Moko
The Maori tattoo, cut with chisels and marked in curves that tell a person's lineage.
Also: ta moko
Ta moko is the traditional tattooing of the Maori. Rather than being punctured with a needle, the skin was cut with a bone chisel, uhi, and pigment was pressed in, leaving grooved patterns. Men's tattoo covered the face and body, and women's often the chin and lips, called moko kauae. The designs, curved spirals, show a person's genealogy, rank and achievements, and each is unique. The practice declined in the 19th century and was revived in the 20th, with younger people receiving moko as a mark of identity. It is a respected art and has deep cultural and spiritual meaning, as the person carries their ancestors on their skin.
Region: Oceania