption, or retention, of the pigment. The face of the uhi is notched. Uhi kohiti. This chisel has a plain face, not ser¬ rated. It is used for making the titi, kohiti and such patterns.
of the spirits. Michael King’s conclusions are well sup¬ ported by a more detailed examination of the records. In talking to the women with moko, he has gained an understanding of the reasons why they took the moko, why moko existed and, in the case of male moko, went out of existence. For pre-European moko he under¬ stands that it “was part of an expression of a unified view of life”; “post-European tattoo¬ ing, however, grew out of a new awareness of the Maori as a threatened minority group that needed to assert its identity. Hence the pop¬ ularity of tattooing tended to increase when 23
TA MOKO When the work is finished then the treasures are given as payment. The work of these men was highly paid. These are the payments. A green¬ stone eardrop, a heitiki, a kaitaka cloak, a whalebone club or greenstone club perhaps, perhaps a hoeroa, or taiaha. A paiaka club, a pouwhenua, a walking stick. That’s all.
Uhi matarau. The face or cutting edge of this uhi is serrated. It is used for tattooing the lines termed kaho maro, in such patterns as the pakiwaha, ngutu, rape and kaue.
Other tools noted by Best are: Uhi tapahi — used to cut the skin Uhi puru or uhi matarau — used to insert the pigment Uhi kohiti — a small chisel used for scrolls (piko) and fine work
PAYMENT FOR WOMEN If young women wish to have their lips or chins tattooed they say to their fathers (father and father’s generations) mothers and to the broth¬ ers-in-law. We wish to have our lips or chins tat¬ tooed. Then they collect an albatross and huia (bird). These are gathered together with good food. These are the foods, birds, kiwi, kakapo, rats, fish, fern root, and so on. These are col¬ lected then the tohunga is sent for. He arrives and the many chiefly females are tattooed by that tohunga. When it is finished they arise, and alba¬ tross skin is placed in the ear, and are decorated with feathers on the head, they are dressed in kaitaka cloaks and when ready taken to eat. How¬ ever there is plenty of food for the tohunga, food is the payment for the tattooing of the many women of rank, but some of the treasures given are taken on their bodies. Enough. This is finished.
Museum collections can be classified accord¬ ing to the system given above. In Maori Art, Hamilton (1896:312-3) gives an excellent comparative series of the pattern names drawn from various authors. These will not be re¬ peated here, neither will the process and pig¬ ments used, which are fully described in Hamilton (1896) and Best (1904). Te Rangikaheke’s manuscript (page 449), written before 1853, has a description of the method used: ABOUT TATTOOING It is the chisel which cuts but before the cut there is the drawing, the putting on of the pat¬ tern. Drawing is the beginning of tattooing. Af¬ terwards the tohunga takes up the chisel and the mallet. Then it starts, the first chisel struck does not notch the skin, it is a big chisel, a broad chisel. When he arrives at the curves he takes a narrow chisel, to use in the curves near the eyes. The first tattooing is an opening of the way, a cutting of the skin, of the flesh of the body to divide it, in order to open a groove. When the way is opened then the tohunga takes the notched chisel. Then the tohunga takes the charcoal and the tow in one hand. The chisel is also in this hand, the left. In the right hand is the mallet, the charcoal and the tow, three things in one hand. The notched chisel is to notch the face to make the charcoal hold. This is the second chisel, the opening chisel is the one that cuts: A broad chisel [is used again] until the temple is reached, that is to the eyes, when a narrow chisel is taken again to do the curves right and is right also for the pakati [interlineal decoration].
Design fields and motifs The tohunga ta moko could produce two dif¬ ferent types of pattern: that based on a pig¬ mented line and another, the puhoro, based on darkening the background and leaving the pattern unpigmented as clear skin. These pat¬ terns could be applied to the face, as in the spiral facial tattoo, or to the buttocks. Puhoro patterns were less commonly used on the face, except as minor elements, the main areas of the body on which they were applied being the buttocks and thighs. The face and buttocks were the primary areas for male tattoo; for women it was the lips and chin. These areas, whether male or female, can be considered as fields of design with clearly defined boundaries inside which the patterns and motifs are placed. Maori facial moko divides the face into four major fields and a number of secondary de¬ sign areas. The major design fields are: the
In the same manuscript Te Rangikaheke de¬ tails the appropriate gifts made to the tohunga ta moko. PAYMENT FOR TATTOOING The correct way to pay because when a man wishes to have his tattoo done on face and body then he prepares the payments and is ready. Then the tohunga is sent for to do his tattoo.
24
The Art of Maori Tattoo
The motifs employed within these design fields follow a number of rules: the motif fol¬ lows the contours of the face, enhancing and tracing the natural “geography”, for example lines along the brow ridge; the major design motifs are symmetrically placed within op¬ posed design fields; lines are used in certain areas where spirals are not used; two types of spiral are used — the koru, which is not rolled up and has a “clubbed” end, and the rolled spiral.
The motifs employed in male spiral facial tattoo Forehead,
Figure 1 Design fields of the face (after Angas 1847b). Waikato Tairea Ngaherehere, Taiopuru Ko Huiarau, who signed the treaty at Mahia Peninsula.
left and right forehead down to the eyes, the left, lower face and the right, lower face. The left and right forehead areas are basically sym¬ metrical in terms of design; the left and right lower face areas are also symmetrical. This means that for practical purposes the face is a dual design field, with secondary design fields along the jaw-line, on the chin, by the ears and on the upper forehead. The major design fields are filled with fairly symmetrical design, but the secondary design areas may be filled with individual design that is not necessarily sym¬ metrical in the opposed design field. The junc¬ tions between the lower face fields are also subject to individual variation at the chin, up¬ per lip, nose and root of the nose. The areas of individual variation are thus at the edges or at the junction points of the major design fields, along the centre line from chin to forehead, or along the junction between the forehead fields and the lower face fields, that is, at the corner of the eyes and temples. The motifs employed within these design
1. In the forehead fields lines start at the inner corner of the eye, follow the brow ridge, then run down to follow the line above the cheek bone. These are pigmented lines in groups of four, five or six, with groups normally re¬ peated four times, with clear skin between each group. 2. Koru-based designs occur in the triangle between the forehead “rays”, the hair-line and the centre line. These will vary. 3. Interrupted or line motifs may be placed vertically between the hair-line and brow-line. These are spaced evenly across the two fore¬ head fields. There is some doubt about the validity of the line motifs on the forehead. They may be only artistic conventions used in some of the early sketches. Lower face fields 1. Four groups of lines with three pigmented lines in each, separated by clear skin, running from the nostril and following the smile or grimace fold around the mouth to either side of the chin button. 2. Groups of three pigmented lines, starting below the eyes at the nose, which form a large, three-lined, single spiral centred on the most prominent portion of the cheek bone. The spiral is thus rolled under from the lines com¬ ing from the upper nose. 3. Below this is another smaller spiral, com¬ posed of three pigmented lines, which com¬ mences near the lower jaw-line close to the lower edge of the mouth “rays”. The spiral is thus rolled up on the commencing line.
TA MOKO
The lips are tattooed blue with horizontal lines. 6. The areas between the lower face spirals on the cheeks and the ears are often filled with various koru spirals, occasionally incorporat¬ ing small, double-line spirals or lines. The koru spirals near the ears are usually either double lines outlining clear skin or three spaced lines. Spaces between double “anchor” koru and their stems and single lines are filled with straight, pigmented lines and secondary, smallkoru spirals. These designs are included ac¬ cording to fancy and are not necessarily sym¬ metrical in the opposed design field.
Male puhoro face design
Figure 2
1. The upper forehead fields are ornamented with dotted, slightly curved, spaced lines. These start at the eyebrow-line and curve out from the centre line to the hair-line. 2. The lower face fields are probably sym¬ metrical in design. Each field is decorated with what Ling Roth calls trilateral scrolls (1901:54, pattern 7). These are left as clear skin on a ground filled in with Ling Roth’s ladder pat¬ tern (pattern 3) — that is, the whole field from the nose to the eye-line, and the jaw-line, is covered with narrow-spaced, vertical lines of clear skin with wider bands of the ladder de¬ sign between them. The ladder design itself is made by narrowly spaced, pigmented lines. The trilateral scrolls of clear skin cut across the background. They commence at the inner corner of the eye with three branches, one going to the region above the ear, one going to the region immediately in front of the ear lobe, the third proceeding in the direction of the corner of the lips, where it curves into a loose spiral. It is joined by another line, which also curves over to form the spiral then con¬ tinues as a reverse S-bend to the jaw, imme¬ diately below the corner of the lips. There it again curves into a spiral and is joined by an¬ other, or continues as a complementary loose spiral then parallels the jaw-line to the lobe of the ear, where it loops in a loose spiral with the line already present. The line to the tem¬ ple returns as a small leg-of-mutton shape with a loose spiral at the end, then goes back to the temple.
The motifs employed in the design fields of the face (after Hamilton 1896)
4. A double line commences at the tip of the nose at one side of the centre line. It slants up the nose towards the corner of the eye, but before the eye is reached it is brought into a spiral that rolls up from the cheek to the bridge of the nose. At the tip of the nose this line may end or may make a downward curve into a loose koru form. A double line from the tip of the nose follows the flare of the nostril then rolls into a spiral on the wing of the nostril. Again the spiral is rolled up towards the tip of the nose. The centre line of the nostril is marked by two lines. The area between this and the line from the tip to the upper spiral is normally filled in with pigmented horizontal lines echoing the spiral. 5. Chin and upper-lip tattoo often incorporate what Ling Roth (1901) calls the anchor motif — two symmetrical koru spirals forming a heart shape either side of the centre line, with points either up or down. Opposed, outcurving spirals may also be placed there, either as open “hook” designs or tightly rolled spirals. 26
The Art of Maori Tattoo
3. The nose has a loose spiral at the top, formed by the single-line junction of the three major lines to the corner of the eye. The lower line of the spiral curves up to the tip of the nose. A new line parallels the nostrils, devel¬ oping a loose spiral around the nostril then, from the centre point, curving to the corner of the mouth, where it loops into a spiral. From the inner edge of the lip corner it curves down to the centre line of the chin and loops back into a spiral on the chin, with the loose end left pointing up to the lips. The lips are not tattooed. There are variations of this pattern, with additional loose spirals at the angle of the jaw or from the corner of the lower lip to the chin.
Male facial line tattoo Tattoo is in parallel, straight lines across the cheeks.
