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Story: Tā moko – Māori tattooing

Te Rauparaha's moko

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Te Rauparaha's moko

The Ngāti Toa chief Te Rauparaha used a drawing of his facial moko as his signature on several legal documents, such as this deed of sale for land at Cloudy Bay in the Marlborough Sounds. Te Rauparaha's moko was unusual in being unfinished. This drawing shows the blank section at lower right.

Using this item

Archives New Zealand - Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga

Reference: NZC 133, 24(1)

Permission of Archives New Zealand Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga must be obtained before any re-use of this material.

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How to cite this page

Rawinia Higgins, Tā moko – Māori tattooing – Moko and status, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/document/41247/te-rauparahas-moko (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Rawinia Higgins, published 4 April 2013.