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Moko; or Maori Tattooing

Chapter V — Patterns

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Chapter V
Patterns

Fig. 54.—Ancient Moko pattern called Moko Kuri in Mr. J. White's book.

Fig. 54.—Ancient Moko pattern called Moko Kuri in Mr. J. White's book.

One of the earliest patterns I can trace is that mentioned in Mr. J. White's book on the ancient history of the Maori. One illustration represented in the frontispiece gives the ancient tattoo pattern called “Moko Kuri.” This consists of sets of three short lines successively, each set at right angles to its neighbour thus Printed pattern of lines, three vertical parallel lines followed by two horizontal parallel lines. with a variant in the form of Printed symbol curved like a snake or an S. in the middle of the forehead. This is a great contrast to the ultimate development of the art, when the winding arabesques of the device in the forms they took were not merely designed to page 65 ornament a surface of flesh, but in parts followed the conformation of the individual countenance. Fitzroy comments on “the
Fig. 55.—A forehead, author's collection.

Fig. 55.—A forehead, author's collection.

taste and even elegance” of “such disfiguring devices.” With regard to the effect of the art on those who grew accustomed
Fig. 56.—A forehead.

Fig. 56.—A forehead.

to it, I may mention that Darwin comments on the feeling it gave rise to. The Maori regarded the unmokoed face as common or plebeian; and writing in 1835 he says: “So soon does any page 66 train of ideas become habitual that the missionaries told me even in their eyes a plain face looked mean and not like a New Zealand gentleman.”
And Earle, too, says: “The art was brought to such perfection that whenever we saw a New Zealander whose skin was thus
Fig. 57.—Left half of a forehead. (Author's collection.)

Fig. 57.—Left half of a forehead. (Author's collection.)

ornamented we have admired him.” Dieffenbach said the Waikato tribe was celebrated for their skill in the perfect execution of the designs.
I will first give the Rev. Mr. Taylor's list of nineteen Maori names for the different portions of the work of tattooing. It page break
Fig. 58.—A forehead, showing signs of post-mortem work, over living work. (Author's collection.)

Fig. 58.—A forehead, showing signs of post-mortem work, over living work.
(Author's collection.)

Fig. 59.—Left half of forehead. (British Museum.)

Fig. 59.—Left half of forehead.
(British Museum.)

Fig. 60.—Forehead. (From a wooden effigy in British Museum.)

Fig. 60.—Forehead.
(From a wooden effigy in British Museum.)

page 68 was subject to certain rules or systematic working; beginning at one part of the face or flesh and proceeding very gradually to
Fig. 61.—Variety in scroll work on forehead; a good specimen. (In Author's collection.)

Fig. 61.—Variety in scroll work on forehead; a good specimen.
(In Author's collection.)

another, each set of markings having its distinctive name. Thus a beginning was made, according to that author, with—

  • Te Kawe, six lines on each side of chin.

  • Te Puhawae, lines on the chin.

  • Nga Repe Hupe, six lines below nostrils.

  • Nga Kokiri, curved line on cheek-bone.

  • Nga Koroaha, lines between cheek-bone and ear.

  • Nga Wakarakau, lines below cheek-bone and ear.

  • Nga Pongiangia, lines on each side of lower part of the nose.

page break
Fig. 62.—Specimen of coarse moko on forehead; lop-sided or irregular work. (Author's collection.)

Fig. 62.—Specimen of coarse moko on forehead; lop-sided or irregular work.
(Author's collection.)

page 70

  • Nga Pae Tarewa, lines on the cheek-bone.

  • Nga Rerepi and Nga Ngatarewa, lines on bridge of nose.

  • Nga Tiwana, four lines on forehead.

  • Nga Rewha, three lines below eyebrows.

Fig. 63.—Forehead. (Royal Coll. of Surgeons.)

Fig. 63.—Forehead.
(Royal Coll. of Surgeons.)

  • Nga Titi, lines on centre of forehead.

  • Te Tonokai, the general name for the lines on the forehead.

    (This name is derived from the movement made when a person assents to the inquiry if he wants food cooked for him by raising the eyebrows.)

  • He Ngutu Pu Rua, both lips tattooed.

  • Te Rape, the higher part of the thighs.

  • Te Paki Paki, on the seat.

page 71
Fig. 64.—Patterns of moko at corner of eyes. Pukaru

Fig. 64.—Patterns of moko at corner of eyes.
Pukaru

  • Te Paki Turi, lower thigh.

  • Nga Tata, the adjoining parts.

And the following are, according to the same authority, female tattoos:

  • Taki Taki, lines from the breast.

page 72
Fig. 65.—Marking over bridge of nose. (Royal Coll. of Surgeons.)

