TATOOS

As many other cultures, also Maori are known for their tattooing skills. Maori are especially known for their "moko" or a full face tattoo. Their full face tattoos weren't just for fun, no, the tattoos told their whole life story. The tattoos were mainly for males, and not females. But also women could have tattoos, but the women's tattoos were mainly common around the chin and the upper lip area.

See a picture of how the Maori used to tattoo their faces here

The Maori have tattooed their faces for ages; it is really an old tradition. But during the time when the British came to New Zealand and the they colonized the land and tried to make the Maori Christian, the tattooing inherit was almost lost.

Today it isn't usual that that the Maori tattoos their faces in the old way. But during festivals and ceremonies they paint on the old patterns, which they used before, to their faces. It isn't unusual that now a days young people are tattooing their faces as the Maori once did, also the British New Zealanders that don't really have Maori ancestors are also getting old Maori tattoos.