Buttock arid thigh tattoo of males The buttocks are decorated with a large spi¬ ral, and the cheeks of the buttocks form two mirror-image design fields. On each thigh area (viewed from the back) there is a dividing line at the centre back. Most depictions of thigh tattoo are from one side, which would suggest that the thigh design was complete on the out¬ side with a complementary design on the in¬ side. The design field is joined at the mid¬ point of the side. Buttock motifs The buttock is normally decorated with spi¬ rals according to four modes: 1. Spirals formed by double elements of clear skin, with the rest of the skin darkened by small lines, as in the puhoro facial design. Spi¬ rals commence at the front. 2. A double spiral of clear skin with both ele¬ ments joined in the centre, the darkened area of background skin forming two elements of a double spiral, the spirals commencing at the back or bottom. 3. A single spiral formed from five pig¬ mented lines and a clear-skin element. The spiral commences at the femur head.
Figure 3 Buttock and thigh tattoo (after Hamilton 1896) 27
TA MOKO
4. A double spiral formed by pigmented lines, the skin area between the two elements being ornamented with transverse, pigmented lines, fairly widely spaced. The spiral commences at the top and front. In the first two spiral forms further motifs are added to the spiral at the base of the spine. In one it is a heart-shaped motif with a knot on top, flanked by two flat koru spirals that pro¬ ject either side to the same width as the but¬ tock spiral. The darkened skin is continued in a low triangular shape above the pelvic bone. The others are projections with wide base, narrow top and curved sides, left as clear skin, with cusp areas either side into which the scrolls on the lower back project and inter¬ lock. Thigh motifs
These consist of: 1. Trilateral scrolls formed by lines of clear skin. These are shaped rather like harps, with koru-type points at each corner. The back¬ ground is darkened with the “ladder” design, as on the puhoro facial tattoo.
Figure 4
Puhoro-style, trilateral scroll (after Hamilton 1896)
28
2. Secondary designs may include leaf de¬ signs, small single spirals, and designs meeting at the back, which project like three or four fingers. 3. There is a record of a pair of thighs that has a single motif on each, with no other de¬ sign or colour. The motif has a triangular head like an arrow, a curving, narrow body with a single “fin” on the back, and a divided tail. A second head is included inside the first. A small, elongated triangle shape is also illus¬ trated.
Back tattoo A further design field utilised in association with the buttocks and thighs is the small of the back as far up as the ribs, or a triangular area from the top of both buttocks to the spine. The back tattoos are of three types: 1. Large, clear-skin trilateral scroll, shaped like a yacht spinnaker, with the base on one side on the pelvic bone and the spiral corner locked into the motif mentioned earlier. The other side of the base is placed just to one side of the spine. The inner side is concave, that is, it curves away from the backbone then comes back to it; the outer side is convex, belling out and down at an angle to the pelvic bone corner. At the top these two motifs are joined by a line interrupted by a double motif of wine-glass bowl shape, the base of the bowl and beginning of the stem being two koru spirals. 2. The second form of back tattoo consists of two clear-skin, trilateral scrolls with triangular base placed on end either side of the back¬ bone, with a clear line marking the backbone. The pigmented area is diamond shaped, pointed at the top, projecting into the buttock crease at the bottom. 3. The third form of back tattoo consists of interlooping, trilateral scrolls, so attenuated as to form a series of looping meanders. A Vshape is formed on the lower back by two arms of scrolls that commence at the top of the kidneys and join at the centre. Over the kidneys koru spirals lead on to smaller tri¬ lateral scrolls. I here is another V-shaped line
The Art of Maori Tattoo
beneath this, with slight koru spirals at the sides of the back. From the centre of the V a clear stem rises, which goes up the backbone to a point about half-way up the kidneys. Folded over the top of this is a spearhead shape formed by two lines, with koru spirals forming the neck. These lines then turn off at either side to form a reverse spearhead that has no end. Another spearhead with point down, touching the point of the first, is formed inside this, with long koru spirals curving down from the back either side of it.
Lower leg tattoo Figure 5 Female brow moko (after Hamilton 1896)
Associated with puhoro thigh tattoo on males is the placing of design motifs on the centre of the calf. The design field is the lozenge-shaped calf muscle, and the motif like a letter U with downcurved arms. This motif is crossed with small strokes across the main line.
between the two forehead areas. The motif may be two half-circles facing in across the centre line, or a small diamond formed by two triangles or lines curved into the centre, with additional lines echoing the top curve on the outside.
Various other parts of the male body are men¬ tioned as having tattoo:
The nose. Small spirals are sometimes placed on the wings of the nostrils. The spirals start at the tip of the nose and may roll up or down.
1. The breast area from the collar bone to the lower ribs was sometimes divided into two design fields on which large spirals were placed. 2. Stomach tattoo is recorded but with no ac¬ curate descriptions. 3. Tattooing is recorded on the right arm and outside leg but without any detailed descrip¬ tion.
The lips. Lips are normally tattooed with hor¬
izontal, pigmented lines, which suppress the natural colour of the lips. Often only one lip is tattooed, commonly the bottom one. The upper Up. This area may be treated in a number of ways. From one to five lines echo¬ ing the line of the upper lip are tattooed. A complicated pattern may be placed in the area between the outer edge of the nostrils and the lip corners, with hook shapes either side. This is associated with lines above the lip. The ma¬ jor design shapes echo the tip of the nose, for example a large U-shape with smaller ones above it. These take up the central third of the area, and the remaining spaces are deco¬ rated with lines and dots or fingertip shapes.
Design fields fior females The fields of female tattoo (moko wahine) were: Right forehead field. This area was rarely used.
The only report is a puhoro tattoo with clearskin, trilateral scrolls with alternate clear-skin and ladder-design dark background. Between the eyebrows. The motifs between the
The chin. Motifs here are fish-hook shapes or
eyebrows may be associated with a line across the brows. The between-eyebrow motifs are usually two opposing motifs shaped like ques¬ tion marks, one reversed across the centre line
heart forms either side of a centre line or oc¬ casionally across. Chin moko normally divides into two mirror-image halves. 29
TA MOKO Neck tattoo. The only record of this type of
tattoo is a plate in Parkinson (1784), and in the original Parkinson manuscript in the Brit¬ ish Library, of two women, one of whom has a tattooed collar band around her neck, with koru spirals looping between the borders. Male tattoo often extended to the neck but not as a separate pattern. Breast and. stomach tattoo. This is again men¬
tioned but with no record of the designs. In 1820 Cruise (1824) saw a woman who had a tattoo on her breast not unlike the links of a chain. Another form was lines between breast and naval. Genital tattoo. Traditionally, some women were tattooed around the genital area. The shoulders and back. D’Urville (1830:435) records complicated designs on a woman’s shoulders, and half a back being tattooed to match one already done like a male face tattoo (Pspirals). Angas (1847b:96) records that women were tattooed considerably on their shoulders with crossed lines. These may have been lines from tangi observances.
The legs, presumably the calves, were tattooed with crossed lines or with ornamental spiral lines from the heel up¬ wards. Lower leg tattoo.
Thigh tattoo. Taylor (1855:154) records lines
on the thigh (hopehope).
Figure 6 Female chin moko (after Hamilton 1896)
30
Part II
Male tattooing in the late eighteenth century
TA MOKO
32
The Art of Maori Tattoo
The record of Cook’s voyages,
1769-73 The first voyage
f
Poverty Bay — Rongowhakaata, Ngati Kahungunu
In 1769 Captain James Cook landed at Pov¬ erty Bay, then sailed south on the east coast of the North Island to Cape Turnagain and the Wairarapa coast before turning north. The tribes of this area were the Rongowhakaata at Poverty Bay, with Ngati Kahungunu in the area from Turanganui, or Gisborne as it is now known, to the Wairarapa coast, where they min¬ gled with Rangitane. There was a difference in tattoo between the groups on either side of the Turanganui inlet: those belonging to the southern side were “tattooed in various forms on their faces” (Parkinson 1784:89), whereas the other side had only blue lips (1784:88). The south-side tattoos were “deeply engrav’d furrows Col¬ oured also black (as the lips) and formd in regular spirals; of these the oldest people had much the greatest quantity and deepest channeld, in some not less than 1/16th part of an inch” (Banks in Beaglehole 1962 1:407). At Table Bay it is recorded: “Their faces were tattowed, or marked either all over or on one side in a very curious manner; some of them in fine spiral directions like a volute [see Plate XVI] being indented into the skin very different from the rest: and others had their
Figure 7
-
)
t
Figure 8 Rongowhakaata “Sketch of a New Zealand Man”, a pencil drawing by Sydney Parkinson. This is the original from which figure 7 was made. An important difference is that the tattoo is sketched for the left-hand side of the subject’s face, the side that depicts his father’s lineage. In the pen and wash sketch the designs are placed on the right-hand side, the mother’s side. These two sides are only rarely identical in the area between the upper cheek spiral and the jaw.
faces daubed over with a sort of red ochre” (Parkinson 1784:90). This tattooing was con¬ fined to the face (Monkhouse in Beaglehole 1968:573). Plate XVI of Parkinson’s account (ADD.MS 23920 f55) illustrates a youngish man with three mouth and three forehead rays. In the original drawing, in the forehead fields there are vertical, wriggly lines spaced at in¬ tervals across the whole area, but these do not appear to be tattoo marks. A pencil drawing in ADD.MS 23920 f56 is of a young man with an almost identical tattoo but with only the left side drawn. The tattoo is identical, except that he has two, three-line forehead rays in¬ stead of three. This may have been the origi¬ nal sketch that was later worked up into the pencil-and-wash drawing used as the basis for the engraving in Parkinson (1784).
Rongowhakaata
“Portrait of a New Zealand Man” by Sydney Par¬ kinson, artist with Captain Cook on his first voyage in 1769-70. This is a pen-and-wash sketch based on an earlier pencil sketch. It is certainly a portrait of one of the chiefs of the southern side of the Turanganui inlet at Gisborne. The forehead rays are in groups of three as are the mouth rays. Note the use of large cheek spirals supported by minor or secondary spirals on the jaw-line. The hair is tied up into a tikitiki top-knot and the three feathers indicate that he belonged to the paramount lineage. The tattoo suggests he belonged to the main lineage of Ngati Porou, which is also that of Rongowhakaata. 33
TA MOKO Napier and the Wairarapa coast — Ngati Kahungunu
At Ahuriri (now called Napier) one of the ca¬ noes contained a chief painted with red ochre. Most of the people were tattooed in the face (Parkinson 1784:93). Similarly, on the Wai¬ rarapa coast an old man was tattooed all over the face, in fact all the Wairarapa coast people had a “deal of tatoo” (1784:119). On the second of Cook’s voyages, in 1772, Hodges drew a chief from Cape Kidnappers with large bunches of white down in his ears.
The original crayon drawing is in the Mitchell Library, Sydney, and shows a man with a beard. Like the chief of Poverty Bay in the year 1769, he has forehead rays on either side, but they are formed of six or seven thick, darkpigmented lines. The coastal area from Poverty Bay to Cape Turnagain would seem to form an area of sim¬ ilarity in that tattoo is confined to the face and consists of spirals; the ladder design is used on the nose and the tattoo is made by pigmented lines grouped together with clear skin be¬ tween. However, there is a clear stylistic dif¬ ference between the tattoo of Poverty Bay in 1769 and the Cape Kidnappers tattoo in 1772. This may be a factor of time but is more likely a slight regional or artistic variation. In both cases the major and secondary motifs em¬ ployed are spirals.