Fig. 65.—Marking over bridge of nose.
(Royal Coll. of Surgeons.)

Fig. 66.—Over the nose. (Royal Coll. of Surgeons.)

Fig. 66.—Over the nose.
(Royal Coll. of Surgeons.)

Fig. 67.—Nose tattooing. (Author's collection.)

Fig. 67.—Nose tattooing.
(Author's collection.)

  • Hope Hope, lines on the thighs.

  • Waka Te He, lines on the chin.

I print this list of terms as being an essential part of a subject the memory of which is rapidly dying out. Every line had its page 73 name, which corresponded even among distant tribes, though the figures tattooed were not consistently made up of the same number of lines.

It will be readily seen that certain features are common to all
Fig. 68.—Various patterns on noses.

Fig. 68.—Various patterns on noses.

the moko patterns and designs, so that one fully tattooed man looked at a distance ornamented like another. On the forehead page break
Fig. 69.—Upper lip and chin.

Fig. 69.—Upper lip and chin.

Fig. 70.—From a wooden effigy in the British Museum. Remarkable tattooing on lips, unfinished.

Fig. 70.—From a wooden effigy in the British Museum. Remarkable tattooing on lips, unfinished.

page 75
Fig. 71.—Upper lip and chin.

Fig. 71.—Upper lip and chin.

Fig. 72.—Over upper lip.

Fig. 72.—Over upper lip.

Fig. 73.—Over upper lip.

Fig. 73.—Over upper lip.

are eight bars radiating, and a V-shaped centre receives some curls. The nose also has its central ornament and spirals at bridge page 76
Fig. 74.—Upper lip and chin. (Author's collection.)

Fig. 74.—Upper lip and chin.
(Author's collection.)

Fig. 75.—On right cheek. (Author's collection.) from same head as Fig. 78.

Fig. 75.—On right cheek.
(Author's collection.)
from same head as Fig. 78.

and nostrils, with an added ornament above, and a little variation at the tip of the nose. From the nose to the chin on either page 77 side are four or sometimes three sets of lines passing the corner of the mouth like a parenthesis. The upper lip has, least frequently, its suitable and varied patterns, the lips themselves having horizontal scoring. The cheek or jaw is decorated with
Fig. 76.—Lines from nostrils to chin, from the outer line commences the lower spiral on jaw. (Author's collection.)

Fig. 76.—Lines from nostrils to chin, from the outer line commences the lower spiral on jaw.
(Author's collection.)

spirals; and sometimes in the older specimens bands of tattooing go across one or both sides of the face.
On the chin and near the ears the fancy of the artist-operator has fuller play, and gives more artistic tracery. I have taken more pains to copy this latter as in the full face or in three-quarter page 78 face portraits it cannot be seen. The patterns extend from the throat to the roots of the hair; before the operation every hair that
Fig. 77.—Spiral on right cheek. (Author's collection.) This head is said to have been brought to England prior to 1800.

Fig. 77.—Spiral on right cheek.
(Author's collection.)
This head is said to have been brought to England prior to 1800.

was likely to be in the way was carefully plucked out and the skin smoothed. I may note here that the untattooed face is called “tapai.” Tattooing made the face rough with its cuts, especially when the old bone instruments were used, the later iron instruments having less effect in this respect.
A complete fresco of elaborated moko was a production, we have page 79 been told, only of time; and many sittings to the artist and often at long intervals were necessary to develop the pattern fully. Months and even years passed in giving the artist or a successor full scope in the completion of his human pictures. “The worst pain of all,” says De Rienzi, “was caused by the incisions on the lips, the corners of the eyes, and the parting of the nostrils.” Some idea of the suffering inflicted may be gathered from the fact that nourishment could be taken for a time only through special feeding
Fig. 78.—Near left ear; good work. from same head as Fig. 75.

Fig. 78.—Near left ear; good work.
from same head as Fig. 75.

tubes; there are several specimens carved for chiefs in the British Museum. I shall refer later on to the characteristic songs sung to the sufferer in his torments while receiving an allowance of moko, page 80 Lieut.-Col. Godfrey Munday (Our Antipodes, 1852, ii. 154) remarks: “There are even in these islands some fat or jovial faces that this savage operation fails to invest with ferocity.”
Fig. 79.—Near right ear. (Author's collection.) from same head as Fig. 140.

Fig. 79.—Near right ear.
(Author's collection.)
from same head as Fig. 140.

The fancy and taste of the artist in moko found ample scope in the exactitude of the lines he cut in the face, and in the variety of his ornamental and figurative designs. He traced out the lines of his intended incisions with charcoal, the marks of which were soon page 81 effaced by the streams of blood flowing from his incisions. This result led him sometimes to mark his pattern by scratches with some sharp instrument as a guide to his chisel; the patient in the old days with the aid of a gourd of water as a mirror could view the intended scheme of work, and approve the pattern thus traced
Fig. 80.—Near left ear. (Author's collection.) from same head as Fig. 140.

