Thanks for your prompt and honest reply - I didn’t mean the comment as a personal attack; if there was any misunderstanding?

The male moko was outlawed by the government (Tohunga Suppression Act) which forbade the act of Maori tattoing. This meant that besides the increasing pressure for many Maori to assimilate into the world of the European; it was also illegal to wear your family crest. The moko is a name, your name, carried by you till you die and this Tohunga Suppression Act denied a number of our forefathers the ‘right’ to display who they were.

The moko, like many other cultural practices from around the world is not well understood by outsiders. Also, the inference that the moko is worn by criminal elements as depicted in the movie ‘Once Were Warriors’ has not helped. It is unfortunate that sometimes the ‘wrong’ elements choose to take on a specific practice for the ‘wrong’ reasons. The moko is a sacred thing and should be respected by those who receive it, those who apply it, and also by those who view it.

The resurgence of the moko is in direct relation to the resurgence and acceptance of the Maori culture within greater New Zealand society. Thank the lord that the Tohunga Suppression Act is not enforceable today - or I would be perceived a criminal, for doing nothing more than carrying my family history.

Hope that provides you with another perspective on the matter.

Cheers
Brent

Interesting site with a much more interesting comment ‘There’s a bit of a renaissance in moko these days, some tough-looking Maori have them now. High street fashion.’

I am an ex-soldier (Para-trooper & Military Policeman) of 10 years, a university graduate, school teacher and writer; and I wear a facial moko.

I can’t change or update my moko to suit any changes in style, nor do I wish too - ‘High street fashion’ indeed!

I find this comment to be quite shallow and uninformed. The moko is a sacred and meaningful thing and to describe ‘modern moko’ as you have; lessens the cultural significance of both the ‘ta moko’ process and of the moko itself.