Kōrero: Kauri gum and gum digging

Painted by Charles Goldie in 1934, this portrait shows the complexity of the moko (facial tattoo) of Ngāpuhi leader Tāmati Wāka Nene. Māori called kauri gum kāpia and used it for tattooing. They burnt the gum to get soot, which they ground into a very fine powder and then mixed with animal fat or oil before applying it to facial cuts.