The northern East Coast — Ngati Porou
Flgure 9 Ngati Kahungunu “Man of New Zealand”, a red crayon sketch by William Hodges, artist on Captain Cook’s second voyage in 1772. This is the man described as a chief of Cape Kidnappers, who had large bunches of white down in his ears. The forehead rays are seven on each side, and there is a peculiar design on the forehead that indicates his status as a tohunga of the Koroiti Ko Tama. This, taken with the fore¬ head rays, cheek and nose design, suggests that his status was Te Ariki Tohunga, the supreme religious authority of the area, who also belonged to the highest-ranking genealogical line.
34
The man killed by Cook’s men at the foot of Kaiti Hill, Turanganui, has been identified as Te Maro (Begg and Begg 1969:12) of the Ngati Oneone hapu of Te Aitanga a Hauiti tribe, a sub-tribe of Ngati Porou. The Ngati Porou live in the area north of Gisborne to the East Cape. In this area Cook landed at Anaura and Tolaga Bays. At Anaura, Monkhouse, the surgeon with Cook, describes the principal tattoo as being on the face, but two men, presumably the chiefs, were tattooed with spirals on the breast. One of these was also tattooed on the right arm and outside leg (Monkhouse in Beaglehole 1968:583-5). Par¬ kinson remarks on the tattoo and adds: “One old man was marked on the breast with a large volute and other figures” (Parkinson 1784:96). In the British Museum Additional Manu¬ script (23920 f60) there is a group of six pencil sketches titled “Attitudes of defiance”. The top left sketch is of an elderly man with a slight beard. On his breast there is a double spiral of ten, tightly rolled, pigmented lines, which takes up most of the pectoral muscle. It would appear to be centred above the nipple, with the outer ring touching the collar bone, the nipple area and the junction of shoulder and chest. No “other figures” are indicated.
The Art of Maori Tattoo
there is no mention of body tattooing at Tolaga Bay, though presumably Tolaga Bay and Anaura would share one style of tattooing. To summarise: the fields tattooed are the face, breast, right arm and outside leg; the motifs employed are spirals and “other” figures, and the method is indented pigmented lines (carv¬ ing), presumably with clear skin between them. The eastern coast from Anaura Bay north to East Cape was, and still is, the domain of the Ngati Porou, who also live at Tolaga Bay. Cook did not land along this coast, and there are no records of any tattooing on people in canoes. The tattooing was probably similar to that described for Anaura and Tolaga Bays.
%
The Bay of Plen ty
The coast from Cape Runaway to Coroman¬ del, occupied by the Whanau a Apanui, Whakatohea, Ngati Awa, Ngaiterangi and, at this time, small groups of Arawa and Ngati Tamatera, is poorly recorded. Cook did not land, and neither he nor any of his crew remarked on tattooed people in the canoes that ap¬ proached them. Figure 10 Ngati Porou Pencil sketch by Sydney Parkinson. This is proba¬ bly the old man of the Ngati Porou tribe at Tolaga Bay in 1769, “marked on the breast with a large volute and other figures”. The spiral has been sketched, but what the “other figures” are is not shown. Such a spiral would indicate that this man was one of two brothers, sons of a chief, who had each been granted part of their father’s territory. His brother would have had the spiral on the other side of the chest.
Coromandel — Ngati Whanaunga, Ngati Hei, Ngati Maru, Ngati Huarere
At Mercury Bay Cook saw two main groups: the Ngati Whanaunga under Toiwa were camped on the Purangi River mouth; on the other side of the bay the Ngati Hei were res¬ ident in Wharetaewa pa and Te Puta a Paretauhinau, the arched-rock pa drawn by Sporing and Parkinson (Beaglehole 1962 1:432). “Its Inhabitants who altho pretty numerous are poor to the highest degree when compair’d to others we have seen. . . their canoes are mean and without ornament and so are their houses or huts and in general everything they have about them” (Beaglehole 1968:203). Cook attributes this state to raiding from the north. One pa, Whitianga Rock, had recently been burnt (Beaglehole 1968:197, Parkinson 1784: 103). Some people with larger and better can¬ oes and fine garments came into Mercury Bay (Parkinson 1784:104). From subsequent in¬ formation these people would appear to have come from the Thames coast, though they may have come from the “large island as large as
At Tolaga Bay the tattooing “is done very curiously in spiral and other figures, and in many places indented into their skins, which looks like carving, though at a distance it ap¬ pears as if it had been only smeared with black paint. This tattooing is peculiar to the princi¬ pal men among them” (Parkinson 1784:97). There are no sketches or more exact de¬ scriptions of the male tattooing of the Ngati Porou. The style of the Ngati Kahungunu of Hawke’s Bay did not include body tattooing nor figures other than spirals. Parkinson’s ref¬ erence to spiral and “other figures’ is tantal¬ ising, but little can be based on it. Equally, 35
TA MOKO Raiatea”, or the nearby coast whence came canoes “having carved heads like those seen in the Bay of Opoorangi” (1784:105). The island was either Great Mercury or Great Bar¬ rier and the “main” was the Moehau. The inhabitants of the Moehau, whose can¬ oes were seen, were Ngati Huarere or, more likely, Ngati Maru from Thames, who were then undertaking the conquest of the area. Ngati Huarere are likely to have been in the same state as the Mercury Bay people. At Thames, in the heartland of Ngati Maru, the canoes were “the largest we have seen” (Parkinson 1784:106), “well built and orna¬ mented with carved work in general as well as most we have seen” (Beaglehole 1968:210). They landed up the Waihou River at a pali¬ saded village, which was possibly the site known as Oruarangi near Matatoki. A pecul¬ iar feature of the people was that “all of them paint their bodies with red Oker and Oyle from head to foot a thing that we have not seen before” (Beaglehole 1968:210). Two small sketches in the British Museum (ADD. MS 23920 f67) are of bearded men with tattoos, with spirals as major and second¬ ary motifs. These tattoos may belong to the East Coast area, but there are sufficient differ¬ ences to suggest that they belong further up the coast and could be from Hauraki.
Figure 11
Ngati Maru
Pencil sketch by Sydney Parkinson of a bearded man, probably at Hauraki. Note the large, lowercheek spiral and the use of a secondary spiral by the ear. If the tattoo is accurate, then the drawing was probably made at Thames, and the man was a tohunga of the Ngati Maru tribe.
Northland — Ngati Wai, Kapotai, Ngapuhi, Ngati Kahu
The people of Bream Bay, Cape Brett and the Bay of Islands, of the Parawhau, Patuaharakeke, Ngati Wai, Kapotai and Ngapuhi tribes, had, in 1769, a form of tattoo quite different from that in the area further south. Joseph Banks records for Bream Bay: “They had a much larger quantity of Amoco or black stains on their bodies or faces; almost universally they had a broad spiral on each buttock and many had their thighs almost intirely black, small lines only being left untouchd so that they lookd like stripd breaches” (Beaglehole 1962 1:439). Ling Roth (1901:30) incorrectly localised this quote to the Thames River. Par¬ kinson, the artist, adds that “most had the figure of volutes on their hips and several had their legs, thighs and part of their bellies
Figure 12
Ngati Maru
A pencil sketch by Sydney Parkinson, 1769. The tattoo is similar to that shown in figure 11, with the use of major and minor spirals. The double spiral shown on the forehead belongs in the centre of the forehead and is a sign of rank. This person was probably one of the chiefs of the Ngati Maru tribe seen at Hauraki. 36
The Art of Maori Tattoo
Figure 14 Ngati Wai “Portrait of a New Zealand Man” by Sydney Par¬ kinson in 1769 is of “Otegoongoon”, son of the chief of Cape Brett. This style of tattoo is the pu¬ horo, the pattern being made with clear skin on a darkened background. The design has been called a trilateral scroll. This tattoo would suggest that the man was of ahupiri rank, even though his father was of a rank lower than his mother, while the nose design indicates that he was protected. A rei puta, whale tooth, was worn only by the taiopuru (arikinui) of the tribal area.
Figure 13 Ngati Wai A pencil sketch by Sydney Parkinson, 1769. This is a very small sketch on the same page as the Hauraki ones. It would seem to be an early attempt at portraying Otegoongoon (POtekoukou). The fin¬ ished wash portrait is shown facing the opposite direction.
marked. . . . The tatoo upon their faces was not done in spirals but in different figures from what we have seen before” (Parkinson 1784:108). These descriptions are for Bream Bay to the south of Whangarei. Parkinson, in plate XXI (1784), illustrates Otegoongoon (Otekoukou), son of the chief of Cape Brett at the southern end of the Bay of Islands. The pattern on his face, on the cheek, is seen only from one side but was prob¬ ably symmetrical in both face fields. This type of tattoo is the puhoro face design. A small sketch in the British Museum (ADD. MS 23920 f67) by Parkinson shows the righthand side of a man with a puhoro facial tattoo. Again the design is clear skin on a dark back-
ground. There is nothing in the forehead field. As in the wash drawing of Otekoukou (ADD. MS 23920 f54a), the background is dark and probably formed from vertical ladder designs separated by clear lines over the whole face from temples to nose, jaw-line and ear. Another sketch on the same page shows a shield shape, “a fingernail in length”, deco¬ rated with rolling spirals. Stylistically this is a Northland woodcarving motif. 37
TA MOKO Facial tattoo of men was rare but thigh tat¬ too was not. Ranginui, chief of Ngati Kahu of Doubtless Bay, was kidnapped by the French traveller de Surville in 1769. A drawing of him by the French artist, published in the Jour¬ nal of the Polynesian Society (Milligan 1958 and Ollivier and Hingley 1982), shows he had a tattoo similar to Otekoukou on the face, but with buttocks and thigh tattoo as well. Rec¬ ords now in the British Museum (ADD. MS 23920 f66) were made at the same time by Cook’s artist, probably in the north (Beagle¬ hole 1962 II:fig. 8). The drawings were un¬ signed but are likely to be the work of Sydney Parkinson, as are the other sketches in the manuscript. They are not localised but are of thigh tattoo, which was seen only in the Northland area. It is possible that these drawings were done at Bream Bay, Cape Brett or the Bay of Is¬ lands. In any case there would seem to be little to distinguish between the styles of Bream Bay, the Bay of Islands and Doubtless Bay. The area can be regarded as one unit that is very distinctive when compared with the Hawke’s Bay or East Coast areas. Cook remarked for the Northland area: “Few of these people were tattow’d or mark’d in the face like those we have seen further to the south, but several had their Backsides tattou’d much in the same manner as the Inhab¬ itants of the Islands within the Tropics” (Beaglehole 1968:213). To summarise the style of Northland, mo¬ tifs employed are the trilateral scroll, ladder design and buttock spiral. The types of tattoo are the puhoro face design, thigh, back and
Figure 15 Ngati Miru or Ngare Raumati “Black stains on the Skin called Tattoo” by an un¬ known artist, 1769 (probably Parkinson). In the north rank was shown by the commoner form of moko, the thigh and buttock tattoo. These four sketches correspond with the descriptions given by L’Horme, who was with de Surville in 1769, and with later records. The top two sketches are prob¬ ably of the same person, who was of high rank but who had also been granted a higher rank than his father. The left thigh has a spiral at knee level, which indicates that the mother was of supreme rank.
