Argentinian Uber driver Diego Acuña says he is Māori at heart - and that’s why he wears a mataora, believing the cultural markings strengthen his mana and wairua.
The 44-year-old from Patagonia had his full-facial tattoo completed two months ago.
A mataora is a traditional, full-face Māori cultural marking (tā moko) worn by men. It is considered a deeply personal visual representation of the wearer’s identity and whakapapa (genealogy).
The practice has seen a resurgence and is now commonplace in New Zealand. However, Acuña lives in South America.
“Yes, I’m Argentinian. I live in Patagonia, but my soul and body live as a Māori,“ Acuña told the Herald.
The tattoo has drawn attention in his hometown, where he drives for Uber. Locals question him, as do international visitors travelling through the mountain ranges around Patagonia.
“When people see me, they ask if it’s real. ‘Is that Māori?’, and I say, ‘Yes, it is’,” Acuña said. He tells them about the history of moko and describes it as deeply special to him.
His connection to Māori culture began during a year-long trip to New Zealand, which included the 2011 Rugby World Cup.
“I was captivated by the Māori people and their culture, and have been ever since,” Acuna said.
He said he experienced what he describes as the “full essence” of Māori culture during that time. When he returned to Argentina, he felt the Māori spirit remained with him.
He began with Māori-inspired tattoos on his arms, legs, chest and back.
“It’s as if my past life was Māori,” he said.
In late 2025, after making dramatic changes in his personal life, Acuña asked his tattoo artist to ink a mataora on his face.
“I got my tattoo after making a life-career decision,” he said. He had worked in a supermarket most of his life, but wanted a change of direction.
“My wife said, ‘You need to change your life’, and I found driving an Uber is the best job in the world for me because I can meet people and talk, so I started my new life.
“For that same reason, I got the moko.”
The mataora took six sessions to complete. The design was based on photographs Acuna sourced online. He declined to share the images when asked.
“Yes, it hurt,” he said, laughing.
Acuña does not know which part of Aotearoa the design originates from, or which whenua, iwi or whakapapa it may relate to.
“I had shown my tattooist pictures of what I wanted, she said OK and did it,” he said.
He tells people in Argentina the moko is a special Māori tattoo that may be done during moments of significance - “just like what happened to me.”
“I feel Māori and tell people this is my way of honouring the Māori culture.”
Acuña plans to bring his wife of five years, Sol Gadea, to New Zealand.
“I want my wife to see your beautiful country and people and culture,” he said. “I just love it and I know she would too.”
Community advocate, cultural adviser and Tūhoe kaumatua Rangi McLean said while Acuna had not followed Māori protocol in receiving the mataora, he was willing to give the South American the benefit of the doubt.
After reviewing photographs, McLean said he could not identify the origin of the markings.
He wants to speak with Acuña about the spiritual and cultural significance of wearing a mataora.
“From what I can see, his mataora has been done with purpose and good intent by a highly skilled practitioner,” McLean said.
There will be a group angry with what he has done
“The mataora has clean lines and the tattooist looks to have had some kind of guidance.”
McLean said that in his younger years, he would have viewed the tattoo as cultural theft. His perspective has shifted after meeting indigenous communities through his travels.
“I was once staunch about this kind of cultural manipulation and misappropriation,” McLean said.
“Don’t get me wrong, there will still be a group out there angry with what he has done.
“There will be a lot of haters who will say he has no right to do what he has with our cultural taonga - and they can have their view.
“But I’d like to explain to Diego the cultural and spiritual side of a mataora. There is a wairua (spiritual essence) that goes alongside a mataora.”
Acuña said he intended to contact McLean. He does not want to denigrate Māori culture.
For now, he wears his mataora with pride in his hometown of San Carlos de Bariloche.
“I feel the mana of the Māori people, and I tell people here the story of why I tattooed my face,” he said.
“I wear this with pride and honour.”
The Māori tā moko artists approached by the Herald declined to comment on Acuña’s mataora.
Joseph Los’e joined NZME in 2022 as Kaupapa Māori Editor. Los’e was a chief reporter, news director at the Sunday News newspaper covering crime, justice and sport. He was also editor of the NZ Truth and worked for urban Māori organisation Whānau Waipareira.