Back to the expo...it wasn't just booths upon booths of buzzing needles, but there were also booths upon booths of different clothing. You could get a burlesque costume, pinup girl clothing, painted surfboards...you get my drift. There were also makeup artists there that could make you look like a sugar skull zombie, pinup girl (complete with I Love Lucy Hair), or you could have your very own imitation tattoo. There were lots of mohawks, piercings, wigs, and people with funky colored hair walking around. Strollers and kids were everywhere to be seen, and in the mix of all the sights to behold, I stood out. Yes, that's right, the baby bump earned me more looks, conversations, and smiles than any of these highly adorned people would ever receive in a crowded Wal-Mart. I was rocking my belly, t-shirt, and shorts like it was nobody's business! LOL!! I probably found it way more amusing than I should have, but I wasn't the only one. Ben found it humorous that I was the one getting looked at he didn't even earn a second glance!
Having said that Ben didn't get a second glance, here in NZ, the looks he gets are to check out his tattoos, and the comments are all along the lines of "I like that!" Tattoos aren't taboo here. New Zealand has the most tattooed population per capita of any country in the world. What does that mean? Well, it means that 1 in 5 kiwis have ink, and 36% of those 30 and under have tats. So, even outside of the tattoo expo, tattoos aren't frowned upon. People's tats aren't confined to places that are easily covered in order to be "professional", and they aren't all little hearts and flowers on their ankle. A lot of the tattoos seen around NZ are Ta Moko or kirituhi.
Ta Moko is a Maori tattoo that gives that person's history. This tattoo tells who they are and where they come from. It is placed on various parts of the body, such as the face or legs, according to what it represents. It was once carved into their flesh with bone/stone chisels, but the majority use less painful methods today. This is not "just a tattoo", but this is a part of a Maori's identity. Kirituhi, on the other hand, is literally skin art. If you're pahkeha (non-Maori/not of the tribe), this is what you get, even if you want a "Maori tattoo". Kirituhi resembles moko, but it lacks the true symbols and history. In other words, even if you directly copy a Maori's tattoo, you could never have ta moko because the history and genealogy is not yours. Sorry Mike Tyson, that face tat you have is just a pretty tattoo!
It's somewhat of a debate here in NZ. Some people feel that anyone should be able to get the tattoos. Understandably, some Maori get offended with people trying to copy their tattoos. It's like having their identity stolen, especially when the people wanting these designs have no idea about the history and meaning surrounding them. Personally, I wouldn't waltz up into a tattoo parlor and ask for ta moko. It's a cheap imitation, in my opinion. Okay, personal rant over....
Here are a couple of images, which do not belong to me, I might add... Oh, and be careful if you ever google images of kirituhi in hopes of finding the perfect tat to take to your artist. A lot of the images aren't kirituhi, or even Polynesian for that matter.
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| Judge Caren Fox - moko kauae (chin) and ngutu pūrua (full lips) |
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| Traditional Carved Ta Moko |
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| Moko - done with needle |
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| Kirituhi |
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| Random tribal tat...he started claiming it was Maori inspired after meeting some girl in Vegas who showed him her butt tattoo. |
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| Kirituhi |
Now that I've given you a little history lesson, I'm about to wrap this post up. Oh, and for those of you interested, Ben has returned. He nor his mother got new ink. She was hot, too!!! :D :D :D Until next time! :D
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