Quote:
Originally Posted by Samuel,J
or Maori chin tattoos.
Storm over fashion magazine moko | Stuff.co.nz
Other cultures also have chin tattoos, whilst I don't think it's ok for fashion to misappropriate cultural symbols (or the clan tartans for that matter, which seems to have escaped the attention of the journalist who wrote the article) I am a little dismayed that New Zealand thinks it has got sole rights to them. They're also part of the culture of the indigenous people of other Pacific Islands, California & SW USA; and also sub-Saharan Africa. It would be good to see some balance for a change from the NZ media. |
Actually, I remember reading up on this a while ago and it is the use of Ta Moko itself that is the issue, not the use of facial tattooing itself. Ta Moko apparently has specific markings that are used to show one's genealogy - thus a person misappropriating those markings would be implying that they are of a certain Maori lineage when in fact, they are not. It is apparently a bit like using someone else's family tree as your own.
Here is an article about Ta Moko and Kirituhi:
Ta Moko Maori Tattoo - When Imitation is an Insult
They recommend that non-Maoris who want a Maori-style tattoo consider kirituhi instead:
Quote:
Kirituhi - A Possible Alternative
If you are dead set
on getting a tattoo that is fashioned in the style of Ta Moko, consider instead
kirituhi. Kirituhi is a form of pattern art that looks like Ta Moko, but
deliberately does not make any reference to Maori symbolism. Kirituhi literally
means "skin art" and the patterns are designed to meet the demands of non-Maori
wishing to have similar tattoos.
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. It's hard to tell from the blurred photo whether they're Kirituhi or Te Moko, what do you think?
