Ankle Maori Tattoos

Traditionally, Maori tattoos were carved into the skin using a small instrument made of albatross bone, and took months of careful, agonized planning. They were typically worn by men of high rank. Women who were tattooed were only allowed designs upon their lips, chin and nostrils. Today, however, the process of Ta Moko has become one of the most popular styles of ‘tribal’ tattooing. The designs associated with Maori tattoos have a definite aesthetic appeal, but to many people they mean a good deal more than that. They are often used as a symbol of cultural identity, and the designs used may represent things such as genealogy, history or even beauty (as full, blue hued lips have long been considered as the ‘ideal’ of female Maori beauty).(more)