38
The A rt of Maori Ta ttoo lower leg tattoo, and the technique used is the etching type with clear skin forming the pat¬ tern. This is a style of tattoo very different from those noticed so far. Queen Charlotte Sound — Ngati Apa, Ngati Kuia
The only other area where people were seen by Cook on the first voyage was Queen Char¬ lotte Sound in the northern South Island. Here they saw little tattoo at all — tattooed lips and an occasional line on the forehead: “The na¬ tives of this part of New Zealand wear large bunches of feathers on their heads, and their garments in a singular manner (plate XXIII)” (Parkinson 1784:116). The plate referred to is a study of six heads, five of which have topknots with three white feathers stuck in them. Four of those wearing feathers are also wear¬ ing combs. The foreheads of four men have what appear to be line tattoos composed of spaced, interrupted lines. Two men have the lines half-way down the forehead, the other two down to the brow-line. In one case the brow-line has perhaps been accentuated with a tattooed line. The design fields are the forehead and lips and the motif is formed by what seems to be interrupted line tattoo.
Second voyage Dusky Sound — Kati Mamoe
On the second voyage in 1772 Cook visited Dusky Sound. The three groups seen there, two of which were approached, do not seem to have had any tattoo at all, except for a woman with blue lips seen by Reinhold Fors¬ ter (Hoare 1982 11:249). Queen Charlotte Sound — Ngai Tahu, Kati Mamoe, Rangitane
The return to Queen Charlotte Sound and the frequent revisits during the second voyage revealed quite a different picture from that gained during the first voyage. Furneaux, captain of the Adventure, rec¬ ords: “All the men that have distinguished themselves in war, are marked with spiral cir¬ cles. . . called tatoowing” (Beaglehole 1961:739). The overall picture, though, is not
quite so simple. During the second voyage the ships left and returned to Queen Charlotte Sound on a number of occasions in 1773 and 1774. People came to the area from surround¬ ing areas and from more distant parts, even from the North Island. Bearing these two fac¬ tors in mind, the records of the second voyage need to be considered as far as possible in chronological order. In May 1773 Burney, who was a lieutenant on the Adventure, noted that “some of the men have their faces pricked and stained in very curious flourishes — some tatooed only on one side and some all over — mark of hon¬ our” (Hooper 1975:52). On 21 May two small canoes arrived, con¬ taining five men whose names were recorded by George Forster as: an old man, Towahangha, and Kotugha-a, Koghoaa, Khoaa and Kollakh. Tawaherua, a twelve-year-old boy, was also present (Forster 1777 1:209). Among these can be recognised the names of the two boys Taiaroa (Tawaherua) and Koa who went with Omai, the Tahitian, to England and later died in Tahiti. Other names are of people who were later in Otago, for example Kollakh or Korako, who died at Waikouaiti in Otago in 1840 at an advanced age (Simmons 1967:56). Forster records that Hodges, on 30 May 1775, sketched characteristic faces of the people whose clothes were the same as the Dusky Bay people but never interwoven with feathers. The old man with grey and white hair and a young man with bushy hair were sketched (Forster 1777 1:213). The old man was almost certainly Towahangha. Begg (1969:102) iden¬ tifies him as probably the chief in Dusky Bay. The old man has six rays at the top of the forehead, a space, then four lines parallel to the eyebrows and curving into the inner cor¬ ner of the eye. He has no other marks at all on the nose or lower face field. He is wearing a full beard and untidy hair — which corre¬ sponds with Forster’s note that the hair of the men of this group of Ngai Tahu was “slov¬ enly” (Forster 1777 1:214). A drawing made by Hodges, possibly of Kollakh (Korako), the unkempt young chief of the Towahangha party, is in red chalk (Hoare 1982 11:290). In the old man, the lower groups of lines curl 39
TA MOKO into the corner of the eye; in the younger man it is the upper group (Beaglehole 1961 :hg 27). On 1 June 1773 a new group appeared in canoes of different sizes, three of which had sails (Forster 1777 1:217), figures at the front and high sterns. “Some [of these people] are strongly marked on face with deeply exca¬ vated spiral lines. Trenghoo-Waya, a man of middle age was marked on the chin, cheeks and forehead and nose” (1777:219) and was bearded. Reinhold Forster (Hoare 1982:290) notes that “some of them were drawn by Mr Hodges, especially one whose face was finely punctured in spirals, in a very regular way, his name was Tringhoowaya”. No such drawing has been located.
Figure 16 KaiTahu! Kali Mamoe “Old Man of New Zealand” — red crayon drawing by William Hodges, 1773, of an old man with grey and white hair, almost certainly “Towahangha” of Queen Charlotte Sound. The old man has two groups of lines on his brow — the lower of four, the upper of six — and no other tattoo. There were no men with tattoo at Dusky Sound. This tattoo would suggest a chief of the south, of Kati Mamoe rather than Kai Tahu.
On 4 June 1773 a new party of thirty-six men came in a large double canoe. The south¬ erners at the ship were frightened because these men were stouter, better dressed, with better arms and canoes. There were two chiefs with the party, tattooed on both sides of their faces. One was a stout old man dressed in black dogskins, and the other was a young man whose striped cloak was purchased by Cook (Hooper 1975:57).
Figure 17 KaiTahu Young man drawn in chalk, by William Hodges, 1773. This portrait corresponds with the descrip¬ tion of “a young man with bushy hair” drawn on 30 May 1773. He belonged to the same southern Kai Tahu party as the old man Towahangha. The sitter was probably Kollakh or Korako, who even¬ tually died at Waikouaiti in 1852 “at an advanced age”. A deed signed by Korako at a late date also records his moko.
This group was identified by Forster as Te Ratu or Teiratu’s people (Forster 1777 1:226). They were rich in worldly goods and many of them were “strongly carved with spirals” (1777 1:226). Their double canoe was fifty feet long and seemed to be new, with both the head and stern “curiously” carved with fretwork and spiral lines (1777 1:228). They had seven can-
40
The Art of Maori Tattoo oes in all. Wales records that they came from
tors seen during the first voyage, who had
“towards the
(Wales in
taken over the area and intermarried with the
On 5 November Cook went to near the en¬
locals, or were locals influenced by such visi¬ tors.
Northern
Island”
Beaglehole 1961:789). trance of Tory Channel to a place called Ko-
The residents had partial or complete spiral
heghe-nui or Ko Haghee-nooe, where the chief
facial tattoo (particularly Te Ringapuhi), while
was
1961:575;
Tringhoo-Waya’s group (?Te Ringawaia) (Ngati
Forster 1777 11:471). Te Ringapuhi, chief of
Apa) had spiral facial tattoo on chin, cheeks, forehead and nose. The Ngai Tahu group,
Tringo-boohee
(Beaglehole
Hekenui, had more face scrolls than anyone
which included Korako, had partial spiral facial tattoo.
present. (Haghee-nooe is probably Whekenui in southern pronunciation, with Wh as H, and K sounded like a G — Hegenui.) At the ship more people came than they had seen before. Most were naked except for a mat around the
The third voyage
loins (Forster 1777 1:472). Ngai Tahu, Rangitane, Ngati Apa
The tattooed people seen on the second voyage at Queen Charlotte Sound belong to a
Cook’s third voyage saw him land at Ship Cove
number of distinct groups:
in February 1777. As soon as he landed, a
1. May 1773. Some men with spiral facial tat¬
“great many Families came from different parts” (Beaglehole 1967 1:60). Some people
too, either complete or on one side only.
who came were old friends, like Pedro or Ma-
2. 21 May. Towahangha and Korako of Ngai
tahu, but there was a new tribe of thirty peo¬
Tahu of the South Island, Towahangha with
ple who came with their chief Tomatongeauooranue (?Tamatongauranui) (Beagle¬
forehead rays, the younger man with partial tattoo including spirals. They were in small
hole 1967 1:65). The Ngai Tahu party turned
double canoes. 3. 1 June. A party arrived in double canoes
up again, and Taiaroa and Koa (the boys) em¬ barked as Omai’s servants. Te Ratu was absent
and canoes with plank outriggers. These were
but was called a popular chief (Beaglehole 1967 1:67), suggesting alliance between his
plank-built canoes without the profusion of carving Forster knew of from Cook’s first voy¬
people and the locals. The only written record of tattoo is noted
age. The figureheads did not have spirals. The people also had nephrite ornaments (Forster
by Anderson: “Some are punctur’d or stain’d
1777 1:217-9). 4. Te Ratu’s people from Cape Terawhiti, who
in the face with curious spiral and other fig¬ ures of a black or deep blue colour” (1967
were rich in having cloaks with taniko bor¬
1:810). Webber is said to have drawn Kahura,
ders, spiral prows on canoes and much carving
the chief who killed Rowe and the boat crew
(Forster 1777 1:228). The locals were fright¬
of the Adventure at Whareunga during the sec¬
ened of these people. 5. Te Ringapuhi and the people of Whekenui
ond voyage (1967 1:69). This may be the group on the beach, as Cook refers to them as “to
settlement at the entrance of Tory Channel.
number of twenty and upwards” (1967 1:68).
