Story: Tā moko – Māori tattooing

Chisel tattooing

This clip from the 1989 television series Natural world of the Māori shows the traditional process of chisel tattooing. This tattooing method was slower and more painful than more recent needle tattooing, but produced deeply and boldly marked designs that their wearers carried with special pride. 

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Natural History New Zealand

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How to cite this page:

Rawinia Higgins, 'Tā moko – Māori tattooing - Tā moko technology', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/video/41239/chisel-tattooing (accessed 29 March 2024)

Story by Rawinia Higgins, published 5 Sep 2013