Maori Ta Moko – George Nuku
www.gogglebox-tv.com Front of the Box Production winners of the Qantas Media Awards for Best Television Dococumentary ‘Gang Girls’ Taken from the documentary ‘Ta Moko’ directed by Kim Webby. “Ta Moko” takes viewers on a personal journey through the moko process. Ta Moko also follows the revival of the ancient process of moko using uhi, bone chisels, as it was done in the days of old. Auckland moko artist, Turumakina Duleyz, is bringing back this ancient process by using uhi on the face of artist George Nuku. As the documentary shows, it is a process of trial and error with potentially dire consequences. At the heart of “Ta Moko” is an appraisal of the ta moko renaissance, ten years after it began and the current mainstreaming of a once mysterious practice.Ta Moko is an exploration of the current place of moko in Aotearoa and attitudes toward the revival of this ancient practice. As seen on www.gogglebox-tv.com

June 17th, 2010 at 3:28 pm
@timsnowdon29 With respects to you, in many instances you’re right. But not in the case of all practicing tohunga ta moko. The kaupapa of the tohunga ta moko in many cases defines, whether or not a person receives their ta moko (and that of the whanau too). To generalise something of this nature upon all, is to buy into the notion of pan-tribalism. Also the contemporary climate of Aotearoa/New Zealand brings many new challenges for what defines Maori, and what doesn’t – including Te Reo.
June 17th, 2010 at 3:47 pm
If you can’t describe in te reo what you want included in your ta moko,…you shouldn’t get one. Thats how it should be, not because a few all blacks have one.
June 17th, 2010 at 4:37 pm
this guy looks more european than anything. (sorry but its an observation)
June 17th, 2010 at 5:12 pm
((( Deep Respect ))) Appreciate The Understandings TY4U & Posting : )
June 17th, 2010 at 6:11 pm
Ta Moko and tattoo should never be used in the same sentence because they are 2 different things……anyway maori didnt have pens and paper back in the day so they wrote their stories using Ta moko kinda like a barcode……and thats where the saying comes from”I red his face like a book”nah jus jokes..i said the porch not the porsche ….lol hehehehe
June 17th, 2010 at 6:52 pm
i am curious… does anyone know do many of the individuals who now get Tā moko know how each line correlates with their family ancestry? Im sure understanding how to read it was very essential in its early practices. Considering in those times Tā moko was used to represent job status, tribal positions etc./ times are drastically different now…….
June 17th, 2010 at 7:25 pm
I think Mana is something that comes from within the person, and that no object or action has Mana without a positive conection to something or someone else.
‘In-thing’ or not, to feel a positive sense of pride about the Moko u carry connects u, which in turn… well… you know. haha
Paz!
June 17th, 2010 at 7:40 pm
i have a maori sleve tattoo,,, 2 and half hrs just for the outline in 1 session, its no were near the pain these guys went through i have so much respect for them But the art is so beyond the cleshay crap you find in tattoo studios across britain bulldogs, lions, skulls, angels & demons tribal) ta moko is the in thing to have , so i ware my ta moko tattoo with pride even if it has no mana… i have pride in showing a beautiful ancient art
June 17th, 2010 at 8:18 pm
Namaste — Thank you for sharing the Moko with viewers.
Om Shanti
June 17th, 2010 at 8:59 pm
I needed that
June 17th, 2010 at 9:09 pm
However, that said, there are some people that should just leave well enough alone, because the change the art into nothing but scribbles!
June 17th, 2010 at 9:47 pm
In the traditional aspect, we never decided to wake up one day and pop on over to the tohunga to get a Moko. Modern days while it is common these days to actually get forms of Moko. People like these two guys, and I know George.They uphold the mana of Moko and the mana of the ancestry that is evident in their Moko.
June 17th, 2010 at 10:09 pm
I am Nga Puhi and I feel that no one has the right to ask anyone of their actions towards getting Moko. I agree with what you say. A small part of earning moko is enduring it I beleive. If you can’t handle it, you deal with the humiliation of bearing an unfinished story. Not all share the opinion of CKyzOnLy. I am due to start my journey soon with full body moko, and I look forward to learning more of my whakapapa.
June 17th, 2010 at 10:39 pm
Do you know what you are talking about? You must be foreign to New Zealand as your ‘English’ makes little sense. Its not about it being faster, Ta Moko is a journey, a story of history at times, to be earned and endured. This is the traditional way of doing moko.
June 17th, 2010 at 10:59 pm
very nice . one day i get one like this …
June 17th, 2010 at 11:13 pm
Well I’m frm N.Z originally my father is from Te Araroa & I was in N.Y last year where I got a tat in St. Marks, Grenwhich village & I am really honoured that I got it. The tattoist Eric Huffman had mad skills & he paid attention to detail so its good u have come to this page to see tatau traditionally executed. I didnt reach zen when I got it but Im sure when I get my bigger piece I hope to reach it. The irony of pain is pleasure is only around the corner.
June 18th, 2010 at 12:00 am
1. The ta moko is a faciel tattoo, so the tattooing wouldn’t be as deep,if you ever tattooed the face you’d know that.
2. To say the tattooist shouldn’t practice this then you know nothing of the tradition of tattooing or the fact that tattooing has it’s roots in the Polynesian islands, including New Zealand so this tattooist probibly has more family tattooing than you have friends.
June 18th, 2010 at 12:09 am
this is the shit right here!!!!!!!!
June 18th, 2010 at 12:34 am
i dont c y sum1 gave NZxOTARA tha thums down he was correct man
June 18th, 2010 at 1:26 am
Im not convinced you know what you are talking about… you must be a tohunga ay???
June 18th, 2010 at 2:18 am
its traditional to get a tamoko done like this needles wernt around way back then
June 18th, 2010 at 2:25 am
No reira, mēna kei te tino hiahia te Māori, ahakoa Ngā Puhi mai, Ngāti Awa mai, Ngāti Porou mai, ki te tā mokohia i aia ano, ā, kei te mohio pono ia ki tāna whakapapa, ki ngā korero hoki o muri i tāna tā moko, kāre au te kite i te raru o tēra. Ahakoa kāre te tangata i te mohio i te Reo. But hei aha piihau, kei a koe ou whakaaro e te tuahine, Mauri ora.
June 18th, 2010 at 2:27 am
I think that this tattooist has no prctice to do it….
the real practice is faster and also the needle goes not too mush inside the skin…than faster and more superficial on skin….
June 18th, 2010 at 2:54 am
RONALDO !
June 18th, 2010 at 3:40 am
ko taku e mea atu, kia mohio koe ki te korero te reo tipuna ina mau taa moko. kei korerohia te kaumatua kia koe, aa, na te whakamaa e patu ina kore koe e ahei te whakahoki whakautu i te roto i te reo.