These groups would seem to have differing
In the Dixon Library, Sydney, there is a
origins. Groups 1 and 5 were local residents;
pen-and-wash sketch drawn by Webber in Queen Charlotte Sound (Murray-Oliver
group 3 was not strange to them but may have crossed Cook Strait (outriggers on canoes) or
1969: plate 100). It is a portrait of a man with
come from a more distant part of the island;
partial tattoo. The motifs, rays, lines and spi¬
group 2 we can identify as belonging to Ngai
rals are
Tahu from further south; group 4 were either
notched technique. The lines are in pairs, with
Rangitane or the related Ngati Kahungunu
short lines at right angles. These have the ef¬
from Cape Terawhiti. The local residents could
fect of making small square blocks. The loz¬
also have been some of the North Island visi¬
enge shape or elliptical motif on the nose is
41
executed
with
a
very
distinctive
TA MOKO executed by a similar technique but with two bordering lines at the boundaries of the motif, with two interior lines of square blocks. This style of tattoo, with its peculiar notched technique, can be identified as being the same as that used in woodcarving in the Wanganui region of the North Island. There is also a shark-tooth knife in the National Museum’s Lord St. Oswald collection, reputedly col¬ lected on Cook’s second voyage, that is deco¬ rated with the same square-block pakati notches. One of the tribes resident in the Sounds at a later period was Rangitane, who occupy
the
Horowhenua
and
Dannevirke
areas. Rangitane are closely allied to Ngati Kahungunu, and it may be that Te Ratu and his people, who came from Cape Terawhiti, included some who were Rangitane. The Rangitane in turn are related to and share culture traits with the Muaupoko, whose culture is closely allied with the Ngati Apa and Ngati Hau of Wanganui. These relationships would be quite sufficient to explain the knife and the tattoo peculiarities. There is also a further possibility that people came directly from the Wanganui area to Queen Charlotte Sound during both the second and third voy¬ ages. The use of temporary plank outriggers on some single-hull canoes, which came with other double canoes, could indicate a precau¬ tionary measure for people travelling across
Figure 18 Ngati Kuia A watercolour drawing by John Webber in 1779 of a tattooed man of Queen Charlotte Sound. This could be Kahura, the leader of the group who took the boat of the Adventure during Cook’s second voy¬ age. The pigmented lines of the tattoo are cut into blocks in the Cook Strait style of carving. The lines from the ear to the lower cheek spiral indicate that the wearer was originally a slave, while the nose, forehead and mouth rays indicate that he was given his freedom to live among another tribe as a surety for an agreement.
Cook Strait in the period when storms were likely, in June 1773 (Forster 1784 1:217). From the records we have, it would seem that there was very little tattoo on the few people seen at Queen Charlotte Sound in 1777. Because some of the people were known to Cook from the earlier voyages, it can be presumed that the tattoos were not very dif¬ ferent, except for the one drawing by Webber from which we can identify a special tattoo. This can be called the Wanganui form and has
1. Hawke’s Bay-Wairarapa (Ngati Kahung¬
square-block inclusions between lines as in
unu) and South Island variant (Ngai Tahu) Spiral facial tattoo with minor spirals
woodcarving. The spiral facial tattoo has bars in front of the ear, and square-block pakati.
2. East Coast (Ngati Porou) Spiral facial tattoo, leg, arm, breast, minor spi¬ ral and ? other figures
Tattooing during Cook’s voyages
3. Thames (Ngati Maru) Male tattoo seen during Cook’s voyages can
Spiral facial tattoo — no other details but pos¬ sibly major and minor spirals
be divided into five major forms:
42
The Art of Maori Tattoo 4. “Wanganui” (Ngati Kuia)
added extra ornamentation on the thigh be¬
Spiral facial tattoo? Square-block “pakati”, bars by ears
low the spirals; this varied in length according
5. Northland
them had motifs on the backs of their calves.
to their rank (McNab: 1914 11:321). A few of
(a) Bream Bay (Ngati Wai) Ranginui, the Ngati Kahu chief, is portrayed
Puhoro facial tattoo
in the journal of Pottier de L’Horme and de¬
(b) Bay of Islands (Ngapuhi)
scribed by Milligan in the Journal of the Poly¬
Buttock, thigh, back, stomach tattoo
nesian Society (1958:181). Ranginui was tat¬
(c) Doubtless Bay (Ngati Kahu)
tooed on the forehead, lower face, buttocks,
Trilateral scroll, negative spiral, “etching”
De Surville’s record in Doubtless Bay in 1769 To the observations of Cook can be added those of the de Surville expedition, also in 1769, in the Doubtless Bay area. Monneron, supercargo for de Surville, records “designs made with charcoal which are encrusted in the skin with some sort of caustic so that they never come off. It is usually on the thighs they have most of these designs where they make spi¬ rals” (McNab 1914 11:280, trans. D. R. S.). L’Horme, another officer, mentions tattooing on the face, thighs and other parts of the body. He describes five types of tattoo (McNab 1914 11:321, trans. D. R. S.): 1. Three-quarters of the face tattooed, leav¬ ing only half the forehead. He saw a chief of all the neighbouring villages “painted” this way. 2. From the corner of the eyebrow and upper part of the nose down to the lower part of the face. At the corner of the eyebrow, on one side of the nose, were two kinds of crescent three-quarters of an inch or more long. People
Figure 19 Ngati Kahu “Chef de Sauvages de la Nouvelle Zelande” Ranginui, chief of New Zealand, drawn by de Sur¬ ville’s artist in 1769. If the drawing is accurate and complete, then Ranginui, chief of Ngati Kahu of Doubtless Bay, was tattooed on the face and on one buttock and thigh only. The small motifs on the calf indicate that he was one of two brothers who fought for the chieftainship, the single motif on the left calf indicating that the younger brother became chief. The double spiral indicates that seniority was in the male line of descent, also conveyed by the trilateral scrolls beneath.
tattooed in this way were inferior to those with three-quarters of the face tattooed as in 1. above. 3. One side of the face with the design going down the neck to the shoulder. 4. Two horns of varying shape painted be¬ tween the eyebrows. These appeared to be the lowest-ranking chiefs. 5. Tattooing on the thigh. This was common to all men and women and is described as spi¬ ral-like bands about one inch wide. The chiefs
43
TA MOKO been to draw on the face and buttocks in the most hideous manner. On the forehead, cheeks and on the nose, they make designs by little pricks in which, when the blood is flowing, they put charcoal powder under the skin. This never comes off. They take a lot of care to work out designs that will make them look frightful and give their faces a look that inspires terror. All the designs on the various chiefs faces are very different, but their buttocks are always engraved with the same design. They draw there, in equally indelible lines, a very neat spiral line with the beginning at the fleshy part and then which takes up the whole rump. They also have two little black designs on each calf carefully made in the shape of an S. (Crozet 1783:73, trans. D. R. S.)
thighs and lower leg. He had a dark band about 2.5 cm wide on the forehead above the eye¬ brows and was tattooed from the temples to the nose and lower jaw with puhoro trilateral scrolls on a black background. On the buttock there was a double spiral left as clear skin on a black background, and above this, on the point of the rump, a clear-skin design. The thigh has a black background with a centre line at the back and trilateral scrolls either side. Only one buttock and thigh are tattooed. The right calf has two black U-shapes with out-turned points broken half-way down the shaft on either side and at the centre bottom with a double line and clear skin, while the left calf has a meandering line dipping in the
In plate 2 of Crozet’s voyage there is a rather idealised engraving entitled Tacouri (Te Kuri)
centre. A description by L’Horme of the method used for tattoo emphasises the etching tech¬
of the Ngare Raumati tribe. Te Kuri is shown with an indeterminate design on his face, spiral-
nique as opposed to the carving technique
tattooed buttock and tattooed upper leg on
noted further south:
the right side. Lieutenant Roux of the Mascarin noted:
They use for this purpose a piece of wood bent at one end to a right angle, and very sharp at the end. They strike on this wood with another piece, and make the part of the body which is to be painted bleed slightly according to the design that they wish to follow. They then apply some very fine charcoal powder. They do this opera¬ tion very quickly and once done it never disap¬ pears. (McNab 1914 11:324)
All the men of any importance amongst them are tattooed with various designs on the face and on the thighs. They make these designs with little tools made out of bones which are very sharp. Into the cuts made by these on the skin they put the juice of a plant we do not know. These marks can never be effaced! (McNab 1914 11:375)
Male tattoo for Ngati Kahu recorded by de Surville’s expedition in 1769 thus follows the fashion noted by Banks further south for the
Du Clesmeur, who took charge of the expe¬ dition after du Fresne’s death, has little to say on tattoo: “Most of them paint on their faces
Ngati Wai and Ngapuhi in the Bay of Islands in technique, design fields and motifs, with minor regional variation.
and thighs a design in the shape of a spiral” (McNab 1914 11:471). The style of tattoo of Ngare Raumati of the Bay of Islands would seem to be similar if not identical to that described by Cook in 1769 in
Du Fresne’s record for the Bay of Islayids in 1772
the same area, and by de Surville at the same time in Doubtless Bay.
Marion du Fresne was in New Zealand waters
Figure 20 Ngare Raumati Tacouri (Te Kuri), a chief of the Bay of Islands, 1772. Lithograph in Crozet (1783). Te Kuri was the chief of Ngare Raumati, who received Marion du Fresne. The engraving is too idealised to be very useful except to indicate that the tattoo style in the Bay of Islands in 1772 was similar to that recorded in 1769. It is possible that the original for the en¬ graving was the portrait of Ranginui.
in 1772 and he died in the Bay of Islands. Crozet, his captain, who took charge of the Mascarin after his death, left a journal of the expedition, as did other officers. Crozet’s ob¬ servations on tattoo in the Bay of Islands read: The most striking way that the chiefs of these savages have shown to distinguish themselves has
44
The Art of Maori Tattoo
45
TA MOKO
Governor Kings record in 1793for North Cape and the Bay of Islands A further record for the northern area is that of Lieutenant King, Governor of Norfolk Is¬ land, who had two Maoris kidnapped to teach flax-working on Norfolk Island. In November 1793 he brought the two back to New Zea¬ land. He notes for Te Aupouri of North Cape (McNab 1914 11:546) “one or two Chiefs, who were distinguished by the marks [amoko] on their faces”. Koto-ko-ke, the principal chief, “who appeared to be about seventy years of age, had not a visible feature the whole of the face being covered with spiral lines” (1914 11:547). Huru, probably of Ngati Uru from the Whangaroa area, and Tuki of Ngati Kahu of Doubtless Bay were the two captives King returned; they were both about twenty-four years old. Tuki and Huru were both tattooed on the hips, but neither had any mark on the face. Tuki is said to have been the son of a chief priest (1914 11:549).
Figure 21 (Hauraki) Tattooed head taken to England by Capt. Wilson of the Duff, 1796-8. The half-completed forehead and sketched-in but uncompleted chin and mouth area indicate that the tattooing was being done at the time of death. The tattoo is almost that of a paramount chief with some puzzling differences — note the use of koru patterns.
The Duff dried heads of 1796-8 and a possible Cook head In the Oldman collection of Maori artefacts are three dried heads (Nos. 121, 122, 123), reputed to have been taken to England in 1796-8 by Captain Wilson of the Duff, the ship that landed William Ellis and other mission¬ aries in the Pacific Islands (Ellis 1831 II: 911). The Duff did not call at New Zealand but probably did go to Sydney, where such items could have been available. Presuming that they were traded in Sydney, their point of depar¬ ture from New Zealand would probably have been Kororareka, the most frequented port in the Bay of Islands, and it is likely that they were obtained by Ngapuhi raiding the Hau¬ raki area. This hypothesis may be confirmed or refuted by the style of tattoo.
FWre 22 (Hauraki) A second head taken to England by Capt. Wilson of the Duff, 1796-8. Oldman’s description of “post mortem work, all cut over original tattooing” seems unlikely, as there appears to be little sign of earlier tattooing. Note the use of square-block pakati de¬ sign on the forehead and chin — this would indi¬ cate that the tattooing was as the result of an agreement. Again the tattoo is apparently high rank but with variations. The koru design by the left ear looks appropriate but is meaningless.
