maori face painting and tattoos
TRANSCRIPT
March 17, 2010
The Maori people traditionally tattoo their faces.
This is called "ta moko."
Now most Moari choose to paint their faces instead of tattoo them because tattoos last forever.
March 17, 2010
The koru is the Māori name given to the new unfurling fern frond and symbolizes new life, growth, strength and peace. It is an integral symbol in Māori carving and tattoos.
March 17, 2010
The left side of the face shows the father's ancestors and the right side shows the mother's ancestors.
March 17, 2010
The marks on each side of his face tell if a man is from an important family or if he is married.
March 17, 2010
Female Maori would outline their lip and put koru on their chin.
March 17, 2010
There is a tale telling why Maori people have tattoos on their faces.
There was a young Moari who was very strong and healthy. He wore paint on his face because Maori people believe that the face is the most sacred part of a person.
One day he was very mean to the woman he loved and she ran away to be with her parents. The young man ran after her to apologize and he began to sweat. The sweat ran down his face and her family laughed at him because he looked silly.
March 17, 2010
The girl accepted his apology, but her father said if you want to marry my daughter you should never look silly. The father took the young man and tattoed the lines on his face so they would be perfect forever.
March 17, 2010
March 17, 2010