Fig. 80.—Near left ear.
(Author's collection.)
from same head as Fig. 140.

Fig. 81.—Marking near right ear. (Author's collection.)

Fig. 81.—Marking near right ear.
(Author's collection.)

before it was seriously begun. There was no rubbing out afterwards, though the lines were sometimes deepened by subsequent retouching.
page 82
An illustration will enable the reader to realise this. A dried head at Florence is a good example of a “scratched-in” pattern.
Fig. 82.—Near left ear. (From Author's collection.)

Fig. 82.—Near left ear.
(From Author's collection.)

Fig. 83.—Near left ear.

Fig. 83.—Near left ear.

The chisel covered so small a space at each incision that the flow of blood frequently washed out the merely painted pattern. The cast of the face of a Rotorua native (Fig. 98) shows how in his case two to three inches at a time were incised. When finished the well-mokoed face was covered with spiral scrolls, circles, and curved page break
Fig. 84.—Marking near right ear. (British Museum.)

Fig. 84.—Marking near right ear.
(British Museum.)

Fig. 85.—Near left ear. (Auckland Museum.)

Fig. 85.—Near left ear.
(Auckland Museum.)

Fig. 86.—Near left ear. (Author's collection.)

Fig. 86.—Near left ear.
(Author's collection.)

Fig. 87.—Near left ear.

Fig. 87.—Near left ear.

page 84 lines; and it is remarkable that, though a certain order is observed and the positions of the principal marks are the same, no two
Fig. 88.—Chin patterns.

Fig. 88.—Chin patterns.

Fig. 89.—Chin patterns.

Fig. 89.—Chin patterns.

[Note added by NZETC as annotator:]

Description: Fig. 90.—Chin patterns.

This image is not available for public viewing as it depicts either mokamokai (preserved heads) or human remains. The reasons for non-display are detailed in the policy regarding display of images of mokamokai. If you would like to comment on this decision you can contact NZETC.

personages are mokoed alike, the artist being able to produce an infinite variety with the materials at his command. One has only to note the position of the lines and curves of the cuttings in the page break
Fig. 91.—A chin pattern. (From collection of Prof. Giglioli in Florence. Work done with the old bone instruments.) from same head as Fig. 179.

Fig. 91.—A chin pattern.
(From collection of Prof. Giglioli in Florence. Work done with the old bone instruments.)
from same head as Fig. 179.

Fig. 92.—Chin.

Fig. 92.—Chin.

Fig. 93.—A chin. (Author's collection; from a fully tattooed head.)

Fig. 93.—A chin.
(Author's collection; from a fully tattooed head.)

page 86 flesh to see how nearly some take the direction which wrinkles would take; how they follow and emphasise the natural lines of the
Fig. 94.—Chin. (British Museum.)

Fig. 94.—Chin.
(British Museum.)

face and features with their depressions and projections. The natural lines which time gives on the forehead, the corners of the eyes, and near the muscles seem to give directions for the grooves.

[Note added by NZETC as annotator:]

Description: Fig. 95.—An unfinished chin. (From Author's collection.)

This image is not available for public viewing as it depicts either mokamokai (preserved heads) or human remains. The reasons for non-display are detailed in the policy regarding display of images of mokamokai. If you would like to comment on this decision you can contact NZETC.

The curved pattern on cheeks is the most common. Captain Chegwyn, R.N., who was in H.M.S. Buffalo at the Bay of Islands page 87 getting spars in 1838–9, notes in his journal that when a chief adopted a son the latter would in due time wear the pattern of moko with which the adoptive father was decorated.

[Note added by NZETC as annotator:]

Description: Fig. 96.—Chin. (Author's collection.) from same head as Fig. 136.

This image is not available for public viewing as it depicts either mokamokai (preserved heads) or human remains. The reasons for non-display are detailed in the policy regarding display of images of mokamokai. If you would like to comment on this decision you can contact NZETC.

The art of wood-carving was carried to great perfection by the Maori, the gates of their pas, their houses, weapons, canoes, &c., were artistically embellished. The effigies of deified ancestors
Fig. 97.—Chin.

