Author(s): Kirkwood Paterson

Māori History

Tattooed History: The Story of Mokomokai traces the history, the preservation and the great success among collectors all over the world of Moko tattoos. They were used by the Maori people to emphasise their high social status. Through in-depth texts and historical testimonies we can discover and understand the motivations that pushed these peoples to preserve Mokomokai heads. When a member of the tribe died, the tattooed face was preserved and kept for sacred ceremonies, just as the faces of enemies killed in battle were considered spoils of war.