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The
Maori of New
Zealand: Moko
Masters
The
native people of
New Zealand, called
the Maori, are
world famous for
their tattooing.
Although they do
not cover as much
of the body as
many South Pacific
people, the Maori
developed their
own unusual style
of tattooing. Working
mostly on the face
(Moko) and buttocks,
the Maori took
their wood carving
technique and applied
it to tattooing.
With this they
achieved a unique
chiseled design
into which they
then rubbed ink. After
the Europeans arrived
in the 1700s bringing
metals to these
islands, the Maori
began a more conventional
style of puncture
tattooing. Amazingly
enough, this tattooing
can still be seen
in many museums
around the world,
not just in drawings
or photographs,
but also in the
skin.
Because the Maori tattooed the
face, they had an unusual custom
of removing and preserving the
heads of their tattooed chiefs
after death. These heads would
stay with the family and be an
honored possession.
Until Europeans began to visit
New Zealand and settle there, heads
were of sentimental interest only
and had no commercial value. Museums
and collectors were desirous of
possessing them as curiosities
and a great demand for them sprang
up. Reluctant to part with the
heads, the Maori were eager to
obtain firearms, ammunition and
iron implements. As a result, a
brisk traffic ensued and the demand
began to exceed the supply. The
Maori were known to fight one another
in disputes over land and property.
The heads of these war victims
became part of the trade supply.
This considerably reduced the population
of New Zealand while stocking the
museums of Europe with specimens
of barbaric face-culture. As a
commercial enterprise this traffic
was not without monetary profit
as well.
The first dried head to be possessed
by a European was acquired on January
20, 1770. It was brought by Mr.
(later Sir Joseph) Banks, who was
with Captain Cook's expedition
as a naturalist, and was one of
four brought on board the Endeavour
for inspection. It was the head
of a youth of fourteen or fifteen,
who had been killed by a blow that
fractured his skull. The three
other heads, not for sale, seemed
to have false eyes and ornaments
in the ears.
The first of such head taken to
Sydney in this manner was brought
from the Foveaux Straits in 1811.
It was stolen, and the crew's heads
aboard ship, were nearly cut off
for "utu" (revenge.) In 1814 heads
were certainly not yet an ordinary
article to trade at Sydney, but
by 1829 it appears that preserved
heads were not uncommon.
The Rev. J.S. Wood says: "In
the first place no man who was
well tattooed was safe for an hour
unless he was a great chief, for
he might be at any time watched
until he was off his guard and
then knocked down and killed, and
his head sold to the traders".
"But the trade began to grow
in importance and at length agents
were sent to select the best specimens,
and "baked heads" acquired a separate
entry among the imports at the
Sydney customs, and it was not
uncommon thing to find them offered
for sale in the streets of that
city".
Many a poor slave suffered a horrible
fate: mokoed only to be murdered
for his head! At one time it was
forbidden to tattoo slaves. To
be tattooed was reserved for the
noble and the free. The slave,
who sometimes came willingly for
his moko, found to his dismay,
that once his tattoos healed he
was tomahawked, his head dried
and sold to the ever-ready trader.
A good-looking slave might be elaborately
tattooed so that as soon as required
his head might pass as that of
a distinguished rangatira (the
head of the community). When the
traffic in heads became general,
the natives ceased altogether to
preserve the heads of their friends,
lest by any means they should fall
into the hands of others and be
sold.
Many a poor slave suffered a horrible
fate - mokoed only to be murdered
for his head. At one time forbidden,
the pride of the noble and the
free, the unhappy slave was not
forcibly tattooed and when his
scars were healed he was tomahawked,
his head dried and then sold to
the ever ready trader. A good looking
slave might be elaborately tattooed
so that as soon as required his
head might pass as that of a distinguished
rangatira. When the traffic in
heads became general, the natives
ceased altogether to preserve the
heads of their friends lest by
any means they should fall into
the hands of others and be sold.
Slowly but surely the traffic became
a public scandal. The Maori possessed
all the arms they wanted and discontinued
the practice of trading. Instinctually,
they found it repulsive and had
only adopted it as a desperate
measure to preserve their tribes
from annihilation. In any case
the practice was dying out.
This human and courageous effort
to stop the abomination of the
traffic in heads was shortly followed
by an Act, which was passed into
law before New Zealand became a
separate colony. Governor Darling
of New South Wales, had the satisfaction
of imposing a fine of 40£ as
well as publishing the name of
those trafficking in heads. Public
feeling ultimately supported the
cause of humanity and the trade
faded away.
Following is a partial
list of museums and organizations
which count Maori heads
a part of their collections:
Royal College of Surgeons - England
Aberdeen, Marishal College - Scotland
South Kensington Museum - England
British Museum - EnglandSt. George's
Hospital - England
Guy's Hospital - England
King's College Museum - England
Paris Museum d'Historie Naturelle
- France
Plymouth Museum - England
Konigliches Museum fur Volkerkunde-
Germany
Auckland Museum - New Zealand
Canterbury Museum - New Zealand
Sydney Australian Museum
Florence Anthropological Museum
- Italy
Smithsonian Institution - U.S.A
Army Medical Museum - U.S.A
Halifax Museum - England
Devizes Natural History Society
- England
Exeter Albert Memorial Museum -
England
Science and Art Museum - Ireland
Ethnographical Museum - Germany
Today there is a move afoot to
return the collections to the Maori
people. Ireland is the first country
to formally make this decision,
but more are sure to follow. While
this might be considered a loss
to the tattoo historian as well
as the interested public, it is
fitting that they be returned to
their rightful resting place.
Tattoo Archive © 2003
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