Fig. 97.—Chin.

were thus decorated with their peculiar moko, and extraordinary skill was lavished on them, as Mr. Kerry-Nichols says: “In fact it is the wonderful blending of the circle and sweeping curve page 88 which adds to the carving of this ingenious race its special and most attractive charm, and places it beyond that of any other
Fig. 98.—Plaster cast of a Rotorua native, 1854. (Presented to the British Museum by Sir George Grey. Pattern only partly chiseled.) This is a cast from the living face of Tapue Te Whanoa, a leading chief of Ngati Whakaue, Arawa tribe, Rotorua. It was done for Sir George Grey when at Rotorua in 1854. Sir George however had left N.Z.New Zealand for England, 31.12.1853, did not return until 1861. 1853 is perhaps the correct year.

Fig. 98.—Plaster cast of a Rotorua native, 1854.
(Presented to the British Museum by Sir George Grey. Pattern only partly chiseled.)
This is a cast from the living face of Tapue Te Whanoa, a leading chief of Ngati Whakaue, Arawa tribe, Rotorua. It was done for Sir George Grey when at Rotorua in 1854. Sir George however had left N.Z. for England, 31.12.1853, did not return until 1861. 1853 is [unclear: perhaps] the correct year.

savage people for beauty, combined with an unique and graceful simplicity.”
Dr. Ferdinand von Hochstetter (1866) also remarks on the page 89
Fig. 99.—Gateway of a Pa, showing a carved head. (From a drawing on the spot by the Author.) at Maketu pa.

Fig. 99.—Gateway of a Pa, showing a carved head.
(From a drawing on the spot by the Author.) at Maketu pa.

page 90 carved wooden figures met with on the road to the restorative baths of Rotorua. These figures are set up to commemorate
Fig. 100.—End of a staff, showing pattern of thigh tattooing. (Leipsic Museum.)

Fig. 100.—End of a staff, showing pattern of thigh tattooing.
(Leipsic Museum.)

the chiefs who succumbed to their ills; and the remarkable feature of the decoration is the close imitation they show of the tattooing page 91 of the deceased, constituting a method of identification that rendered an inscription unnecessary. I have reproduced several
Fig. 101.—A Maori and the prow of war canoe; both showing fine carving. (From a drawing by the Author.) Te Kuha p. 22.

Fig. 101.—A Maori and the prow of war canoe; both showing fine carving.
(From a drawing by the Author.)
Te Kuha
p. 22.

of these designs, including some in European museums taken from the wooden effigies of past generations, and showing many
Fig. 102.—Tattooing on a bone.

Fig. 102.—Tattooing on a bone.

varieties of moko; for no two Maoris were alike in all their markings. In many parts of the world has tattoo been used; page break
Fig. 103.—Old wooden effigy; good thigh tattooing.

Fig. 103.—Old wooden effigy; good thigh tattooing.

page 93 but nowhere was it so boldly perfect as in old New Zealand times. We mentioned one use during the early intercourse of the settlers with the Maoris—viz., the pictures of tattooed faces, or signatures by its pattern or a portion of it, were sometimes
Fig. 104.—Old wooden carving, probably part of a central post in a house at Hawke's Bay, N.Z.

Fig. 104.—Old wooden carving, probably part of a central post in a house at Hawke's Bay, N.Z.

Fig. 105.—An old effigy showing body carving. (British Museum.)

Fig. 105.—An old effigy showing body carving.
(British Museum.)

reproduced in deeds evidencing the purchase of lands as they could not write. One instance of moko on a wooden figure is copied in many books and is a real artistic tour de force—namely, the bust page break
Fig. 106.—Old wooden effigy (British Museum). Fine head and body carving.

Fig. 106.—Old wooden effigy (British Museum). Fine head and body carving.

page 95 of himself, by the chief Hongi, who with another tattooed chief Waikato visited England in 1820, and was presented to King George IV, at Mr. Marsden's request. It was in hard wood, done with a rude iron instrument which he fashioned from a piece of old
Fig. 107.—Warning figuge against trespass on tapued land. (British M

Fig. 107.—Warning figuge [sic] against trespass on tapued land.
(British M

Fig. 108.—Very old effigy; fine head.

Fig. 108.—Very old effigy; fine head.

hoop-iron; and on it he delineated his own moko. This was in 1816, and it was sent to the Church Mission House, and was a very creditable performance.
The Maori carver at the end of the nineteenth century still page break
Fig. 109.—Wooden effigy of an ancestor. (British Museum.)

Fig. 109.—Wooden effigy of an ancestor.
(British Museum.)

page 97 copies and perpetuates the old patterns on wood, and on clumsily shaped heads hewn from blocks of Kauri gum. There is a good specimen in the British Museum presented by Sir Augustus Franks.
Fig. 110.—A block of Kauri gum, carved as a head. (Presented to British Museum by Sir Augustus Franks, K.C.B.)

Fig. 110.—A block of Kauri gum, carved as a head.
(Presented to British Museum by Sir Augustus Franks, K.C.B.)

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