46
The Art of Maori Tattoo extended. This belonged to the family of W. Townley Parker Esq of Cuerdon Hall; it was brought to England by Captain Cook about 1770 and presented to that family.” Dried heads were brought to Cook’s ship at Queen Charlotte Sound on 15 January 1770 (Parkinson 1784:115-6), and on 19 January 1770 Banks purchased one out of four heads (Beaglehole 1968:257). There was also an in¬ cident in 1773 when the flesh from a head was eaten (Wales in Beaglehole 1961:818). Heads were certainly available for trade in Queen Charlotte Sound in 1770, but except for the one obtained by Banks, no other transactions are mentioned, though they could have taken
Figure 23 (Hauraki) A third head taken to England by Wilson of the Duff, 1796-8. The tattoo is again incomplete and partly sketched in. Some of the lines are deeply cut, particularly around the mouth, giving the appear¬ ance of post mortem work. Slaves were sometimes tattooed, killed and the heads put at the mouth of a burial cave.
place. The donor to the Townley Parker fam¬ ily, if indeed the head was presented, could have been one of the officers with Cook, per¬ haps Cook himself. It is also equally possible that the head was obtained at a later date and incorrectly attributed to Cook, though the date is definitely stated. This head has secondary spirals beneath the
Head No. 121 has Oldman’s description: “Fine
ear, a motif noticed for Hawke’s Bay during
old work; forehead crest half completed; one
Cook’s first voyage. The head would seem to
spiral on chin just lightly pricked out; a small
have some of the stylistic features of a Hawke’s Bay head, with some detail at least allying it
stick inserted in nose.” Head No. 122: “Work remarkably deep black
to Wanganui and Queen Charlotte Sound. It
on the upper part; no forehead crest; hand
is therefore possible that the head was col¬ lected at Queen Charlotte Sound, but in view
hole bound with fibre.” Head No. 123: “Good post mortem work, all cut over original tattooing; one spiral of tat¬ tooing left untouched; bound hand hole.” These three heads, except for slight variations in the post mortem work of head No. 123, are in face very similar and would seem to origi¬ nate in the same area. If they are truly eight¬ eenth-century correspond
work,
with
the
then forms
they
do
recorded
not for
Northland, Hawke’s Bay, East Coast or Cook Strait. They could originate in Taranaki but do not have any features relating them to known later records of the area. Our hypoth¬ esis that they may have been tattooed in Hau¬ raki would seem to be likely. There is also a head in the Oldman collec¬
Figure 24 Ngati Kuia This is said to be a head collected by Captain Cook. It came to the Oldman collection from W. Townley Parker Esq. of Cuerden Hall, to whom it was pre¬ sented by Captain Cook in about 1770.
tion with the following description: “No. 128, head of an important chief. The finest speci¬ men; practically completely covered with the finest work. Ear-lobe holes are very largely
47
TA MOKO of the repeated statement that “very few of
heads collected by Wilson of the Duff are from
the
(Parkinson
this area, then the spiral facial tattoo is accom¬
natives
are
Tataowed’’
1784:117), the first voyage is an unlikely time,
panied by puhoro tattoo of koru, clear-skin
even though fighting was reported (Beagle¬
spirals on a dark background on the upper
hole 1968:236; 1962 1:455, 462). If this head
forehead and in front of the ears. Earlier tat¬
was collected on Cook’s first voyage, it is un¬
too in 1770 could have been with major and
like the drawings from Hawke’s Bay and East
secondary spirals. The koru designs could be
Coast, all of which show incomplete tattoo; this tattoo is complete, with all areas tattooed
a later development.
including the upper forehead and ear, where koru spirals occur. It is more likely the head was collected on a subsequent voyage, when more tattoo was seen in the area and quite extensive battles were taking place.
The Northland form of Ngati Wai, Ngapuhi and Ngati Kahu. This is based on clear-skin, trila¬ teral scrolls of the puhoro style. The main design field is on the buttocks and thighs, with motifs on the lower leg. Facial tattoo using the same etching technique of clear-skin, trilateral scrolls on a dark background is rare and con¬ fined to chiefs. There are minor variations between Ngati Wai in Bream Bay, the Nga¬
Regional variation in the eighteenth century
puhi in the Bay of Islands and Ngati Kahu of Doubtless Bay.
Although only a few areas were recorded in the eighteenth century, there are clear re¬
This area had little tattoo during 1770, but
gional and tribal differences in male moko.
on the second voyage shared the Hawke’s Bay-
The Hawke’s Bay-Ngati Kahungunu form. This is
Ngati Kahungunu form, with both residents and visitors having spiral facial tattoo. This
a distinctive form of pigmented-line tattoo, confined to the face and with major and sec¬ ondary spirals.
Queen Charlotte Sound-Ngati KuialNgati Apa.
could be a result of the invasion by Te Ratu, who was of Ngati Kahungunu and probably Rangitane tribes. The Kai Tahu party from further south also
The East Coast-Ngati Porou form. This is very similar and uses pigmented lines as facial spiral tattoo but also has “other figures’’ recorded.
apparently shared the Hawke’s Bay form.
The tattoo is not confined to the face but is also applied to the arm, leg and breast.
form of tattoo that, based on woodcarving parallels, can be localised probably to Ngati
The third voyage provides evidence for a
Apa of the Wanganui region. Artefacts col¬ The Hauraki-Ngati Maru form. This is also a spiral facial tattoo. If, as surmised, the two
lected on the first voyage in Queen Charlotte Sound also show this affinity.
48
Part III
Male moko in the first half of the nineteenth century
TA MOKO
A new fashion in the no rth, 1793-1824 On 12 November 1793 Governor King re¬ corded that Kotokoke of Te Aupouri (Doubt¬ less Bay) ‘‘had not a visible feature, the whole of the face being covered with spiral lines (McNab 1914 11:547). This indicates that a change was taking place in the style of moko in the northern area, an observation con¬ firmed by King’s 1806 description of Te Pahi of Ngapuhi while in Sydney (1914 1:264): Tip-a-he is 5 feet 11 inches high, stout, and ex¬ tremely well made. His age appears about 46 or 48. His face is completely tattooed with the spi¬ ral marks shown in Hawkesworth’s and Cook s second voyage; which, with similar marks on his hips and other parts of his body, point him out as a considerable chief or Etangatida Etikitia of the first class. Te Pahi of Rangihoua in the Bay of Islands was a Ngapuhi chief who was killed by whalers in 1809 in the mistaken belief that he had taken the Boyd in Whangaroa. The design fields in these two instances are the face, where, possibly in the first case and certainly in the instance of Te Pahi, spiral tat¬ too was applied, and the buttocks and thigh, recorded for Te Pahi. The motif on the but¬ tocks was probably a spiral. In September 1805 John Savage, a surgeon, was in the Bay of Islands. He records tattoo as a class marker: “This society is divided into classes, each distinguished by devices variously tattooed on their faces and persons” (Savage 1807:20). He describes one on Tiarrah, brother of Te Pahi, as: In the likeness of Tiarrah the tatooing is com¬ pleted; I have only exhibited his face, and though he in all probability suffered considerably from having it, as they conceive, so highly orna¬ mented, yet his suffering must have been very much increased from having other parts of his body operated upon in the same manner. The pantaloons, particularly the posterior part, are in general very highly embroidered, and of which they are not a little vain. Those intended for the performance of their religious ceremonies have only a small square patch of tatooing over the right eye. (1807:47)
Figure 25 Ngati Rehia Tiarrah (or Tareha) of Ngati Rehia in the Bay of Islands, as drawn by John Savage in 1805. Only the face is shown but Savage mentions his “pantaloons” being highly embroidered. At first sight his tattoo with forehead rays forming a spiral and the other figures on his forehead look very curious, but un¬ derstandable. He is a man who was proclaimed a chief of a tribe descended from a paramount tribe. He has been granted these rights, which go to his descendants. The design by the ear is a particular mark of a paramount chief, Ruwaihou, whose pro¬ tection is given.
In The Missionary Register of 1816 (page 328) a report is made of the purchase by the Rev. S. Marsden of land at Rangihoua in the Bay of Islands. The Ngapuhi chief, whose name is spelt Ahoodee O Gunna, signed the deed on 24 February 1815. This is perhaps Ahuri o Kana or Huriokana. The signature is his moko. In 1817 Nicholas made a reproduction of the tattoo of Te Morenga, who belonged to
50
The Art of Maori Tattoo
Te Uri-Kapana hapu of Taiamai, Kaikohe (Smith 1910a:57). Te Morenga drew his own moko on board the Active on 9 March 1815, using a pen (Nicholas 1817 11:217). John Rutherford was an English sailor who was tattooed by the Maoris of Northland about 1816. He was on an American ship the Agnes, commanded by Captain Cofhn, which was seized by the Maoris at a place called Takomardu, probably in Northland, as one of his companions was taken away by Nainu (Nene) (Craik 1830:155). The ship’s name, Agnes, is difficult to trace, but Coffin is a not uncom¬ mon Nantucket name. Rutherford’s
account
seems
to
borrow
material from other castaways or
Pakeha-
Figure 26
Ngapuhi
Moko signature of Ahoodee o Gunna (Turi o Kana?) for a deed signed at Rangihoua in 1815. The moko is a fairly standard west coast, North Island form but does not reveal any further information about the wearer. Presumably he was entering into the contract by placing his mana on the deed and not being devious.
Maoris, but it seems to be consistent for the Bay of Islands area, if less reliable for areas further south. “In the part of the country where he was, the men were commonly tatooed on their face, hips and body, and some as low as the body [sic]. None were allowed to be tatooed on the forehead, chin and upper lip, except the very greatest among the chiefs. The more they are tatooed, he adds, the more they are honoured” (Craik 1830:145). Rutherford is portrayed in Craik’s volume on page 87 and is shown from the waist up. His face is fully tattooed but his body has some curious figures: on the right chest is a circle with interior rays forming a segment from the centre, with other horizontal and vertical lines arising from this segment; on the left breast are two cogged wheel shapes, the upper with centre circle and radiating spokes, the lower with a centre circle and a star shape. These tattoos are similar to some Tahitian ones re¬ corded in d’Urville’s Atlas (1833).
