The word “tattoo” comes from the Tahitian word “tatau.” Captain James Cook, the word “tattow” when experienced for the first time in Tahiti tattoo, in 1769. According to Maori mythology, tattoos, a love story between a young man named began Mataora (meaning “face of vitality”) and hit a young princess of the underworld called Niwareka.One Mataora Niwareka day, however, and had Mataroa , running the kingdom of his father who was called “Uetonga.

Mataora, full of guilt and grief after Princess Niwareka followed. After many attempts and after overcoming many obstacles Mataora finally arrived in the kingdom of Uetonga “but his face paint messed and dirty after the trip. Niwareka family mocked and ridiculed for her unkempt Mataora. In his very humble condition Niwareka Mataora forgiveness, which he said finally accepted Niwareka father then offered to teach the art of tattooing Mataora while Mataora Tanika rejected the art of lichens -. borders of the mantle of many colors.

Niwareka Mataora again and therefore the human world and brought the art of Ta Moko and Tanika. Ta Moko, the process. Moko, the product
According to archaeological evidence came Tattoo in New Zealand from eastern Polynesia culture.The bone chisels for tattooing in the archaeological sites of different ages in New Zealand must be found and used in some of the first sites in Polynesia East. Although Maori tattooing practices, there is no evidence that customers Moriori.

New Zealand is at the start of the sites, the widest chisel knives were found, and this gives evidence for the theory that there is a preference for a tattoo of a straight line patterns in the past to be. The head was considered the most sacred part of the body, and because it makes blood tattoo tattoo artisans to carry out, or Tohunga-ta-OKO “People were very tapu. All senior Maori tattooed, and those went without tattoos, seen as having no social status.

Tattoo began at puberty, accompanied by many rites and rituals. Besides appealing to the production of a fighter for women, marked by the practice of tattooing both rites and major events in the life of a person.

There were certain prohibitions in the process of tattooing and facial tattooing, especially sexual intimacy and solid food intake was prohibited. To overcome, liquid food and water is poured into a timber, to ensure that there is contamination of samples swollen in contact with the skin funnel. This was also the only way in which the tattooed person could eat, until his wounds healed.The full facial tattoo was a long time and a good tattoo art of a bone with care before the start of his art.