The practice of tattooing has been around for as long as mankind. Yet for nearly as long as there has been tattooing, there has been condemnation. People have considered decorative tattooing as a vulgar act and a way to mark slaves and criminals. Despite these criticisms and opinions on body modification, to some ancient cultures like the "Maori" it is a way of life. They use tattooing as a rite of passage, to tell the person's position in life, his or her rank and parentage, their marriage status, what line of work they were in, and their 'mana' or power bestowed by the gods. .
The Maori people have ancient traditions and art forms that are precious to them, but their most prominent art form is their tattoos. The Maori developed an unusual style of tattooing. They took their wood carving techniques and applied it to tattoos. Both men and women were tattooed, at the earliest signs of puberty, and although there were many similarities regarding the placement and function of tattooing for both sexes, there was also much distinction between the two. The Maori wore a full-faced chisel design tattoo known as "Ta Moko" and it was predominantly a male activity. Maori females were restricted to the chin area, the upper lip and the nostrils; depending on their rank they may also have a "Ta Moko" on their face. .
Maori men each get an individualized pattern designed for his particular face. The whole tattooing process might take from a few a days, to weeks, or an even longer amount of time. The tattoo artist studies each face and makes a design that accentuates his features. The design is first sketched with charcoal and then the pattern carved onto the skin with an albatross bone chisel. Ink that is then placed on the cuts to create the tattoo is made with Carui gum and dye from other vegetation and then mixed with oil.
For a Maori man tattooing his face is like a history of his achievements and status in his tribe.