On his
Figure 27
stomach above his clothes Rutherford has a
Ngapuhi
Te Morenga’s own tattoo, drawn for Nicholas in 1817 on board the brig Active. Te Morenga be¬ longed to the Te Urikapana hapu of Ngati Hine, part of the Ngapuhi federation, and lived at Taia¬ mai near Kaikohe. The forehead design indicates that his mother was of a high-ranking lineage, but
pointed horn shape either side of his navel. These lower body figures could be the end of buttock tattoo badly interpreted by the artist, or a Polynesian tattoo. He has similar geo¬ metric patterns, which could be Hawaiian in
when it took the Rev. S. Marsden and nine
this did not apply to his father. The designs by the ear and chin would suggest that his mother be¬ longed to a senior line connected with the East Coast and more particularly Hawke’s Bay, though he himself belonged to Ngapuhi, as the style essen¬ tially belongs to that area when compared with
Maoris from Parramatta to the Bay of Islands
earlier records.
origin, on his wrists. Rutherford only records being tattooed on the face (Craik 1830:135). Major Richard Cruise was in charge of the military detachment on board the Dromedary
51
TA MOKO
Figure 28
Kapotai
Tetoro (Titore) of the Kapotai of W'aikare in the southern Bav of Islands, as drawn bv Major Cruise in 1820. If the forehead design is correct, then Titore came as a gift from another tribe to become chief.
in 1820. One of the chiefs carried was Titore of Te Kapotai. The most striking in appearance was Tetoro, a man. one would imagine, in his forty-fifth year; he was six feet two inches high and was perfectly handsome both as to features and figure; though very much tattooed. . . The other seven were very young men. all more or less tatooed ac¬ cording to their ages. (Cruise 1824:6)
Titore lived at W’aikare in the southern Bav of Islands and belonged to the Kapotai tribe. The engraving of Titore shows him with a beard, a spiral facial tattoo and tattoo on a portion of one thigh. Judging bv the taiaha he is holding, the engraving is not particularly accurate or detailed, even though the cloak is correct for the period. In 1824 Duperrev led a French expedition to the Bav of Islands. Dumont d'Urville, who
was to lead an expedition in 182b. was with him. Lesson, the surgeon and botanist, left the following, referring to the Bav of Islands tat¬ too: "This tatooing is all the more remarkable because it usualh covers the face, and as it is renewed ver\ frequentlv. it produces deep furrows in regular circles, giving the features the strangest expression . He also refers to bode tattooing: “The New Zealanders place it onlv on the buttocks, arranging it in circles twined inside one another (Sharp 1971:891. In the Atlas published in 182b. Duperrev included plates bv Jules l e Jeune, the artist with the expedition. Three show Hongi Hika with Tout of Kahouwera and his brother, all of whom are tattooed. In the original drawing Hongi has a complete spiral tattoo; Toui has onlv a partial tattoo. Taiwhanga. who re¬ turned from Port Jackson with Duperrev and belonged to Hongi's people, is also drawn in plate 4b of the Adas. He is show n with an army hat on so we do not know for certain w hether he had forehead ravs. though the ends would seem to be present on his temple, and his nose is tattooed. Hongi* tattoo is not clearly shown in the At.as. How ever, we are fortunate in that Hongi. when in Parramatta N.S.W. with Thomas Kendall in 1814 before going to Eng¬ land. carved a wooden bust to illustrate his own tattoo. This bust, with an inscription on
Figure 29
Xgapuhi
"‘Tui Roi des Sausages de la Nouvelle Zelande' il a ete a Londres." (Tui [also spelt Toui] King of the natives ot New Zealand. He has been to London.) The original sketch is bv |ules Le Jeune. 1824. who also did the lithograph and turned the head to lace the other was Toui svas a person of impor¬ tance svho occupied Kahousvera pa in the Bav of Islands (one of the pa sketched bv Parkinson in 1769). Toui svas also known as Tupaea and svas a brother of Korokoro of Ngapuhi. According to his tattoo, he was descended from paramount lineage on both sides and svould rank as a noaia.
Figure 30
Xgapuhi
Sausage de la Nouvelle Zelande" bs Le Jeune. 1824. This individual is probabls one of Toui's close relatives of high rank. According to his moko. he has gained mana as a svarrior. From the design bs his ear. this mana can be passed on to his descen¬ dants.
52
Th* Art of Maori TatUrO
53
TA MOKO
Figure 31
Ngapuhi
“‘Taifanga, Sauvage de la Nouvelle Zelande’ C.P. cuivre clair — tattooage tres creux. Chef.” (Tai¬ fanga, native of New Zealand. C.P. colour for paint¬ ing light copper — tattoo very indented. Chief.) Taiwhanga, wearing a French shako, is a man of good birth of the Ngapuhi genealogical lines, whereas both Toui and the other man were related to more distant tribes.
the back, is now in the Auckland Museum. A version of it was published in The Missionary Register of 1816. In 1823 the Rev. Samuel Leigh made a drawing of a man he called “Fabooha, brother of George of Whangaroa”. George’s real name w'as Tara or Te Aara (Sharp 1971:42ff) of the Ngati Uru. The drawings are in the Auckland Museum library (PC 21/2). This tattoo has some curious features, which may result from the lack of skill of the artist, but it also bears some resemblances to Hongi’s tattoo. These records for Northland for Ngapuhi, Kapotai and Ngati Uru clearly indicate that a change in fashion had taken place in tattoo in the area. The body tattoo is the same, but the spiral form of facial tattoo had replaced the northern form of puhoro facial tattoo. If the heads taken by Wilson of the Duff are from Hauraki and the main area of raiding was Hauraki-Coromandel, then it is likely that the style of facial tattoo was brought back from that area rather than further south on the East
FWre 32 Ngapuhi NatureIs de la Nile. Zelande”, “Schongui” (Hongi), "Toui” (Tui) and an unnamed person. This is a rare portrait of Hongi Hika, the Ngapuhi chief. Toui is shown in the typical frock coat of the period and Hongi has a full tattoo. This drawing can be compared with the bust carved by Hongi (fig. 33).
54
The Art of Maori Tattoo
Coast. There were also raids to Taranaki, but none of the tattoos recorded up to 1824 show any West Coast-Cook Strait influence, nor any of the peculiarities of the East Coast-Ngati Porou and Hawke’s Bay-Ngati Kahungunu forms.
Figure 33 £>
Ngapuhi
Wooden bust carved by Hongi Hika in 1814 at Parramatta, N.S.W., to illustrate his own tattoo. Hongi Hika was the great fighting chief of the Nga¬ puhi. According to his tattoo, Hongi was of high rank and trusted as a messenger by the taiopuru, the paramount chief of Ngapuhi. His tattoo is that of a noaia.
Figure 34
Figure 35
Ngati Uru
Ngati Uru
“Fabooha” (Whapuha), (?) brother of Te Aara of Ngati Uru of Whangaroa, drawn by Rev. Samuel Leigh in 1823. The single side-forehead design in¬
Tara (or George) of Whangaroa, drawn by the Rev. Samuel Leigh in 1823. Te Aara (Tara) belonged to the Ngati Uru of Whangaroa, a sub-tribe of Ngati Kahu. His tattoo has a double spiral on his mother’s
dicates that he was of noaia rank on his mother’s side and that he belonged to the second line of authority and was given a tribal area, while his fath¬ er’s side shows a female line with a single spiral on the cheek. The nose identifies his tribe as Ngapuhi, but the connection of the spiral indicates that he
side, so his male line of descent comes from that side. He has the forehead design that shows he has the rank to lead a tribe. The nose design identifies that tribe to be Ngapuhi, while the notching above and below the eyes identifies the main line as Ngati
was not the chief.
Kahu.
55
TA MOKO
Queen Charlotte Sound — Ngai Tahu-Kati Mamoe
An indication that the Ngai Tahu-Kati Mamoe forms were slightly different comes from another visitor to New Zealand, the Rus¬ sian Bellingshausen, who spent nine days in Queen Charlotte Sound from 29 May to 3 June 1820. Bellingshausen notes that “The faces of these islanders are tattooed with lined figures in a blue-black colour, and this decoration is evidently the privilege of older and more not¬ able men” (Debenham 1945:200). This tattoo is similar to East Coast-Hawke’s Bay forms. N. Galkin, one of Bellingshausen’s officers, notes (text supplied and translated by Dr G. Barratt): “Almost all have regular designs pricked out on their face, and some have them also on their chest, arms and legs. The designs are embellished by means of a permanent dark blue colouration. . . ”
Figure 37
Ngai Tahu /Kati Mamoe
“Native New Zealander”. Original pencil sketch by P. M. Mikhailov, done in Queen Charlotte Sound, May 1820. His nose design identifies him as be¬ longing to Kati Mamoe, and the mouth rays suggest a rangatira or chief of a village.
Figure 38 Figure 36
Ngai Tahu /Kati Mamoe
Ngai Tahu!Kati Mamoe
“New Zealander”. Original pencil drawing by P. M. Mikhailov, done in Queen Charlotte Sound, May 1820. The forehead rays indicate that this chief is of the first line of descent in Kati Mamoe, but the branching of the top line indicates that he belongs to a hapu of which he is chief. The nose spiral and mouth rays are those of a rangatira.
“New Zealander”, pencil sketch by P. M. Mikhailov drawn in Queen Charlotte Sound in May 1820 and engraved. The chief has a design on the left fore¬ head that is probably the ahupiri pattern, and his right forehead is bare. This suggests that while his father was of rank, his mother was of lesser rank.
56
The Art of Maori Tattoo
Tasman Bay — Xgati Apa
Regional variation in tattooing, 1824-26 In 1826 d’Urville led another French expe¬ dition to New Zealand. The records of this are especially valuable in providing a wide re¬ gional coverage of artefacts and tattoo in dif¬ ferent parts of the North
In the Atlas Historique, published in 1833 (plates 42,47) and on the original drawing de Sainson, the artist with the expedition, depicts a number of people from Tasman Bay in Nel¬ son, including Theodai, Eaghi-Taghi and Ikaitaitaki, an old man, a younger man, some women and untattooed men.
Island and the
northern area of the South Island.
Figure 40
Xgati Apa
“Eaghi Taghi” (?E Ukitahi), drawn by de Sainson, Tasman Bay, 1826. Ukitahi has a fairly slight tattoo of a warrior who has been honoured for bravery in battle. The mouth rays also indicate that he was a tribal warrior, while the nose could identify his father as being from a Wanganui-derived tribe. Figure 39
Taranaki/Ngati Apa
“Theodai” (Te Arai) of Tasman Bay, by De Sainson, 1827. The forehead rays are shown in threes but rise at an angle to the brows; the nose and cheek spirals are accompanied only by mouth rays. The cheek designs indicate that he was a person of good de¬ scent who had been raised in status to command a war involving canoes. The forehead design desig¬ nates a tribal commander of canoes, while the mouth rays indicate that he was originally only a rangatira but had become a kaitahutahu ariki. The nose could indicate that the tribal origin, on his father’s side, at least, is Taranaki. Figure 41 >
Ngati Apa
“Ikaitaitahi of Tasman Bay”, drawn by de Sainson, 1826. Ikaitaitahi has forehead rays and incomplete rays in the mouth area. The forehead rays of the koroiti would suggest a person associated with tapu things, while the nose spiral and mouth rays are those of a servant, so he could have been either a warrior or servant of a tohunga.
