Maori Tattoo Designs

Throughout the Pacific Ocean, the Polynesian culture was able to spread to the thousands of islands. The regional natives were able to settle and give way to many great cultures. As each new island was settled, the cultures began to differentiate from one another. However, many cultural norms stayed the same such as rites of passage, ceremonies and tattooing.

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Tribal tattoos can be found all throughout the Pacific. Originally, tattoos was a much more painful process to go through. Instead of using thin needles, the Polynesian cultures used thin sharp fish bones and rocks. It was a huge cultural event when an individual would go through this rite of passage. It was especially painful to get it done on the face.

You probably have seen the image of an indigenous warrior. Hair is frizzled, tongue is stuck out and the face is tattooed with swirling tribal designs and equipped with the lonely spear. Eyes are wide open and the warrior is wearing nothing but a skimpy piece of cloth. The arms, the chest and the back are also canvassed with tattoos.

This image that we have all seen is of a Maori warrior. The Maori people are of Polynesian descent and are the indigenous people of New Zealand. New Zealand was the southernmost point that the Polynesian culture stretched. The Maori people put a heavy emphasis on tattooing. Not all tattoos were place on the face but facial designs seem to be the most memorable.

Maori tattoo designs consist of circular swirls and curves. Women often got tattoos placed under their lips while the men got their entire face covered. Tattooing started at an early age with boys. As important events happened in their lives, the young man would get more of his face tattooed. The face is one of the most painful places to get a tattoo because there is little fat or muscle between the skin and the bones.

Now, tattooing has become much less of a cultural thing and more of a fashion statement. Also, it is a lot less painful. Maori tattoo designs are often placed on the shoulder, back, the buttocks and yes, the face. Many people still get the tattoo done the traditional way, which requires a chisel to mark the skin. They are always done in black ink

One of the most famous Maori tattoo designs is a tattoo of a face on the arm. There is an outline of the face but rather all the swirls that would go on the face. It is a really impressive tattoo that incorporates tribal tattoos and the Maori style. This is a good compromise in getting a facial tattoo.

For centuries, tattooing was practiced by all Polynesian societies. Every one of them we harsh and painful. The revival of tribal tattoos allows us to see and study many overlooked tattoos. The important thing to remember that Maori tattoo designs among many others carries a great cultural significance that was the fabric of another society. Maori tattoos demonstrate the pain that someone would go through for their society.

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