57
TA MOKO
Cook Strait — Ngati Kahungunu When d’Urville passed through Cook Strait he picked up two chiefs, Tehinoui and Kokihore of Te Aitanga a Mahaki, whom he later left at Hawke’s Bay. These two are illustrated in plate 14 of the Atlas Historique. The tattoo for this area is similar in form to that already described for Tasman Bay. The style recorded by Parkinson in Poverty Bay, with the upper spirals starting from the under eye-line, with a reversed spiral underneath and other small secondary spirals, is not too dissimilar, though
Figure 42
Ngati Apa (Ngai Tumatakokiri)
Man of Tasman Bay, by de Sainson, 1827. This is a warrior who has been granted a rank as a result of battle. He has his hair tied up in a top-knot with four feathers, which, if they are three white and one black, could mean that he was a bodyguard to a person of importance. The tribe is of Wanganui origin.
Figure 43
Ngati Kahungunu
A man of Tasman Bay, probably from Palliser Bay, drawn by de Sainson, 1826. The mam feature of this tattoo is the use of a secondary spiral in front of the ear a feature noticed in the Parkinson drawings in 1769 — an indication that his father belonged to a female line of descent. The wearer was a warrior tattooed for his feats on land. F'gure 44
Ngati Pan
Muriwhenua of Aotea, by G. F. Angas. If the en¬ graving of the tattoo is correct, Muriwhenua be¬ longed to the Nga Te Pare or Ngati Pari tribe of Waingaroa (Raglan). He has seven forehead rays on one side and probably six on the other. The forehead decoration is of a kohere, paramount chief.
76
The Art of Maori Tattoo King Country — Ngati Maniapoto
r
Tattooing further south is shown in other drawings. Angas must have spent considerable time among the Ngati Maniapoto, and his sit¬ ters there included Te Ohu, the tohunga, old Te Uepehi, with a monstrous tattooed bump on his right forehead, the chiefs Te Rangituatea, Ngaohi (or Huatara), Taonui and Te Pakaru, Ngaporutu and Ngawhea. The Waikato form has a number of char¬ acteristics that differentiate it from the closely allied Hauraki style. There is a gradual min¬ gling in the south with elements of the north Taranaki form. The major markers, which are also shared by Ngati Whatua at Orakei, are that in the forehead field the rays tend to go up at a steep angle of eighty degrees, some¬ times curving and broadening, which reduces the area for upper forehead motifs. The up¬ per spiral on the nose is unimportant and often not present; mouth rays tend to end in spirals on the chin and upper lip (though this is more common in the south); and upper cheek spi¬ rals often dominate the design and are usually single. Segmented designs are used for sec¬ ondary figures, and figures are often made from two pigmented lines.
Figure 83 Ngati Maniapoto “Te Uepehi, uncle of Te Pakaru, principal chief of Ngati Maniapoto, Kawhia”, by G. F. Angas. The forehead design looks like a kohere or paramount chief. His tribal affiliation on the nose is Maniapoto on the mother’s side and Arawa on the father’s side. This latter could be the descent line to Rereahu, which leads from Tia of the Arawa. Rereahu in turn was the father of Maniapoto. Figure 84 > Ngati Maniapoto “Ngaporutu a chief of the Ngati Maniapoto tribe at Whakatumutumu”, by G. F. Angas, 1844. Nga Porutu is a chief who belonged to the third line of descent, the third branch off the main line of the taiopuru. This is indicated firstly by the short lines by the nose and full forehead rays. In the mouth area he has the lip and chin decoration of the taio¬ puru.
77
TA MOKO
Figure 86
Figure 85
“Taonui Principal Chief of All Mokau Kiahari Tribe. Oct 17 1844”, by G. F. Angas. Taonui be¬ longed to the Ngati Rora and Ngati Hia section of the Ngati Maniapoto. His cheeks are blank on both the father’s and mother’s sides. All that can be said is that he is the chief of a tribe, probably by virtue of female descent lines and ability. His wife Niapo was of rank and protected by the tribes of Kohuiarau.
Ngati Maniapoto
“Ngohi or Huatari, Ngati Maniapoto tribe, princi¬ pal chief of Mania”, drawn by G. F. Angas, 1844. Ngohi was the father of Rewi Manga Maniapoto. In 1831 he accompanied Te Wherowhero against Pukerangiora in revenge for the earlier defeat of Waikato at the battle of Okoki. Rewi accompanied his father on this expedition. Te Ngohi would seem to be a paramount chief of an ahupiri lineage on his father’s side but not on his mother’s side.
Figure 87
Ngati Maniapoto /Ngati Rakei
Ngati Haua
“Ko Te Waihaki no Ngati Haua with Hoki, Ko Kauwai and Ko Pihaiti”, by G. F. Angas, 1844. The term of address of Te Waihaki, his dress and people around him are all those appropriate to a person of rank. The tattoo is that of a young person who, in rank, had not yet been formally recognised by his elders while his father was still alive.
78
The Art of Maori Tattoo Matamata — Ngati Haua
Bay of Plenty — Ngaiterangi
The Ngati Haua tribe of Matamata, Te Aroha, is a buffer tribe between Hauraki and Wai¬
In plate 24 of The New Zealanders Illustrated,
kato, and Angas portrayed two partially tat¬
Angas shows a chief, Rangitakina of the Bay of Plenty (plate 11). The background is of a
tooed men from this tribe — Te Waihaki and
coast with steep headlands, suggesting the area
Wiremu Tamihana Te Tarapipipi Te Wa-
between Opotiki and Tauranga — the do¬
haroa (figs. 87 and 88) — whose tattoos cor¬ respond with the Waikato style.
main of the Ngaiterangi tribe. This chiefs complete moko shows some characteristics of the East Coast style, though the forehead rays are similar to those of Rangi, the tattooer at the Bay of Islands in 1827. Taupo — Tuwharetoa Ngati Tuwharetoa live in the Lake Taupo re¬ gion, and three chiefs from this area are illus¬ trated: Tauwaki from Tokaanu, Maungakahu from Lake Rotoaira (plate 12) and Tariu from Taupo, all with full moko. Te Heuheu Tukino, paramount chief of the tribe, who was
Figure 88 Ngati Haua “Tarapipipi, son of the principal Matamata chief. Oct 1844”, by G. F. Angas. Wiremu Tamihana te Tarapipipi of Ngati Haua also has the moko of a son of a person of good family who has not yet been confirmed as chief. Te Tarapipipi was the second son of Te Waharoa, the chief of Ngati Haua, who died in 1838. In his portrait Tarapipipi is holding a tewhatewha as leader of the tribal warriors, the war chief. Wiremu Tamihana te Tarapipipi is also known as the Kingmaker for his part in establishing the Waikato King Movement. His tattoo was never added to and in later years was barely visible, being covered by a beard before his death in 1866.
Figure 89 Tuwharetoa “Ko Tauwaki, a chief of Tukanu. Ko Teongionga son of Ko Kitea, a boy of Te Rapa, Taupo Lake”, by G. F. Angas, 1844. Tauwaki has the tattoo ap¬ propriate to a warrior, a protector of the para¬ mount chief, and is of good family. Note that only half the upper lip is tattooed. This, together with the design near the ear (if it could be seen), is a sign of his position.
79
TA MONO
killed in a landslide in 1850, is portrayed with his younger brother, Iwikau, who succeeded him. Both are fully tattooed as tribal chiefs. These Tuwharetoa tattoos appear to be similar to the southern Waikato form. Cambridge, Otaki and Porirua — Ngati Raukawa
Ngati Raukawa, whose home area is Maungatautari near Cambridge in the Waikato, conquered and now also inhabit the area around Otaki. They moved to follow Ngati Toa, originally of Kawhia, who now live around Porirua, Wellington. From Ngati Rau¬ kawa, Angas portrayed Hurihanga (a tohunga) and Rangitauru, a chief with almost full tattoo. Paki and Hamaiti of Ngati Toa are shown, the latter with Kutia, wife of Te Rauparaha, famous war chief of the tribe. Te Rauparaha is also pictured with partial tattoo, together with his fully tattooed brother, Nohorua (also known as Tom Street). The Ngati Toa tattoo would seem to belong to the Waikato form, while the Ngati Raukawa are more closely allied with the Tuwharetoa variant of that form. There are insufficient examples to do more than point out resem¬ blances rather than differences.
Figure 90
Ngati Whanaurangi, Ngati Rangiita, Tuwharetoa
“Te Heuheu Mananui or Tukino, Principal chief of all Taupo at Te Rapa Taupo Lake” and “Hiwikau or Nga Papa brother of Te Heuheu”, by G. F. Angas, 1844. Te Heuheu Tukino died in 1846 in a landslide at Te Rapa and was succeeded by his brother Iwi¬ kau, who died in 1862. Te Heuheu Tukino or Mana¬ nui was the most important chief of the central North Island, and was the arikinui of the Tuwhare¬ toa tribe. The tattoo of Mananui has a forehead design in the centre appropriate to a paramount chief of the second main line. Nose, upper cheek spirals and mouth rays also indicate male lineage on both sides, but there are no lower spirals. Iwikau was the war chief and has lower-jaw spirals appropriate to this position. The outer mouth ray has been continued and joined, indicating a rise in rank.
Flgure 91 Ngati Toa E Paki Ngati Toa Tribe. Porirua Cooks Strait. Sept. 11 1844”, by G. F. Angas. Paki of Ngati Toa is a young man of good birth who had probably been proclaimed an ariki. Note the importance of the large spiral on his cheek with no second spiral. The mouth rays number four, suggesting a rise in rank, perhaps as a tribal carver, but the overall drawing is too sketchy to be certain.
80
The Art of Maori Tattoo Plate 1
Ngati Pikiao
Complete male spiral tattoo and female tattoo on the ancestors of Te Pokiha Taranui, supreme chief of the Arawa tribes. The male ancestor has the tattoo of a master carver to the taiopuru. The moko is in Arawa style with the father’s ancestry on the right, mother’s on the left. If this is correct, then his father was from Ngati Kahungunu while his mother was from Rongowhakaata. His rank is that of arikinui. The diamond between the brows is a sign that he was a messenger for the taiopuru. He has been raised in rank as a carver and this descends to his sons. The female was a mareikura belonging to the second line of descent to the taiopuru. The nose spirals indicate that she was protected by the taiopuru. The carving was done by Te Wero Taroi in 1868. Plate 2
Ngapuhi
Toui of Kahouwera pa in the Bay of Islands and another chief. Toui or Tupaea was of paramount lineage on both sides. The other chief has gained mana as a warrior. They were drawn in 1824. In 1826 when d’Urville returned, Toui had been killed and Kahouwera sacked.
TA MOKO
MAB3TAXTS »K LA AOI'VE I.'LK-'.ZKI.ATt'SJE I S>n